Little Home in the City

"...She said to herself..."

2012-01-19T18:37:00.000-08:00

Eileigh has been cracking me up lately. I find myself scribbling down things she says throughout the day on whatever scraps of paper I can find... all to be transcribed at some point into my journal for future reflection and enjoyment. I understand that no one else will find these even as close to amusing as do her parents but I wanted to have them all in one spot. So bear with a mother who adores her children. :)

She has taken to occasionally narrating what she is doing. Often I will hear her quietly talking to herself and she will finish it with "... she said to herself."

We had "Porcupines" for dinner- you know, meatballs with rice. Eileigh asked her proud Daddy if he shot the porcupine we were eating. (Answer: kind of. It was really deer meat and he had harvested it... so... yes?)

She loves to cook in her play kitchen. Today at nap time she informed me that she was making a cake... flour, eggs, and "I pinched a little bit of salt. I pinched it." while holding up her fingers to show me just a little bit.

She referred to her Papa and Grammie. I clarified, Papa Jack and Grammie Coffee? She answered, "Your husband's mommy and daddy." Okay then!

We were looking at a picture of otters sitting on a plaid blanket and having a picnic lunch of minnows, bread and sparkling cider. She said "They can't have bibs!" Of course I thought it might be because otters don't generally sit around having picnic lunches but I just asked her, Why not? Her insightful answer: "Because the fishies aren't messy."

She will occasionally respond to me with, "Yes, your Majesty" or "Yes, my Majesty". I really don't see the need for correction on this one. :)

Stuffed Pillowcases: Deep Thoughts

2012-01-06T15:37:00.000-08:00

Tip: Put your bedsheets and second pillowcase inside the first one for storage.

Question: Why would I ever want to do that?

Theory: Keeps everything together, no spare pillowcase to get lost.

Rebuttal: I hate this tip. I even tried it once and cannot make it work. I have an absolutely lovely friend whose life has been completely renewed by now stuffing her pillowcases in this manner. I think what drives me nuts first of all is that it makes just an unsightly lump of sack-filled sheets unfit for stacking and better equipped for stuffing into an already packed closet shelf. Furthermore, my pillowcases are apparently too long and end up having a tail (do I fold it back under or do I just loosen up the whole package and let it ooze out over the shelf?), becoming the very antithesis of a neatly folded pile. I also must question the obvious... how do pillowcases get lost on a closet shelf? If they are removed by someone needing a clean pillowcase then it is just as possible to lose one housed in a pillowcase-sack as it is in a pillowcase-pile. The return of wayward single pillowcase is just as easy (and dare I say easier?) to a stack than a sack. Finally (and this moves beyond a deep thought to a deep-seated issue), by having all of the sheets inside a pillowcase, the pillowcase is open and exposed, most of its surfaces touching and being touched by any manner of objects. Completely negates the freshness factor a tightly folded pillowcase can bring to a newly dressed bed.

Solution: After laundering a set of bedsheets and pillowcases, fold each item as neatly as you prefer, place altogether in a stack (prodigal pillowcase option: sandwich folded pillowcases in between the flat and the fitted) and stuff as neatly as preferred into whatever space is available on the shelf.

Warning: If you ever stop by for a visit, don't open the door to my linen closet. You may have a pile of sheets fall out neatly on your head.

Taking the Trash Out: A Doctor's Visit

2012-01-03T21:22:00.000-08:00

I fight and I fight. Sometimes I gain some turf. Sometimes it's a losing battle. What is this battle, you ask? It's one I think most, if not all mothers... wives... women (I don't know how much to generalize here- maybe it really is just me) wrestle with. Maintenance vs. Letting Things Go. Balance. Class vs. Trash. Today= Class 0, Trash 1.

I would just like to note beforehand that as of late we've been coasting along pretty well. I took Eileigh's questions about getting dressed ("Where are we going?") and house cleaning ("Is Daddy coming home today?") to heart and decided that perhaps I was flirting dangerously with a line that is best avoided and have been working to improve such areas. This of course includes demolishing certain post-childbirth beliefs such as putting a bra on underneath the sweats you wore to bed the night before consists of "getting dressed for the day". Needless to say, it's a work in progress.

Last night the girls both spiked pretty high fevers after a day of... let's just say an extremely quickly moving digestive system. I was up throughout the night with Eileigh, who seemed to suffer the most. Selah's fever broke around 4:30am and they both crawled into bed with me around 5:00am, insisting they really would go to sleep and allow me a few moments of restful bliss as well. Eileigh kept worming her way on top of me while Selah spent her time alternating between quietly sucking her thumb and punctuating the quiet darkness with a quick jab to my eye, "Eye", a strong grip of fingers squeezing my chin, "Chin", and a deft single-hair-pulling pluck, "Hair". I decided we could work on co-sleeping another time and they slept a couple more hours back in their own beds.

I dragged through the morning, changing Selah at least three times due to unfortunate leakage. The kind where the diaper doesn't even have time to absorb the fast flow so it just shoots out the side and down the leg. I decided to put Selah in a cloth diaper for our mid-morning trip to the doctor's since cloth (although not thrilling to clean when sick) does a much better job of containing said liquid contaminants. Due to an important phone call, a late start and the inevitable getting-stuck-behind-the-truck-driving-15-miles-below-the-speed-limit I breezed into the doctors' office about 10 minutes late. However, a few other things were right on schedule. That would be Selah's impeccable timing of removing both socks and shoes three minutes before our (late) arrival and her subsequent chucking and losing of one sock somewhere to the recesses of our car. As I pulled her from the carseat I also happened to notice she had completely soaked through her diaper, onesie and pants. Much to my relief it was only urine. Much to my chagrin, in the haste to get out the door I had neglected to pack any spare clothing for her and found myself with a half-naked little girl running around the lobby in only a diaper and a thermal hoodie. Much to my further dismay I discovered that the only spare Selah-sized item of clothing I had in the diaper bag was in fact one sad, lone, gray-heeled sock. I now realized I had to make the choice of either putting her shoes of choice (dressy black Mary Janes) back on her without socks OR putting the pants-less girl in one athletic gray-heeled sock and one green-scalloped-edged dress sock. Seeing as how it is winter time and since I'm out of running for Mother-of-the-Year already I decided to go with the mismatched socks and buckled the dress shoes back on. About that time Eileigh decided she was too hot and took off her turquoise jacket. Light bulb went on and I thought, Hey, that should be long enough to cover most of Selah's legs... almost like a dress. That would be soo much better. So I put it on Selah. Not only was it not even close to long enough to cover the diaper, I was forced to roll up the sleeves about four times since Selah instantly loved wearing Eileigh's jacket and wouldn't take it off willingly for anything. She waltzed all around the lobby proudly while I slunk down into acceptance: Yep, I'm that mom.

I know what they say: You win some, you lose some. I think losing a big chunk of pride might be the best win of all. Embarrassing almost to the point of painful. Nothing like these God-gifts we call children to humble the pride right out of you. Tomorrow I start afresh. And with a full set of spare clothes packed in the diaper bag.

EGGnog: The Real Deal

2011-12-24T19:55:00.000-08:00

Tradition has it that every year (at least for the last three or four years) I whip up a batch of eggnog. Of course I only do it at Christmas time and it is indubitably declared a delicious but once-a-year indulgence. All that is now going to change. I foresee an integration of this beverage into our regular, non-holiday existence. This is because I now have a recipe so healthy it's almost a crime NOT to drink it on a reasonably regular basis. Chock full of a few of my favorite things: raw milk, raw egg yolks and raw honey. It tastes AMAZEing. Much better than the high fructose CornNog at the store. :) As always, get your food from a reputable source and make sure the cows are grass fed and the chickies are pasture run (the closer to orange your yolks are, the better). Save the egg whites to make meringue since raw egg whites can block your body's absorption of biotin (resulting in hair loss... not highly recommended). I'm told that freshly grated nutmeg really "makes" this recipe and maybe I'll get myself a little nutmeg grinder in the future but for now I'm going to use up the rest of my already-ground nutmeg. It's still delish. The girls surely think so.

Eggnog

2 c. raw whole milk

2 c. cream (preferably raw, at least organic, not ultra-pasteurized)

8 large egg yolks (preferably pastured, at least organic free-range)

1/4 c. raw honey or Grade B maple syrup

1 tsp. vanilla extract (I used homemade vanilla extract made with rum for extra flavor)

Freshly grated nutmeg to sprinkle on top
Optional: Good Kentucky bourbon or rum

Blend ingredients together in blender or food processor until smooth. Pour into glasses and add bourbon or rum if desired. Grate fresh nutmeg over each glass and serve.

Good....

...to the last....

drop.

First Letter to Santa: Snowman edition

2011-12-22T20:13:00.000-08:00

Most of what we've told the girls about Santa has been in relation to the historical Saint Nicholas, peppered in with some info about his "helpers" that you see dressed up around the malls and finally topped off with a small amount of whimsy as the "elves" bring the girls goodies every morning in the Elf Pails hanging on the Christmas tree. It makes for some interesting questions, such as "How do the elves get to our house every morning? Do they walk?" (we thought that perhaps they take Santa's sleigh out for a spin...)... until... "Is Santa up in Heaven?" and then it all gets a bunch more muddled from there.

At the post office a couple days ago Eileigh spotted the little red mailbox for the Santa letters and insisted that she get hers mailed off. I think it had more to do with the stamping and mailing than it did with Santa but she proudly drew her snowman and then asked me how to spell Santa's name, carefully writing each letter after I said it. Just so you know, she didn't scribble over his eyes, she just colored them in because they needed to be brown. (This was with a black pen. Eh. You win some, you lose some.)

Coq Au Vin at Le Fire Stationne

2011-12-06T21:25:00.000-08:00

Sure that's French. Rolls right off the tongue. Better than "caserne de pompiers" which would be the official French phrase for fire station as defined by the dictionary (or at least the first French definition that Googled itself up). As long as you say it with a French accent you'll be good to go. Now this story just got a little better. As I further realized I don't actually know how an (authentic) French-speaking person would pronounce Coq Au Vin I decided to Google that up as well. I'd been pronouncing it "coke au vinn" to myself and anyone in hearing range so I snickered as I read the pronunciation and then listened to the audio clip: kawk au VAN. Then the light shone through my mental fog as I further realized it did not just mean Chicken In Wine but in fact, the literal translation would be Cock in Wine. I think I may have snickered myself back to Jr. High. Luckily Mike's working and I've been spared the official eye roll. :)

So this morning we planned on a make-up Music class session and then ferrying dinner over to Mike at the station. Do you ever have those days where you're all dressed up and ready to go and just want to get out and do whatever, enjoy your freedom... Why does it always happen to be that ONE day that you already have something else to do that's important? Why couldn't I get one of those motivated-for-fun days on a day that I often end up wearing exactly what I slept in the night before because I have no good reason to get out of those grubbies? (These would be days Mike is on shift. Mostly.) All this to say that I ran out of time and had to choose: Class or Coq?

Coq au vin (winner!) was surprisingly simple for all of the flavor going on. Perhaps that's because it's braised in an entire bottle of red wine. I love this meal for winter- I think of it as highfalutin' comfort food. Simple. GOOD. Just make sure you get the pronunciation correct when you serve it to your dinner guests.

Coq Au Vin

4 Tbsp. butter
4 lbs. bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (split breasts cut in half, drumsticks and/or thighs)
Sea salt and pepper
10 oz. or about 1-1/2 c. mushrooms, cleaned and quartered (I used 12 oz... the more the merrier)
1 c. sliced shallots
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp. fresh rosemary
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 bottle dry red wine
3 c. chicken broth
3 bay leaves
2 Tbsp. butter, chilled and cut into pieces (to be added at the end of cooking, optional but do it)
2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley

Heat the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and brown on both sides for about 8-10 minutes. Reduce the heat if the pan begins to scorch. You may need to brown the chicken in two batches depending on the size of your pan. Transfer the browned chicken to a plate.
Pour off all but 1 Tbsp. of the liquid left in the pan and cook mushrooms, shallots and salt over medium heat until lightly browned or for about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, thyme and rosemary and cook for 30 seconds longer. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute longer, stirring constantly. Slowly add wine while scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Then slowly stir in the chicken broth. Stir in the bay leaves and bring to a slow simmer.
Add the chicken back into the pot making sure all the pieces are covered with the braising liquid. Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer gently until the chicken is fully cooked. This will take about 40 minutes.
Transfer the chicken to your serving platter and over to keep warm. Continue to simmer the braising liquid over medium-high heat until it has thickened and measures about 2 cups. This will take about 20 minutes longer. Once you reach this point, turn off the heat, remove the bay leaves, whisk in the chilled butter (optional but not really, you must do it), and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with parsley.

Visiting Daddy at the Station is never complete without a thorough exploration of the "Weeyu-weeyus".

Eileigh's favorite: pulling the cord for the bell

Oh how I love this girl!

Note: not a fan of loud noises. Or even slightly noisy ones.

Take 'Em for a Ride on My Big Green Tractor

2011-12-05T12:43:00.000-08:00

Our garage is temporarily housing a riding lawn mower. I'm hoping "temporarily" doesn't evolve into a redefinition of the word embracing some form of permanency. Not that I've been able to park in the garage for over a year anyways. Sigh. Mike and I used to pride ourselves that we could actually park our car in the garage. Pride + Growth (Life happening) = Humbling. And so we learn that the apples really don't fall so far from the trees.

Yesterday we bundled up the girls and Mike took each one for a spin on the "tractor". Since we're not quite up to sizeable country acreage that would actually require a riding lawn mower, we did it city-style: cutting cookies in the cul-de-sac. It cracked me up to watch Mike fire it up, sit a girl on his lap and drive off into the near-sunset... all the while never even getting close to the grass and just driving around on the street as the girls spun the wheel whichever way the chose. In retrospect I think this really helps the image we're working on with those burnt-out Christmas lights.

Selah, as always, spotted a plane

I'm Dreaming of a White (Trash) Christmas

2011-12-03T11:00:00.000-08:00

My own version of Bing Crosby's big tune hummed in my head until I couldn't help belting it out at full volume, "I'm... dreaming... of a white... *trash*... Christmas..." Mike informed me that after several hours of being in the cold, dutifully stringing up Christmas lights, no matter how many bulbs he replaced or times he fiddled with it, he could not get one section of lights to work. Therefore this year we boast a classic Trash Christmas, burnt out lights and all. I decided to give him a break and fed him dinner and let him go to bed early since he was headed back in to work the next day, amused all the while knowing that at least for a few more nights we'll be exhibiting a quality break in our house's Christmas lighting.

This year, like many years past (except for the one when we scored a great tree for $5), we headed out to Hansen's Tree Farm just outside of town. Somehow we always end up having the whole place to ourselves to browse and this year was no different. The girls found two matching puddles right off the bat. Eileigh hopped in while Selah stopped at the edge and after a slight encouragement waded in. They had a blast splashing together until Mike and I decided to start the search for our tree. Eileigh ran off to join the search but Selah protested all the way out of the puddle and down the road and into the field and down the aisle, calling out her version of "Puddle!" endlessly. She was distracted only by a small plane flying overhead.

Not wanting to hold hands at first.

Watching the plane. Right after this we went to another spot with Selah trailing along behind. I had to return to get her when she kept crying and saying, "Eileigh! Puddle!" and pointing to a pile of dirt that Eileigh had walked through. She was standing with her toes right up against it and apparently had been magically frozen and unable to walk around the dirt.

We traipsed around for a time, marveling that the weather was the warmest it's ever been for tree shopping. Usually it's so cold it hurts our noses and I can't wait to get back to the truck. We've never had too much trouble agreeing on a tree (because Mike goes with the one I want, perhaps?) although this year we found ourselves desiring opposing ends of the tree-fatness scale. I kept wanting them to be wider, more full, fatter. Perfect tree? Nope. Must be fatter. We found one that was pretty good compromise-wise although admittedly a little more post-Thanksgiving meal than emaciated. Makes for good ornament holding.

We three girls incessantly hollered out "Timber!!!" while Mike made short work of cutting down our tree and then we headed back to the truck. Eileigh ran back to the puddle for one more quick dip before we were off to the farm store. By then it was lunch time (which was reheating in the oven back at home) and the girls were hungry but of course had eaten all the snack on the way to the tree farm and I now had nothing left to pass back for them to munch on. So I encouraged that if they were lucky then maybe I could pick up a treat at the farm store for them. Eileigh responded, "I'm going to be lucky, Mom." She knows.

We munched Late July Organic Vanilla Bean with Green Tea Chocolate Sandwiches which are ridiculously delicious and taste way better than Oreos and go perfectly with any need for snacking post-Christmas tree harvest. The ride home was quiet to say the least. So after arriving home, eating lunch and "naps" (quotes because Eileigh generally spends the time playing, talking and singing made-up songs at what is close to the top of her lungs) we were able to decorate the tree. Normally we'd try to get the wildlife out of it before bringing it into the house but since it was going to freeze the next day we didn't want to spray it out with water, didn't have a blower and figured that just leaving it outside wouldn't be any kind of encouragement for spiders to vacate. So we just set it up and got to work. The girls enjoyed hanging the red and gold glass balls and I made a mental note to go with not-quite-so-breakable ornaments for next year. Eileigh had the honors of topping the tree this year and I think we'll leave it exactly the way it is because every time I see the slightly crooked star it makes me smile.

This summer I scored a Nativity set at a garage sale. Always wanted a Nativity set, never had one. This one has a baby Jesus that's removable from the manger so if we wanted to we could have the manger empty until Christmas day and then place baby Jesus there in the manger that morning. I can't bring myself to pack Him up for the rest of the season and so He remains at the center of the scene- right where He is supposed to be. Jesus. He's the Reason for it all. May we be ever mindful of that every day, especially as we celebrate His birth.

22 Month Comparison

2011-12-01T20:22:00.000-08:00

Selah, one crisp November afternoon 2011

Eileigh, one crisp November afternoon, 2009

(I'm amazed at how much this girl looks like herself!) :)

Wordless Wednesday: A Little Light Reading

2011-11-23T12:00:00.000-08:00

Coconut Sprinkles

2011-11-22T09:22:00.000-08:00

Ready for one of the easiest, most phenomenal recipes? Throw these into some granola or just straight into your mouth, use as topping on pureed butternut or acorn squash or spice up your morning oatmeal. These are divine on EVERYTHING. Maybe even steak. Maybe even in a tuna sandwich. Maybe not. But you could serve them up as dessert after that steak... we like them sprinkled on top of freshly whipped cream.

Coconut Sprinkles

2 c. unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 c. maple syrup (use the real stuff here- yes, I know it's more expensive than flavored corn syrup)
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Combine ingredients until coconut is coated. Spread on baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake 2-3 hours until dry and crisp. Break up into small pieces with your hands and store at room temperature in airtight container. Serve with pretty much everything.

Strrrrretch!!

2011-11-21T10:56:00.000-08:00

I'm trying to exercise my blogging muscles and finding them shriveled indeed. Therefore, I am committed to minimalizing creativity and instead focusing on simply getting something- anything- on the page on a more consistent basis. Use caution, this may get painful at some point.

Eileigh has been fairly close to begging recently in her requests to have her nails painted. I've never been one to paint my nails regularly (mostly from an unable-to-stay-within-the-lines affliction) and then once I realized that nail polish is possibly one of the most toxic ingredients to apply to our bodies I've pretty much vetoed it since. But I still love the pretties. Eileigh loves the pretties. (Selah does too but I'll tell you her actual response here in a second.)

When we were doing GAPS I had signed up for an online cooking class that has been a wealth of information. Seriously great resource. The session on detox went over a wide range of personal care products, including nail polish. In short, it's best to avoid most, if not all nail polishes due to the toxicity in the ingredients. There are a few brands that are safe although no nail polish is completely non-toxic. Suncoat kid's nail polish is the least toxic of all the brands. So over to their website did I go. You can check out the kid's nail polish here or their regular non-toxic line here.

Eileigh sat on my lap and we shopped together online. I asked her if she wanted pink or purple or red. She chose blue. Mermaid Blue! I went with Berry from their regular line and then picked up some of their mascara to try since I'm almost out. Kind of fun reading about what is NOT in their ingredients. Plastic, anyone? I digress. So night before last I slapped three coats of Berry down onto my newly shorn fingernails. I couldn't believe how fast it dried- obviously because it's water-based but by the time I was done painting one hand it was dry enough to switch to the other hand and not worry about smearing it everywhere. Not that a professional such as myself would have that problem. Ahem.

I promised I would paint Eileigh's fingers after her nap and she dutifully went to sleep, a rarity nowadays. Selah woke up before Eileigh and let me paint her left big toe Mermaid Blue before deciding she was quite unhappy about it. She went over and sat on Daddy's lap to read books, double-checking her toe every now and then to make sure she still had something to protest about.

Eileigh woke up excitedly a little after that and held remarkably still for two coats on her fingers and toes. Once again, I marveled at how fast it dried and Eileigh appreciated being able to go show Daddy and Selah her pretty fingers and toes once they were done. The Mermaid Blue actually ended up being a somewhat metallic shimmery blue and green. Certainly cute on kids- and adults of that persuasion, too. Personally I'm more of a "basic" kinda gal but can appreciate it on others. :)

So far the polish on the nails is lasting quite well- all except for Eileigh's big right toe, which got picked clean off while she was watching Raffi in Concert before bathtime last night. After a few threats of leaving it unpainted we're scheduled for a repaint this afternoon. Maybe I'll even take a swipe at a second Selah toe.

Morning Snuggles

2011-09-25T21:28:00.000-07:00

Eileigh's almost always up for a sister snuggle- Selah on the other hand prefers it on her own terms.

This morning she flopped down on top of Eileigh willingly and contentedly let Eileigh "pet" her back while I ran for the camera. Can't think of a better way to start the morning.

Hair Branches

2011-08-17T20:25:00.000-07:00

"Mom, my hair branches are kinda freakin' me out."

I love this kid.

Wordless Wednesday: Selah's First Piggies

2011-08-10T06:30:00.000-07:00

Have Mercy

2011-08-08T14:35:00.000-07:00

About a month or two ago I decided to flex my creativity muscle (it's a small one that doesn't get out much) and wanted to figure out a good solution for Eileigh's piggy bank. Up to this point she had gleefully been dropping all of our spare change into an adorable piggy bank from Great-Grandma Mary. Problem was, it was almost full. Sure, we could deposit the money into the college savings fund and start over again but I've realized that Eileigh is ready for a little more training in money-handling. And I'm not just referring to not putting pennies in her mouth or washing her hands after touching any amount of loose change. More along the lines of Giving, Saving and Spending. I remember from somewhere that the best banks for kids are ones that they can see through and literally watch their money grow (or disappear). I had two more requirements: I did not want to spend money to buy something for this purpose and I wanted it to not be hideously ugly. This third requirement meant I could not use various plastic jars with lids I scrounged up around the house. Enter: the Mason jar. An all-purpose item that lends itself to simplicity and beauty all in one. So, in keeping with the plan, I scrounged up three pint-sized jars from my stash. I also grabbed lids and three different colored rings. Since I didn't want Eileigh to have to unscrew the lid and ring every time (and because it's way more fun to actually drop the coins through the slot) I had to figure out how to get a coin-sized slot into the lid of the jar. My first thought was to wait until Mike got home. My second thought was, nah, let's see what I can rustle up for tools to do the job. Fortuitously, Mike had just received some passed-on tools that were still sitting out and a small chisel caught my eye. At least I think that's what it was... beveled on one side... tap on the top of the handle with a hammer. That's how I used it anyway. It was the perfect size to make the perfect quarter-sized space in the lid. (I put the lid on the jar securely with the ring and then two quick taps made for the ideal slot). Only one side of the newly-minted hole was sharp and even though I figured there was minimal risk I carefully applied a small amount of high-class duct tape to the sharp edge to protect little fingers. My creativity muscle was exhausted by then so I just Sharpie'd the tops with Give, Save and Spend. Eileigh and I went upstairs and I explained what each jar was for. She then joyfully started to redistribute the wealth of her piggy bank amongst the three jars, calling out in a sing-song voice, "Some to give for others, some to save for later, and money for Eileigh to buy." So far she's loaded up her little pink purse twice and hit up the Dollar Tree for a jump rope and Walmart for some stick-on earrings. Today, in keeping with the theme of Mercy (see my prior blog post on praying for our kids here) I decided to do something a little different in regards to giving. We've been talking a lot about giving to other people who don't have money or food or clothing. Samaritan's Purse is an incredible organization and they have a Gift Catalog that you can browse and choose different areas to give. This morning as I read through some of the different options, Eileigh sat on my lap and was able to see pictures of babies and children that are blessed and helped by the ministry. She was quite excited as she chose to help feed a hungry baby and nursing mom for a week, some baby chicks for a family, and a couple weeks' worth of milk and hot meals for children. She unzipped her purse and started to get her money out as I tried to explain the whole 'nother realm of debit cards... and decided to save that for another day. She seemed content to just hold my debit card while I clicked away. Gotta start 'em young, right? Have mercy!! :)

The Shiner

2011-08-06T11:41:00.000-07:00

Eileigh received her first shiner. She's enjoyed watching it go from black and blue to purple and green and yellow. It's actually a great educational tool. However I think I'm going to stick with the no-standing-on-the-couch rule. She was standing on our patio furniture outside and somehow fell off and landed on the table on her way down. She's kind of been a collection of bumps and bruises lately. Last night she went to lick a strawberry popsicle that was so cold (as in dry ice cold) that her tongue literally stuck to it. I looked down and she was freaking out and couldn't pull it off. Sure I could've grabbed the water bottle in my diaper bag to loosen the popsicle's grip on her tongue but with my quick (dare I say cat-like) Mom-reflex I bent down and literally licked her tongue off the popsicle. Well, most of it- she/we pulled at the end a little too soon and part of her tongue was left remaining on the popsicle. Needless to say that got dumped in the trash and she happily munched Daddy's strawberry ice cream bar instead. Who would've thought a strawberry fruit bar could be so dangerous? But just to reassure you, Eileigh is really okay and not even the shiner or minimal tongue loss is enough to keep her from standing on the furniture or away from icy treats. :)

Thursday's Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-04T10:51:00.000-07:00

31 Biblical Virtues to Pray for Your Children

2011-08-03T22:46:00.000-07:00

Today I decided to challenge Mike's assertion that his Love Language is a clean house and therefore focused most of my day's efforts on wading through the Pit, aka the office. If he's correct on the Love Language then I will be loved for life and if he's incorrect then we will enjoy having an office with actual surfaces (As in ones you can see. Not covered by all manner of items.) Going through the very, ahem, small *cough* stack(s) of papers I was pleased to find several months worth of "inserts". We receive little inserts with our giving receipts from one of the ministries we support and I'm always amazed at how relevant and insightful they are. They're super short but always leave me with something to mull over. The one that caught my eye was titled Parents' Prayer Program. In it author Bob Hostetler shares his desire to pray more intentionally and effectively for his children. He wanted to get beyond repetitive "God bless the kids" type of prayer and developed this Parents' Prayer Program. Each day of the month, in addition to prayers for his children's safety and concerns of that day, Bob prays for a specific character trait, virtue or fruit of the Spirit to be planted and nurtured in his children. The following list is a guideline that you can adapt for use with your own children, grandchildren, kids in the neighborhood or missionary kids around the world. I'm going to be praying these for myself as well!! :)

Pray specifically for the children on your heart- that they experience and evidence:

1. Salvation (Isaiah 45:8, 2 Timothy 2:10)
2. Growth in grace (2 Peter 3:18)
3. Love (Ephesians 5:2, Galatians 5:22)
4. Honesty and integrity (Psalm 25:21)
5. Self-control (1 Thessalonians 5:6)
6. A love for God's Word (Psalm 19:10)
7. Justice (Psalm 11:7, Micah 6:8)
8. Mercy (Luke 6:36)
9. Respect (for self, others, authority) (Luke 6:36)
10. Strong, Biblical self-esteem (Ephesians 2:10)
11. Faithfulness (Proverbs 3:3)
12. Courage (Deuteronomy 31:6)
13. Purity (Psalm 51:10)
14. Kindness (1 Thessalonians 5:15)
15. Generosity (1 Timothy 6:18-19)
16. Peace (Romans 14:19)
17. Joy (1 Thessalonians 1:16)
18. Perseverance (Hebrews 12:1)
19. Humility (Titus 3:2)
20. Compassion (Colossians 3:12)
21. Responsibility (Galatians 6:5)
22. Contentment (Philippians 4:12-13)
23. Faith (Luke 17:5-6, Hebrews 11:1-40)
24. A servant's heart (Ephesians 6:7)
25. Hope (Romans 15:13)
26. The willingness and ability to work hard (Colossians 3:23)
27. A passion for God (Psalm 63:8)
28. Self-discipline (Proverbs 1:3)
29. Prayerfulness (Ephesians 6:18)
30. Gratitude (Colossians 2:7, Ephesians 5:20)
31. A heart for missions (Psalm 96:3)

Sisterly Love

2011-07-28T22:10:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday: The Evil Eye

2011-07-27T07:35:00.000-07:00

Huge Egg

2011-07-26T11:34:00.000-07:00

"Huge Egg" pretty much sums it up. I couldn't believe how big this egg was... no surprise that it was a double yolker! I feel sorry for the chicken...tasted great, though!! :)

The Owie (with a Mouth)

2011-07-26T11:15:00.000-07:00

A couple days ago we were over at my parents' house and Eileigh got a small cut on the inside of her Tall Man finger, right along the joint crease. Somehow she always seems to manage to injure Tall Man with any owie she receives and Mike and I have countless immature moments having her repeatedly show her owie to each other.
We had one Hello Kitty band-aid left and although I generally limit band-aid use to serious owies, this one was affecting her silverware use during lunch (more so from dramatic effect than actual injury) so Tall Man got slapped with a Hello Kitty band-aid and lunch continued without further delay.
After bath time and the subsequent removal of Hello Kitty, Eileigh insisted on another band-aid for bedtime since it still "hurt so bad". By this point I had a hard time seeing the scratch so I was pretty sure there was no longer any looming imminent loss of appendage and therefore denied said band-aid request. I explained that we should just air her finger out and let the owie breathe. Eileigh looked at me a little confused and said we didn't have any air around here, to which I replied that yes, actually, it's all over and there will be more than enough for your finger. She thought a little more and then flipped her Tall Man at me and said, "My owie needs to breathe. See, there's his little mouth!!" I looked and I swear that finger was just about grinning at me.

Chocolate Chip Cookies, grain-free edition

2011-07-13T15:40:00.000-07:00

Oh my. So technically, these aren't GAPS legal since they include chocolate chips... BUT I'm going to have to go out on a limb here and say they're totally worth the splurge. Eileigh and I made these today and I used them in some shameless bribery regarding specific toilet-training issues. It worked so I'm grinning like the cat that ate the canary... the chocolate canary that is... They taste like a real cookie (and actually remind me a little bit of almond roca). Next time I might throw in an egg or two and see if they get a little more body to them, as these spread out and ended up fairly thin. If you don't feel like baking them up you can just eat the dough but I have to say these really make one delicious cookie. (I doubled the recipe... they go fast around here...)

1 ¼ cup almond flour
1/8 tsp baking soda
few shakes of salt
5 tbsp melted butter
3 tbsp honey
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl, set aside. Mix wet ingredients in a separate bowl, add to dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Spoon batter onto parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 10-13 minutes until set and slightly toasty. These will firm up as they cool.
Yield: 12 cookies

Pickin' Berries

2011-06-26T19:50:00.000-07:00

This year Eileigh and I had mama/daughter time picking strawberries while Mike stayed home with a napping Selah. We met up with a couple of friends out at the farm. One of the girls brought her son Eli, who is a year or two older than Eileigh (try saying those names together five times fast). They had a great time palling around, eating strawberries and decimating as many weeds as they could possibly step on/grab/destroy. Eli also explained to Eileigh that the way to get as many strawberries as the vast number in his bucket were to just "pick really fast like I do". She kind of watched him work and then plucked the biggest one she could find out of my bucket and munched away. After about two hours the sun decided to come out and since in my hurry to get to the farm I hadn't bothered to cover either of us in sunscreen we decided to call it a day and head home. Final count: 30.5 lbs. of strawberries, little pink cheeks for Eileigh and a slight tan for myself, stained hands, faces and clothes and some priceless time spent enjoying life together.

I had to tell Mike about the huge strawberries... this one is not too shabby... but the biggest ones didn't make it home. :)

The Help

2011-06-26T19:04:00.000-07:00

Eileigh's piles

Not only do I have a partner in crime (see: chocolate consumption) but I also happen to have a fabulous little helper... on occasion... the best help happening more of when she feels like it rather than a constant desire to clean and/or help her mama. So on this day she was happily helping me with the laundry- washcloths being her specialty. I was actually pretty impressed with how well she had folded them and caught myself as I was praising her for that. I realized that it's not so much the results I care about (e.g., evenly folded towels) but more the fact that she was willing to help me and doing it with a great attitude. So I switched gears and told her how much I appreciated her helping me. She looked quite pleased, gave me a hug and kiss and told me she loved me. How I delight in that little girl.

Helping Daddy wash the truck

Daddy's hat, boots no less than three sizes too small and her rockin' secondhand scooter that she absolutely adores

When Every Day is Mother's Day

2011-05-08T20:08:00.000-07:00

Mike's out on a (fairly) rare ice cream run, the girls are in bed fast asleep and I'm contentedly contemplating the day's events and some of the deeper thoughts that stir my soul tonight. I feel as though today could very well have earned the title of "Best Mother's Day Yet" and I have to laugh as I think of what that means to me today. My first Mother's Day (4 years ago) I found myself extremely disappointed from ridiculously heightened levels of expectation. I somehow had envisioned an entire day of carefree bliss and a vacation from any kind of need/responsibility/sacrifice required of me on a regular basis. I had a four month old at the time. Talk about reality shattering fantasy. I remember being frustrated and upset as I declared to myself and to Mike (and probably even four month old Eileigh) that this was supposed to be my day... and yet I was still covered in spit-up, changing poopy diapers by the dozen and eternally hooked up to that necessary evil, my Medela breastpump. The baby still cried and I still didn't obtain a respectable (or even functional) amount of sleep. I was, in all sense of the word: Mom. This day is no different than any other day in that I am needed in a way that no one else can fulfill to the extent that I am called to do. No one else will love my daughters the way that I do. No one else will find their throat constricting and their heart squeezed countless times a day as I share life with my girls. No one else will think them as beautiful, as precious, as breathtaking and as worth every bit of every sacrifice I make... as I do. I mention this only because this Mother's Day was just as beautiful as every other day is. I mothered my children today- in the best sense of how I know the word. And I am thankful that my understanding of that grows as I am continually stretched and challenged. Today wasn't beautiful because there were no tears, no poopy diapers and no food thrown on the floor (there were all three). Today was beautiful because I saw wiping tears, changing diapers and cleaning up the floor as a reminder that not only am I doing what I'm called to be doing but that I have been blessed with two beautiful, feminine little reasons to choose joy in the sacrifice of truly loving. Can there be any greater calling than that? So Happy Mother's Day, today and every day, to every mom who finds herself with tears to wipe, sacrifices to make and an ever-expanding understanding of the all-encompassing Love we share with our children. Happy Mother's Day.

Egg Hunt

2011-05-02T20:47:00.001-07:00

So glad she figured out walking this last week! Perfect timing for egg hunting!

Mindi and I were laughing hysterically at his little trashed-out appearance. He didn't seem to mind one bit... other than the usual good-natured scowl thrown our direction.

A bucket and some eggs to fill it with... and then take them out... and then put them back in... and then...

Boone and Eileigh quickly found their eggs and then "helped" the littles find theirs

I struggle with being overly helpful in finding eggs... it's riiiiiight over heeeere.....

Selah excited for her own egg

Easy Potato-Leek Soup

2011-04-06T19:19:00.000-07:00

The last couple trips to the grocery store have caught me buying leeks galore. For some reason it's all about the leeks right now. Tossed into an omelet, used to whip up a Bacon-Leek Tart or as the inspiration for my most recent adventure, Potato-Leek Soup. For some reason every now and then Mike will ask me if what I made came from a recipe, implying that maybe I just threw a bunch of ingredients together. I guess the food looks suspicious. And maybe I did. This version of Potato Leek Soup I most certainly made up as I went but it did in fact turn out pretty tasty and now I have another reason to pick up more leeks on my next trip to the store.

Easy Potato-Leek Soup

1-2 Tblsp. butter
1-2 leeks, sliced (white and light green parts only)
1/2 c. white wine
4-5 medium potatoes, scrubbed and chopped, peels left on (or peeled if nonorganic/preferred)
2 c. broth (I used ham but chicken or veggie would be good too)
2 c. milk
1-1/2 c. corn (canned or frozen)
3/4 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Shredded cheddar cheese

In large saucepan, saute leeks in butter over medium heat until tender. Add wine and simmer for a few minutes. Add potatoes, broth and milk to saucepan, cover and allow to gently boil until potatoes are fork-tender, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat and stir in corn. Add salt and pepper to taste and heat through. Serve with shredded cheddar cheese for topping.

From Couch to Warrior

2011-04-05T19:21:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I'm not exactly a couch potato. And I definitely don't plan on becoming a hard-body warrior-type anytime soon (or ever) BUT for my purposes I'm thinking big and going as all-out as a girl in my shoes can do. The Plan: begin to run, train for a 5k, build upper body strength that presently resembles that of a T-Rex and in September achieve the goal of completing the Warrior Dash. It's basically a 5k trail run/obstacle course of mud pit, trenches, cargo nets, hundreds of tires, hay bales, rappelling... you get the idea. Sounds like ridiculous amounts of fun, right? And this coming from me, having never run in my life. Really: Nev. ER. I would get winded after 30 seconds of running and think my heart and lungs were going to explode out of my body. Which wouldn't be pretty so I've just avoided the whole thing altogether. Until now. A little over a month ago I was chatting with my girl Crystal, whose friendship I place in that category of amazing-friends-that-stay-a-best-friend-whether-you-talk-daily-or-every-few-months. Crystal and I "get" each other and not only that, we had fairly similar experiences growing up in the whole body image/physical part of childhood and youth. We matured early and struggled with being the "big" girl. We commiserated when it seemed other girls could eat whatever they wanted, not exercise and never gain an ounce and we on the other hand had to actually watch what we ate and exercise (or not, but with the obvious expected, undesirable results). We also (post-college and post-babies) have both come to enjoy the fruits of a relatively healthy, active lifestyle and love encouraging each other in it. All of that to say it was Crystal who cued me in to the Warrior Dash and I excitedly jumped on board, required team costume and all. (Yep, people wear costumes- my fave pic was of a guy with a doll strapped to him in a Baby Bjorn carrier- both he and the doll were completely covered in mud and he was polishing off the last of his post-race beer). I'm loving this challenge. I've always thought runners were crazy. I mean, seriously, who would run 3 hours for fun??? (Okay, who would run any amount of time for fun?) Plus most runners I know have injuries since running can be pretty hard on your body. So prior to this I've been pretty staunchly opposed to running and instead a committed walker. You know, the saner choice. The exercise plan I can keep up with even when I'm pushing a walker down the street. But after actually trying it (for longer than the afore-mentioned 30 seconds) I think I surprised myself more than anyone! I am LOVING it!!! I love the sense of challenging my body and realizing not only can I rise to the challenge, but things that used to be almost impossible I can do now- and still feel good doing it! I haven't died and my last run was my best one yet. I just started the 5th week of my interval training plan, the Couch-to-5k-Plan and so far, so good! I honestly did not think I would ever be able to run for 5 minutes straight but surprisingly I had a harder time running for 3 minutes (okay, even 1-1/2 minutes... 1 minute...) than the 5 minute stretch. I think my body is acclimating and it's such a boost to do something I honestly never thought I could do. I also wouldn't have believed I'd actually look forward to each time I get to run... I know, I know! It's the runner's madness, I tell you!! I am feeling pretty intimidated by the thought of 20 minutes without a walk break after my next run but I guess I'll just keep taking it one day/one run at a time and see how it goes. Ultimately (once I'm up to running 3 miles regularly) I hope to start more cross-training on the off days in hopes that I just might be able to hoist myself over mountainous obstacles. I've never been able to do a real push-up in my life either. Maybe that will be my next challenge. Or maybe I'll just stick with the girlie ones and embrace the upper T-Rex.

Selah's Turn

2011-04-04T18:15:00.000-07:00

This backpack has been one of the greatest garage sale finds EVER!! Eileigh put it to good use (and I actually caught Mike toting her around in it about a week ago... afterwards he protested so much about his aching back I suggested Eileigh may have slightly outgrown the weight/height limit on the carrier. Or maybe just the limit on his back). :) He stored it up in the attic for: An Entire Week. Then, Hello Sunshine and out it came again, this time for Selah. She loved it- gave me the biggest wrinkled-nose grin pretty much the entire time she was riding around. Mike won't be able to mow the lawn by himself for years to come. :)

Mike and Selah, April 2011

Mike and Eileigh, July 2009

Myrtle the Spurtle

2011-04-01T19:15:00.000-07:00

Alright, so it's not really made out of myrtlewood but "Walnut the Spurtle" just doesn't roll off the tongue nearly as well. Spurtle: a Scottish spatula-like kitchen tool dating back to at least the fifteenth century. From what I've gathered it was originally the flat shape (like mine) and then over time became a rod-like shape used for stirring porridge and soups. Eventually I hope to get the dowel-shaped spurtle as well but for now I'm enjoying the flat shape for flipping pancakes, crepes, etc. My favorite answer to the question of "why a spurtle instead of a regular spatula?" is: Because it's old and it's cool, that's why! :) If you care to pick one up for yourself, send $10 (includes shipping) to a fellow native Oregonian:

John Hehn
PO Box 726
Sutherlin, OR 97479

You can request light or dark wood although I'm not sure he's always able to grant said request. However, I did request a dark spurtle and received a lovely black walnut. I'm thrilled with it and looking forward to discovering many more uses for this fun little piece of history.

Delight

2011-03-30T19:26:00.001-07:00

One afternoon last week I had finished up my run and was walking back home, contemplating an "assignment" from the previous day's Bible study. The assignment had been to take a nature walk and pick up seven items that teach me something about God, especially as it applies to the God of hope who is continually creating and recreating His world and the people who occupy it. (This speaking specifically to the area of change in our lives). The weather had been quite nasty and I had neglected to do the assignment when it was given. As I walked along that afternoon, I began to think about what it was I would have picked up if I had done the assignment and why. The first thing that came to my mind were "poppers" (oak galls) and the simple pleasure I get watching Eileigh enjoy stepping on them- and let's be honest here, the delight I have crunching one under my own foot. As I was thinking to myself that it's too bad it's March and impossible to find one, lo and behold: a popper lay right in my path. This is the same path I walk every time I head home. I haven't seen one in months. I gleefully picked it up and carefully began to carry it home to Eileigh, silently sending a thank You Heavenward when I heard it. Deep in my spirit, so gently, so lovingly. "Jenae, you take pleasure in such a small thing. How much more do I take pleasure in you, child of Mine?" That fragile little ball was a gift- not just given for a brief moment of happiness but to remind me that my loving Father delights in me: His creation and His child. Revelation 4:11 (King James translation) "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." Have you delighted in His tender love lately? Have you let Him delight in you?

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-30T19:18:00.001-07:00

Grilled Shrimp with Cilantro Dipping Sauce

2011-03-12T21:46:00.000-08:00

Eager for a taste of summer and with a literal bunch of cilantro begging to be utilized, we fired up the ol' Traeger for a quick and fabulous grilled shrimp dinner. This was super easy to throw together and I added some homemade hummus and baked up the last of the soaked tortillas I had made previously (recipe still to come) for a light meal.

Grilled Shrimp with Cilantro Dipping Sauce

2 Tbsp. minced fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. minced fresh chives (I used green onion tops)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 lb. uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Sauce:
1 c. fresh cilantro leaves
1 c. mayonnaise
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 Tbsp. white vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
Dash of cayenne pepper (I omitted because I was afraid it would be too spicy for Eileigh- next time I will definitely add some for a nice little kick)

In large plastic bag combine cilantro, oil, chives and garlic. Add shrimp, seal and turn to coat. Refrigerate 1 hour.
In blender combine sauce ingredients, process until blended. Chill until serving.
Thread shrimp onto 6 metal skewers or soaked wooden skewers. Grill, covered, over medium heat 2-3 minutes each side until shrimp turn pink. Serve with sauce. Serves two adults and one shrimp-loving 3 year old.

Three & One in One (Party, that is...)

2011-03-11T15:52:00.000-08:00

I have recently had my aversion to planning elaborate birthday parties diagnosed and the outlook does not look good. There is little treatment that can be done as I am being noncompliant toward any attempt aimed at improving birthday-party-inspired-creativity. I feel I have come to terms with the demise of this vital area of mothering and am instead going to continue to embrace the rather bare-bones approach of candles/sweets/food/friends... and maybe a stop at the Dollar Tree for some light decor if I feel up to it... this may or may not make it into the yearly prep. My sister, on the other hand, is the most amazing Birthday Party Planner- even down to those small details which seamlessly knit everything together. She has ideas for years to come. I start to get an idea and have to quickly throw it out before it grows into anything dangerous. Like a Theme. Don't misunderstand me, I LOVE attending birthday parties with a Theme. I adore every little detail as I stand in awe at the creativity these incredible women bless others with. But I have come to recognize my limits (at least I'm starting to... in this glaringly obvious area of childhood birthday neglect). I'm too afraid of pouring time and energy into something that I don't really care about- and something I'm convinced my kids don't care about either. Sometimes I wish I cared more about it. But I really don't. I just want to celebrate the two best gifts God has given to us with the ones I love the most. To me it's just that simple. It's the details that get in the way of that simplicity. And I'm afraid that if I focus on the details I'm going to miss all the truly "good" stuff. I think I'm alarmingly close to seeing beauty in the simplicity of effort and focus on the things- and ones- who matter most to me. Please still invite me to your magnificent parties. This humble one needs to drink in the beauty of your creativity. It might even get me to head over to Dollar Tree again next year.

Selah gave "Moosie" a big squeeze (Eileigh named him)

Matching sister shirts from Aunt Mindi

Eileigh loved her new dollie dress- handmade by Great-Grandma T.

All four of the cousins on the T. side (these are the afore-mentioned lucky recipients of fabulous birthday parties)

Birthday girl- Big One

Birthday girl- Big Three (and being silly)

Eileigh knows what's coming... Selah's not so sure...

"What?"

Joys

2011-02-28T21:40:00.001-08:00

Tater Skins

2011-02-24T12:56:00.000-08:00

As a recovering french fry addict I was ecstatic that these little skins turned out so well and satisfied my salt-tooth. I only was able to eat a few since Mike and both girls finished off the rest of the batch while I was busy with the rest of dinner prep. Must make more next time. They're crispy with a little bit of chew, salty, a little buttery (or a lot, depending on how much you throw in) and super easy to do!
I was making mashed potatoes for dinner, didn't want to waste the skin and didn't have time to do a twice-baked approach of scooping out the baked potato flesh and then crisping the skins. Enter the next best option, recipe follows (*I strongly recommend using organic potatoes):

Turn on oven to 350 degrees. Place 1-2 Tblsp. butter in glass bowl to melt while oven heats up. (Use more butter if having a large amount of potato peelings). Peel potatoes and place peelings in baking dish or on baking sheet. Toss peelings well with melted butter. Bake 10 minutes, stir, then bake additional 10 minutes. Top with sea salt, shredded cheese or other seasonings.

Layered Mexican Pie

2011-02-23T14:35:00.000-08:00

So lately I've gone a little... crazy?...overboard?... with my favorite crust recipes. Apparently you can throw pretty much anything inside a good, flaky crust and it will be deemed delicious. This was an experiment gone right and I think I made this recipe about three times over the course of a week and a half. I should note that we did not in fact consume it all on our own (although I'm sure we could have) since one of the times I made it was for a Christmas party-potluck. Again, words fail me as I tried to come up with an appropriately descriptive name for this dish... anyone want to help me out? No monetary reward but ample thanks, recognition and a diner (me) at your table when you serve this will be provided to the winner for Best Title of Delicious But As Yet Not Appropriately Named Dish. :)

Layered Mexican Pie

Crust:
2 c. flour
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. sugar or Rapadura
1/2 c. cold butter
9-11 Tblsp. cold water

In bowl combine flour, salt and sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Gradually add water, tossingn with a fork until ball forms. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes. Meanwhile:

2 lbs. ground beef or elk
1 onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. Cajun seasoning or Slap Ya Mama seasoning (or more, to taste- I plan to do a separate post on the amazingness that is SlapYaMama seasoning at a later date)
1 (7 oz) can diced green chilies
1 can corn or Mexicorn
1-2 cans (15 oz) pinto or black beans
1 can olives, sliced
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
Sour cream and salsa, optional but highly recommended

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, butter 9x13-inch pyrex dish. In large skillet brown ground beef/elk, onions and garlic. Season with cumin and Cajun seasoning. Add diced green chilies and corn and mix well. Remove from heat and set aside. Roll out crust on lightly floured surface and place in greased 9x13 dish with crust slightly overlapping the edges. Spread pinto or black beans over crust. Top with hamburger mixture and then olives. Bake 30 minutes, adding cheese to top the last 10 minutes of baking. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

Sausage and Cranberry Pizza/Tart

2011-02-23T14:17:00.000-08:00

I madeover this recipe to suit our tastes (and the contents of our pantry). I whipped up two of these for the girls' birthday party last month and nary a crumb was left. Apparently I should've made three... for the leftovers, of course. :)

Sausage and Cranberry Pizza (I'd rather call it a tart or pie but everyone else referred to it as pizza so that's what I'll leave it at... except that it has a pie crust...)

1 lb. sausage, browned
1-1/2 c. shredded Swiss or white cheddar cheese
1/2 c. dried cranberries (or can use frozen, partially thawed cranberries for less sweetness/more tang)
1/2 c. sliced celery
3 Tblsp. snipped fresh parsley
1/2 c. mayonnaise
2 Tblsp. honey Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
*Pie crust (I used this recipe and loved the flaky crust, but you can use any pie crust recipe or even a refrigerated one from the store if you prefer)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In large bowl, combine all ingredients (except pie crust) and mix well. Grease pizza pan. Roll out pie crust on lightly floured surface into round shape and place on pizza pan. Place sausage mixture in center of pie crust to about 1-inch from the edge. Slice edges of crust diagonally and fold crust strips towards center over filling for a pretty finish. (You can press corners together for a "ring" look). If this makes no sense, do whatever you think looks best; it'll taste great regardless. Bake 25-30 minutes until golden brown.

Eventual Procrastinator

2011-02-21T18:14:00.000-08:00

I have a character flaw. Several, actually, but we can save the rest for another post. I used to attribute it to a mere issue of "personality" but I've since come to the realization that was merely an excuse for what is truly, a flaw in my character. This one is particular stems from an odd struggle with perfectionism wherein if I can't do something exactly the way I purport it should be done I simply avoid it altogether. This would be where the procrastination part comes in. I become overwhelmed with creative ideas that would be great... if I did them. I get behind and then can't bring myself to even attempt the first step up a seemingly insurmountable mountain of self-imposed idealism. Deplorable in my opinion but the good news is that Character can be developed! Thanks be to God, Who in His grace and mercy refuses to leave me the depraved way that I am! My praise to Him as He continually draws me to Himself and doesn't leave me to my own ways. Enough with the confession. All this to say, the thought of blogging about the holidays and the girls' birthdays and everything else swirling around in my brain threw me over the edge into blogging oblivion and only a friend's curious, "Are you not blogging because you're pregnant and experiencing morning sickness?" has snapped me out of my funk. Since I do not have such a blessed excuse I shall climb back upon the blogging horse as it were and start this ride once again.
I decided the best way to ease back into the proverbial saddle would be to simply share the latest pics of the girls. Selah wore her hair up in her first little ponytail today- it went straight up on top of her head. She looked so darn cute and reminded me so much of Eileigh at her age! I had to dig out some pics of Eileigh for comparison.

Eileigh (about the same age here as Selah is now)

Selah (today)

Ahhh, the scrunch-nose face. A favorite.

When Baby ain't happy...

Doesn't phase Eileigh

And look how fast the mood changes...

My precious girls

Eileigh-isms

2011-01-04T13:49:00.000-08:00

Laying on the coffee table (which is off-limits for sitting on): "I not know better; I just a kid."

A favorite song: The Doxcelery (Doxology)

In tears after a meltdown (of her own accord): "I want to change my attitude."

Location of owie: "My finger hurts on the "None". Me: "The part without a nail?" E: "Yeah."

During breakfast: "Selah has cute-iful eyes."

During lunch: "Oh no! I forgot a email!" Me: "An email? To who?" E: "To Papa. About a order."

During dinner (randomly, to Daddy): "Now you have to get me out of his teef; they're sharp, eat me." Me: "A shark?" E: "Yeah, a big fish."

After being questioned, her reply: "It's up to you, Mom."

Regarding her breakfast choice: "Just toast and peanut butter. It's up to me."

Negotiating at dinner time: "I play with play-doh and you eat dinner. That sounds like a good deal to me!"

Negotiating to go outside: "You put my jacket and my boots on and I go outside. That sounds like a good deal to me!" (To which I replied, "That does sound like a good deal for you!")

**Update: Tonight while maintaining a slight whine before bedtime: "Mommy, I just want to read books and snuggle with you. That's what my problem is, okay?"

Peanut Pineapple Soup

2011-01-04T13:30:00.000-08:00

Oh my. The flavors meld together so nicely. It's a superb vehicle for a respectable Swiss Chard intake. Easy. Under 30 minutes from start to finish (finish= food on table. The second and third helpings take longer than that to consume in entirety). Adaptable spice factor (read: you may not want to just automatically dump in the entire 1 Tblsp. of Tabasco sauce like I mindlessly did. Your child may declare it "too fice-y" and gulp down a few quick chugs of milk.) More like a stew than a soup, it is perfectly paired with a side of brown rice or even rice noodles if you so desire.

Peanut Pineapple Soup

1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tblsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 c. diced potatoes
2 c. vegetable broth (I used homemade venison broth)
1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple
3 c. Swiss Chard, sliced (I used a whole bunch- literally, an entire bunch)
1/2 c. peanut butter
1 Tblsp. Tabasco (recommend starting with less and add to preference)
1/2 c. fresh cilantro, minced

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until tender. Add potatoes and broth; bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Add pineapple and sliced Swiss chard; simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in peanut butter, Tabasco and cilantro; heat for 5 minutes. Add salt to taste. Serves 6.

Making Christmas Sugar Cookies

2010-12-29T08:57:00.000-08:00

I had been avoiding any holiday baking of those delectable and tempting treats that fall under the "once a year/only at Christmas" category since I seem to have a mental block that justifies-or at least overrules any opposition to- eating massive quantities of such delicacies since they only come around Once A Year. I thought I would do best to just avoid them altogether. But then I decided that Eileigh and I should make a batch of sugar cookies together since A. She loves being in the kitchen and 2. We could give them away along with our Christmas cards to the three neighbors that we have relationships with. Therefore I would be able to bypass any extended consumption of cookies remaining in the house. I further decided to make a double batch since I wasn't entirely sure one batch would be enough. We mixed up the dough one night before bed and then cut, baked and frosted the next day. Eileigh was the sprinkle master- only she called them "sparkles" which sounds like farkles. So we had sugar cookies with lots of farkles. Oh, and my story ends with the sinking realization that I had run out of paper plates and being as Mike was on shift and I never quite got around to getting all three of us presentable enough to go out in public I didn't make it to the store and ended up consuming fairly massive quantities of sugar cookies. But it's only once a year, right? :)

Goof.

She took a bite off of a candy cane-shaped cookie and exclaimed, "It's a seahorse, Mama!!!"

Seahorse sugar cookie

Selah spent her time scooching around on the floor on her back and sipping water. Couldn't have been happier.

Those are cousin Boone's jammies, which Eileigh loves. (The jammies and the cousin).

Farkle master.

Eat Your Garnishes

2010-12-28T20:16:00.000-08:00

Right now I'm attempting to be dairy free. To see if it will make a difference with Selah's eczema on her arms (it's bad). In case you were unsure, Christmas/the Holidays really IS a difficult time to be strictly off dairy... especially if you're new to a food restriction... and especially if prior to said restriction it was a fairly large contributor to your daily diet... and especially if you just plain like it a whole lot. So I would be in mourning for the loss of dairy except that I haven't been so great about actually being strictly off it. Whoops. Must try better tomorrow. Anyhoo, our doc is of the opinion that the dairy industry has done a really great marketing job of convincing us that we need dairy products for our calcium intake when in fact we can just get it (in more readily absorbable form) from dark leafy greens. (slight shudder: the dark leafys). I'd prefer to try to get what I can out of the dairy and avoid the dark leafys altogether but such is not to be the case right now. SO: Kale. That's the really curly stuff restaurants throw on your plate as a garnish. People also grow it as an ornamental plant in flower beds. Apparently it's really good for you; apparently you're supposed to eat it.... apparently I should have been eating it waaaay before this point in my life. But all is not lost- I discovered a fabulous, beyond easy recipe and I am loving it!!! Hooray! My bones may not be riddled with osteoporosis by my next birthday after all. Mike's bones will be good as well since he actually goes back for seconds... on kale. I can hardly believe it. Now I just need to try kale chips... if anyone has a great recipe, please send it my way!!! :) *Buy organic if you can; dark leafys grown in nitrogen fertilized soils tend to concentrate nitrites (i.e., not good for you).

Italian Kale

1 large bunch kale, washed, stems removed and coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tblsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tblsp. balsamic vinegar
sea salt and pepper to taste

Cook kale in large covered saucepan (put about 1/8-1/4 c. water in bottom of pan) over medium-high heat until leaves wilt and volume is reduced by half. Uncover and stir in garlic, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Cook while stirring 2 more minutes (make sure you cook about 2 minutes otherwise if too little time it will be a lot more vinegar-y tasting). Add salt and pepper to taste.

Pirates, Parlay... Parsnip?

2010-12-28T19:58:00.000-08:00

I was supposed to receive 5 lbs. of parsnips but they must have multiplied in transit because the final amount has left me overwhelmed in the parsnip department and scrambling for tasty parsnip-incorporating recipes. Parsnips are interesting little root vegetables. They were ousted by the carrot at some point but medieval doctors used to prescribe parsnip for toothache, stomachache, impotence and dysentery. They contain cartenoids and vitamin C, calcium and potassium and are rich in fiber. My source of this modest info being of course Nourishing Traditions, pg. 393. So we've had them diced and fried in butter, in various casseroles, pot pies and stews and our favorite way: made into Parsnip Patties and drizzled with honey. Their appearance kind of reminds me of hash brown patties/potato pancakes only I don't think you'd want to put ketchup on these. Honey is much better. We've done breakfast for dinner and had fried eggs and Parsnip Patties a few times and I'm sure we'll do it again before the Mother Lode of parsnips runs out!!! :)

Parsnip Patties

3 c. shredded peeled parsnips
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. honey

Combine all ingredients except honey into batter. Drop by 1/2 cupfuls onto lightly greased hot griddle. Fry over medium heat 4-5 minutes per side until veggies tender. Serve with honey.

Bacon-Leek Tart

2010-12-28T19:42:00.000-08:00

Absolutely devourable. And I was actually able to share the love with a few family members that blessed us with a surprise visit... so I was very thankful that this turned out to be a treat for the tastebuds. I. Love. Leeks. And off the top of my head I can't really think of anything better to go with them than bacon, cream, eggs, flaky butter crust.... you get the picture.

Bacon-Leek Tart

Crust:
2 c. flour (I used unbleached)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. sugar
1/2 c. cold butter
9-11 Tblsp. cold water

In bowl combine flour, salt and sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Gradually add cold water, tossing with a fork until a ball forms. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.
Meanwhile,

Filling:
1 lb. thick sliced bacon, diced
3-1/2 lbs. leeks (white portion only), sliced
2 Tblsp. flour
4 eggs
1 c. half-and-half cream
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. nutmeg

In large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels, reserving 2 Tblsp. drippings. Saute leeks in drippings until tender; stir in bacon. Stir in flour until blended; set aside.

On floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-inch. thickness. Transfer to ungreased 10-inch springform pan. Spoon bacon-leek mixture into crust. Trim pastry to 1/4 inch above filling, press pastry against sides of pan (or don't trim crust and just fold over on itself if your husband is a fervent crust-enthusiast). Bake 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a bowl beat eggs, cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Pour over leek mixture in pan. Bake 20-25 minutes longer until clean knife inserted to center. Serve warm. Yields: 8-12 servings

Nog, Nog, Noggin' on Heaven's Door....

2010-12-05T07:42:00.000-08:00

That is to be sung to the tune of Guns N' Roses because um, yeah... I think this Nog is pert near close to Heaven. Actually, I theologically completely disagree with my own statement but practically speaking, I'm just trying to tell you that this is unbelievably good Eggnog. I forced a few willing participants to imbibe in said Eggnog (one was my mother-in-law who formerly did not care for the libation) and they all came back for more! Success. *I should note for conscience' sake that I did not force the spirited version on anyone. Far be it from me to provide something not everyone can enjoy. Enter: the double batch, divided into near-equal spirited and non-spirited portions. At least, the portions started out nearly equal in size... until someone decided to turn the remaining virginal nog into its slightly more robust counterpart. This was my 3rd year to make Holiday Eggnog- I think I have successfully started a new tradition!!

Holiday Eggnog

6 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 cups milk, divided (I used whole milk- go big or go home, right?)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (I used some of my homemade rum-vanilla extract... mmm)
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Additional whipped cream and ground nutmeg, optional

In a large heavy saucepan, whisk together the eggs, sugar and salt. Gradually add 2 cups milk. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until a thermometer reads 160°, about 25 minutes. (It usually takes me 35-40 minutes since I go so slow to prevent scrambled eggs! Grab a good book to read while stirring.)

Pour into a large bowl; stir in the vanilla, nutmeg and remaining milk. Place the bowl in an ice-water bath; stir frequently until mixture is cool. If mixture separates, process in a blender until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

When ready to serve, in a small bowl, beat cream on high speed until soft peaks form; whisk gently into cooled mixture. Pour into a chilled punch bowl. If desired, top with dollops of whipped cream and sprinkle with nutmeg. Yield: 6 servings (about 4 cups). *I doubled recipe and then spiked half of it.

Spiked Holiday Eggnog: Reduce milk to 3-1/4 cups. Heat 2 cups milk with eggs, sugar and salt. Add 1-1/4 cups milk with vanilla and nutmeg. After mixture has cooled in ice bath, stir in 3/4 cup rum, brandy or bourbon. Proceed as recipe directs. *I used Captain Morgan's spiced rum since it was on sale. :)

Winter's First Snowfall (location: our house)

2010-12-04T15:38:00.000-08:00

We were finally able to chalk up First Snow to the scoreboard for Winter 2010. Eileigh waited in eager anticipation for Mike to get home from shift so they could go out and play in it together. She enjoyed every second of it and probably would have played out there until the last of it melted away.

Toasty Pumpkin Waffles with Maple-Cranberry Butter

2010-11-23T19:28:00.001-08:00

Recently I've been transforming the last of our garden's pumpkin bounty into pumpkin puree, some of it destined to be Selah's lunch (or dinner or breakfast) and the rest of it headed for the freezer for incorporation into future meals and goodies. This morning Mike left early to head into town to run a few errands while I battened down the hatches at home- our first snow of the season came to visit late last night and stayed throughout the day. I couldn't convince either girl to go back to sleep after a 6:00am wake up and so instead we had an early breakfast. I had put the flour in to soak the night before in preparation for the morning... I just didn't think morning would come quite so soon. Ah well. So this recipe was just a regular ol' recipe that I thought I might try my hand at tweaking for the better and I have to say, I think this first attempt at recipe redo was a success! The difference is in soaking the flour. My mom's response (over the phone this morning): "What? Soaking the flour?" Yep. See, whole wheat flour is good for you- but soaked flour is even better. Soaking the flour (or grains) breaks down the phytic acid (phytic acid: found primarily in grains, legumes, nuts and seeds and prevents absorption of nutrients). Therefore, soaking is a great way to make all of those good reasons for eating whole grains accessible to your body. The usual soaking medium includes using an acidic ingredient such as whey, yogurt, buttermilk or for those with dairy allergies: lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. Generally 2 Tblsp. of the acidic medium per cup of grains, covered with equal parts warm filtered water and left to sit on the counter in a warm spot overnight. Clear as mud? For example: oatmeal, that classic morning mash. The night before put 1 c. oats to 1 c. warm filtered water and throw in 2 Tblsp. of whey, yogurt, buttermilk, lemon juice or ACV and let it sit on the counter (covered with towel). The next morning heat up another 1 c. water to boiling and throw in the oat mixture, cover and reduce heat- it'll be done in a couple minutes. Truly a highly nutritious breakfast of fast food. :) So now let me show you how I gave this tasty, toasty recipe a little makeover and then allow me to encourage you to give it a shot- it's really easy and actually makes for a quicker breakfast in the morning!

Toasty Pumpkin Waffles

1 c. whole wheat flour (I used fresh-ground hard white wheat)
1 to 1-1/4 c. plain yogurt or buttermilk

In a small bowl, mix flour and yogurt together and let sit covered with towel on counter at least 7 hours or overnight. *I realize this does not follow the 2 Tblsp. guideline I just mentioned above but the original recipe called for this amount of milk so I substituted the plain yogurt for soaking).

The next morning:

1 Tblsp. Rapadura (or you can use brown sugar)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
2/3 c. canned pumpkin
1-1/2 Tblsp. butter, melted
1/3 c. chopped pecans (I used almonds since I didn't have pecans on hand)

Maple Cranberry Butter
1/2 c. fresh or frozen cranberries
1/4 c. maple syrup (go with quality, use the real thing here)
1/2- 1c. butter, softened

In large bowl combine the Rapadura, baking powder and salt. In separate bowl whisk egg, pumpkin and melted butter; stir in soaked flour mixture. Add pumpkin mixture to dry ingredients and stir until blended. Fold in pecans/almonds. Bake in preheated waffle iron according to manufacturer's directions until golden brown.
Meanwhile, in small saucepan combine cranberries and maple syrup. Cook over medium heat until berries pop, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a small mixing bowl; cool slightly. Beat in butter until blended. (Unless, like me, you always forget to let the butter "soften" and in that case throw it in with the still warm cranberry syrup and let the mixture melt and meld together... its consistency will be one of perfect spreadability).
Serve waffles with maple cranberry butter and extra maple syrup if desired. Refrigerate or freeze leftover butter. Makes about 6 waffles and 1/2- 1 c. butter so I will definitely be doubling if not tripling the waffle part of this recipe in the future! Mmm.

Westward Ho!

2010-11-21T20:00:00.000-08:00

Mike and I have been wanting to take the girls to the Coast Aquarium and finally we planned to make a day trip of it for our little family. After Selah's morning nap we loaded up and headed west. We hit the coast right about lunchtime and stopped for fish tacos, cod burger and that of which without no trip to the coast is complete: a cup o' clam chowder. Eileigh shared my cup and continues in her love of all things seafood. After lunch we completed the last leg of our journey (Selah dozed briefly) and arrived at the aquarium eager to get the girls' take on the whole experience. It went off swimmingly. :) Selah was content in the Ergo and spent her time happily pointing the occasional finger against the glass at random fish meandering by. Eileigh went excitedly from anacondas to Japanese spider crabs (they're HUGE!) to jellyfish before arriving at the "Please Touch" locale. I think she preferred touching the starfish over the sea anemones and spent awhile just playing in the water. After that we were off to the sea otters, seals and the piece de resistance: sharks. Or as Eileigh pronounces it, "SARKS!!!" (with a little shudder at the end). A little stop at the gift shop on our way out netted us a "lovey" for Selah- a soft little sea otter that she immediately giggled at and tried to chew on and a little "Nemo" fish to add to the bathtub toy collection for Eileigh. We hopped back in the truck for the drive home and stopped at what is surely to be the newly designated stopping point for us: Humble Pie Pizzeria. Tiny little place with only about four tables and what is the most incredible seafood pizza I have ever had. Smoked oysters, smoked salmon, shrimp, loads of cheese, sweet yellow peppers and pineapple... but I had you at smoked oysters, didn't I? :) We drove home, hearts and bellies full from a happy day spent with loved ones at the coast. Hoping for a repeat before too long! So fun.

Piranhas in the Swampland exhibit- yeeeeh.

Eileigh navigating the tunnel under the piranhas

This cracks me up! She was peeking up from the tunnel under the piranhas.

Gorgeous jellies

The petting zoo

By the seals and sea lions

Selah was watching the sharks

Eileigh hesitated before walking over the glass/water, then dipped a cautious toe "in"- then ran full speed ahead over it

Up close and personal

Selah was a little concerned about being eaten by the gigantic shark... just kidding. We loved it.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-11-17T12:10:00.003-08:00

Just like Mommy...

2010-11-14T06:33:00.001-08:00

This morning as Mike was changing Eileigh out of her diaper (we're down to just overnight diapers now, wahoo!!), Eileigh was quietly rubbing her legs. Suddenly she proudly exclaimed, "I have "scatchy" (scratchy) legs just like Mommy!!!" Ohhh, such a proud moment for this mommy...

Fall Harvest

2010-11-13T19:47:00.001-08:00

Having been gone (only) 8 days, Mike and the other elk hunters in his group decided to return home 4 days early, much to the surprise and great joy of the womenfolk minding the fires and the babes back home. Both Mike and my Dad punched their tags this year, Mike tagging a hefty cow and Dad bringing home a dandy 5-point bull. They had a great time, some snow, a dire lack of showers and personal hygiene (which is why it remains a men-only event) and decidedly aggressive facial hair growth (my husband in particular). This latter occurrence allows for what is possibly the most treasured tradition of all: that of shaving off the beard in bits and pieces for all manner of facial hair mosaic. Tonight it began for us, Mike hearkening back to the days of old (Senior year of high school), when he sported an oddly severe lamb-chop-type side burn, somewhat massive and yet quite angular. I have spent the evening vacillating between begging him to shave it off, throwing out shameless and largely ignored threats, and dissolving into giggles anytime I gaze straight at him. Eileigh stands by her man and tells me she steadfastly approves of the new facial hair design, "I like it, Mama!" Nothing I say can convince her otherwise- to my chagrin and Mike's elation. But beard (or half-beard or goatee or lambchops) or not, it is wonderful to have him home and to have a freezer full of meat!

Eileigh liked "petting" the elk although she did show some concern for the "owie" at the back of the head. Told her that is one owie that will not be needing a bandaid.

She said, "My shoot a BIG ELK when I get older!!!"

Cornmeal Waffles

2010-11-12T19:50:00.001-08:00

This recipe captured my attention when I saw it sitting lazily on my mom's kitchen counter, half-hidden beneath a stack of magazines. I admittedly got a little excited upon perusal of said recipe and declared to Eileigh that we were having waffles for breakfast the next morning. The commitment might as well have been set in stone at that point. No turning back now! My go-to waffle recipe is light and tasty but it does require a little extra effort, what with the separating of the eggs and the scourging of the egg whites until they can't possibly get any stiffer. Happy to announce this is officially my new go-to since it is supremely easy, healthy and delicious (of course). It's different than your typical waffle in that it does have a somewhat grainy texture (which I love) but it's still light- not a heavy, intense lump of bread-brick like whole grains can sometimes be. Eileigh preferred hers with peanut butter and maple syrup while I swooned over the combo of homemade yogurt cheese (like cream cheese only made with yogurt) and blueberry syrup.

Cornmeal Waffles

3 c. buttermilk (I almost always just use 1 Tblsp. vinegar and fill up with milk to equal 1 c.)
2 eggs
6 Tblsp. butter, melted
2 c. yellow cornmeal
1 c. rye flour
1/4 c. evaporated cane juice crystals (I used Rapadura)
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. kosher or sea salt
1 tsp. baking soda

Whisk together buttermilk, eggs and butter. In another bowl, combine remaining dry ingredients. Gently blend wet and dry ingredients together and let dough sit 10 minutes before using. Batter will be thick. Will keep for a week in the refrigerator and can thin with milk or additional buttermilk if desired.

Yogurt Cheese (cream cheese)

Whole plain organic yogurt

Line strainer with cheese cloth or flour sack/dishtowel and set over large bowl. Place yogurt in lined strainer and allow to sit for several hours to let the whey drip out. Don't squeeze the cloth. Yogurt will have texture of cream cheese when finished. Save the whey and use to soak your grains! I use it most often to soak our oats overnight for a fast breakfast in the morning.

Skillet Bread BAT

2010-11-11T19:45:00.000-08:00

Hold the lettuce, swap in avocado. Fry up a thick slab of homegrown bacon and generously slice a ripe tomato fresh off the garden vine. Sandwich between two slices of Skillet Bread. Enjoy the Hallelujah Chorus as it plays in your mind while your taste buds sing.

Skillet Bread

Butter
1 c. flour (if you have it, freshly ground hard white wheat flour is superb!)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt (sea salt is preferred)

Heat butter in skillet over medium heat. Meanwhile in small bowl blend flour, baking powder and salt. Add enough cold water (about 1/2 c. or so) to make a dough. Working quickly use fingers to shape into a circle and place in heated skillet, handling as little as possible. Cook until browned, flip and cook until done, about 4 minutes per side. Serves 2-3. *I usually double the recipe (at least).

Costume Party

2010-11-02T21:36:00.001-07:00

For the last few years we've enjoyed a family night of costumes with minimal trick-or-treating for the kiddos- mainly to a few neighbors that we know. Candy and good food is had in abundance and there is always a bit of good-natured competition for the moniker of Best Costume. This year I think Emi took the lead although I also leaned rather strongly towards the sombrero slinger. Yes, he's all mine ladies.

Group shot: Sanchez, Little Bo Peep, rocker/artist chick, backpacker/hiker/granola girl, two little chickies (Foster Farms or just lookalikes, who can know?...), grannie and gramps, and salt and pepper

Selah in her original costume (before the meltdown). Eileigh said, "Selah is my little man!" Little man: in the same vein as Mary Had A Little Man.

Little Bo Peep loves her daddy... even if she is afraid of that mustache (like the rest of us).

The meltdown begins.

The boys were wondering what in the WORLD was going on with Selah (doesn't phase Eileigh)

I think Boone was telling Finn, "It's just girl drama, Finn. Something about her outfit."

The closest we could get to a happy picture of all four of them.

My beloved sisters and I. Life is so much better when shared!!!

"Yum"mus

2010-11-01T20:02:00.000-07:00

That's what Mike has renamed this fantastic 5-minute hummus. For a recent "Mom's Night Out" my friend Kelsey brought this great tasting dip and graciously shared the recipe when we all swooned over it. We've eaten it for the last two days straight and I made another batch tonight since we were running a little low. :)

5-minute Hummus

1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas or garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 clove garlic
1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tblsp. lemon juice
2 Tblsp. tahini (found next to the peanut butter at the store, it's like a sesame seed butter)
1 tsp. ground cumin
3/4 tsp. kosher or sea salt
1/4 tsp. paprika

Place all ingredients in food processor and puree until smooth and creamy. Add 1-2 Tblsp. water to achieve desired consistency. Transfer to bowl and drizzle with more extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with paprika before serving. Enjoy!

Curried Apple Soup

2010-10-29T20:42:00.001-07:00

Speaking of Nourishing Traditions, tonight we tried out a new recipe under the Soups section. The verdict: Success. Even for my non-soup-adoring husband. (He partakes but is not thrilled to the core of his very being at the thought of a steamy warm bowl of liquidy goodness like some of us are). Since I have an overabundance of apples I am still trying to work through, (Overabundance: having so many boxes of apples on your front porch drivers-by stop to ring the doorbell and ask the price of the apples I'm selling... my response being a bright red face and embarrassing stammer that I just need to make applesauce and a subsequent phone call to my husband to move the apples to the back deck out of sight of the general public) I was in the mode to utilize those supplies in desperate need of utilization. Hence, Curried Apple Soup. Perfect for Fall, perfect for slightly denting an exhaustive apple supply and perfect for our (mostly) soup-enjoying family. I had made chicken stock the day prior in preparation for this soup. I reserved some of the cooked chicken and served it along side hearty portions of quinoa to round out the meal.

Curried Apple Soup

6 tart apples, peeled and quartered (or not-so-tart, depending on what you have on hand)
4 Tblsp. butter
2 medium onions, peeled and copped
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 tsp. each dry mustard, turmeric, ground cumin and ground coriander
1/4 tsp. each cloves, cinnamon and cayenne
1-1/2 quarts chicken stock
juice of 1 lemon
sea salt
creme fraiche or sour cream (I used plain yogurt)

Saute onions in butter until soft. Stir in spices. Combine onion mixture, apples and stock and simmer until apples are soft. Puree soup with a handheld blender (unless you do not own such a device and then try not to make a mess while you scoop it into a blender and puree in batches). Add lemon juice and season to taste. Ladle into heated bowls and serve with cultured cream. Serves 6.

Life changing? Perhaps.

2010-10-27T14:23:00.000-07:00

So over at our household there have been a lot of changes- some gradual, some abrupt, definitely a lot still-in-process. And some changes are just plain ol' being resisted (who, MY husband? Nahhh.) I can recall this journey really getting into the swing of things about a month or so after Selah had been born. I pinpoint this time in particular because right when Selah was 2 months old I spent about 3 days in the hospital with her, in isolation since she had some sort of bronchiolitis, most likely RSV. During this time I did little other than care for her, catnap in the highly-uncomfortable-but-who-cares-at-this-point-I-just-need-sleep chair and read an 800+ page tome of frugality titled The Complete Tightwad Gazette. It's a collection of newsletters that had previously been published over several years and then finally all included in this one book. It has some great ideas, resources and food for thought. One part in it that changed my life? Washing Ziploc bags. Oh yeah. See, growing up I was under the impression that you only reuse such things if you can't afford to just throw them away. Then I kinda realized that is a ridiculously indulgent, wasteful attitude- not just for myself or regarding finances but also resources, the earth- all that green stuff. I know I'm called to be a good steward of what I have been given and not just a massive consumer. So I lathered up and started washing Ziploc bags. And washed. And washed. (I throw ones that have had meat in them out). And now it's kind of a game to see how long one bag will last. I loved how the author/editor wrote that even the richest millionaire/billionaire should wash his Ziplocs (or at least hire someone to do it) because to do otherwise would be wasteful. And I think we have enough of that in our world.

So having just finished that ode to frugality (which aside from Ziploc washing included ideas such as buying in bulk, cooking from scratch- you show me your coupon bargains and I will show you how to make it cheaper by scratch- and various others attitudes for frugal living), Mike and I spent an evening watching the documentary Food, Inc. As a result we were faced with the question: Where does our food really come from? We swore off fast food and felt healthier immediately. :)

As I was mulling over the question of the origin of our food I was pointed in the direction of the book to end all books (insert drum roll, please): Nourishing Traditions. To the enlightened ones this is no great surprise, this being the foundational go-to book for those on their quest towards true health. But to the masses still unaware of the revelations in this book I say: Check it out! You have nothing to lose! (Especially if you just borrow it from the library). :) If I could be so bold as to try to whittle it down to a nutshell of information, NT is basically a cookbook whose premise is that the Western diet as we know it (heavy on refined grains, high sugar/corn syrup, low-fat eating) is what is making us more and more unhealthy, diseased, fat and unhappy. Instead we should imitate the practices of traditional societies and soak our grains (to break down phytic acid that binds up all the healthy enzymes/nutrients in the grains), eat fat (butter, whole milk) and basically try to eat things the way God made them. Not processed. Not into a big cookbook? Pick up the easy read "In Defense of Food, An Eater's Manifesto" by Michael Pollan or his other book, "The Omnivore's Dilemma". I was more than surprised- dare I say shocked?- at some of the things in America's food industry. I will end this part by saying Read It. Any one of them. It just might change your Life.(style). :)

Family pic

2010-10-27T14:12:00.001-07:00

We so rarely get a picture of all four of us together (AND one that has actually turned out) but a couple weeks ago we visited my grandparents' farm and had a great time soaking in the crisp Fall colors, complete with warm sunshine and brisk wind. Eileigh picked out a pumpkin for us and then we spent the evening thoroughly enjoying family fellowship around a delicious meal! I love this season.

Picnic

2010-10-07T19:28:00.000-07:00

Lunchtime was upon us and Selah was still sleeping so Eileigh and I headed out for a mother-daughter picnic in the backyard. Eileigh was pretty thrilled to be picnicking, mostly due to the full cup of (only slightly) diluted homemade grape juice she proudly carried out and sipped with greater pleasure than the most intent wine connoisseur. I in turn was happy to discover that the bugs for the most part remained unaware of our lunching and so Eileigh and I were quite the contented pair. Aside from our homemade grape juice (Eileigh polished off the rest of my glass with a big grin) we lunched on leftovers: Ginger, Sesame Seed and Soy Sauce Salmon and sauteed garden zucchini, summer squash and tomatoes with whole wheat spaghetti. Great meal and even better company. This may have been our last picnic of the year... Fall has definitely arrived!

Grape juice 'stache

Bath time

2010-10-03T08:32:00.000-07:00

Even happier in the tub

This babe may not crawl (or move much at all, really...) but her posture can't be beat!!! :)

Generally sports a pretty sweet post-bath 'do

Every time I see this picture I think: Why... so... seriousss? :)

Eileighbaby at 6 mos.

She likes having her hair wrapped like Mama

Having a blast with cousin Boone after a long day of play

Check out their filthy faces... obviously NOT been in there long enough... :)

ABC's

2010-10-01T21:16:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I spent the late afternoon and evening comforting a sick Selah Rae. I think the egg yolk she had for lunch did not agree with her and a few hours later the poor babe had quite a bit of projectile vomiting in response... all over herself, me and several areas of the house. Since Mike was on shift and not able to come home right away, my Dad was able to stop by a little later and brought pizza for dinner. Selah seemed to be starting to feel better by that point and so Eileigh, Dad, Selah and I sat around the table and chatted away while munching on pepperoni and sausage. As is our custom, Dad was sharing about his day at work and brought up a friend who is going through some incredibly difficult circumstances. Knowing that Eileigh was listening, my Dad glanced in her direction and said, "She is truly going through 'H'." Eileigh gazed steadily back at him and replied, "I."

A Little Fall Afternoon

2010-09-25T15:27:00.000-07:00

While Eileigh was napping during her Quiet Time (love it when that happens), Selah and I decided to go out and enjoy the surprisingly warm weather. This morning for our walk we were fairly bundled up since it was actually quite foggy- a wet, low-hanging fog that Eileigh told me she did not want touching her face. Being as there wasn't the slightest thing I could do about that, she decided to contentedly settle in with her dried strawberries and raisins after a small discussion. By the time we got back home it had already started to warm up and continued into the afternoon, at least mid to upper 70's. So nice! Normally I am a staunch supporter of the low 70's range for weather but today's special also includes a refreshing breeze for the ultimate in Fall perfection. I plopped Selah down on a blanket in the shade and went to browse through the remains of our garden. Harvested what may just be the last of the zucchini and summer squash and five little sugar pie pumpkins. I've had plans for those little pumpkins but they're so cute I'm tempted to use them as decor instead! I'm sure utility will triumph over design as there is a recipe I've been planning to try since I bought said little pumpkin seeds. Savory Pumpkin Ravioli... pasta, pumpkin, creamy sauce... Fall comfort food at its finest (I hope!). I also spied this Lady "Fider" enjoying a meal in the sun betwixt the tomato plants. Eileigh's pronunciation of all words beginning with "sp" is replaced with an "f". So I will have you know that the Itsy Bitsy Fider climbed up the water Fout. :)

Sometimes I wonder if she could be any cuter. I think not. :)

At the Car Wash

2010-09-22T20:59:00.000-07:00

Selah and I went on a nice long walk by ourselves today since Eileigh insisted on staying home to help Daddy wash the trucks. When we returned, Eileigh had to show me just exactly how she washed the car... proudly using her own brush, courtesy of Daddy's stash.

"Like this, Mama"

Sweet Selah

Yep, she looks so much like her Daddy

Mike pulled the girls around in the wagon after all their hard work; they loved it.

Eileigh says...

2010-09-21T18:56:00.000-07:00

Riding her scooter around: "Oh shoot. I lost my mind."

Snuggling against me: "I like each others."

A frequent conversation we have: (E): "My say, 'Oh my gosh' ?" (J): "No, Eileigh, you cannot say that." (E): "My say, 'Oh my word' ?" (J): "Yes, you may say that." (E): "Oh my word." -thoughtful pause- "My say, 'Oh my stars' ?" (J): "Yes, you can say that too." (E): "Oh my stars." -again, pause- "My say 'Oh my goodness' ?" (J): "Yes, Eileigh! You can say that." (E): "Oh my goodness!... My say..." (J): "Eileigh, enough! Oh my word, child!!.... Oops..."

When I'm exiting the ladies room: "Good job, Mama, good job!! I proud of you!"

In appreciation for Mike and I: "Really good job, guys."

Conversation to delay Quiet Time: Eileigh pointed to her nose and informed me that she needed to pick her boogies. I told her "No" and to leave her boogies and her nose alone. She replied, "My pick my nose for quiet time when you close the door." (More like a statement with a slight question at the end). I choked back a laugh and firmly insisted, "No, leave it in there. That's yucky." Then she said, "My put it on the floor? On my bed? On Mommy's bed?!" Again, kind-of between a question and a statement. Problem is, it almost seemed like more of a statement... and since I've never seen her do it and yet found her to be so nonchalant and casual about the whole affair I think that what I don't know just might be my undoing. Oh my...

Mojito Shrimp and Grilled Pineapple

2010-09-16T19:56:00.000-07:00

Every time I think about dusting off the ol' blog and catching up on the vast amount of things I've been wanting to write about I feel a little squeeze in my chest along with some shortness of breath... and deliberately force myself to think of other things. Therefore, in the interest of just pressing on I shall be skipping over the last four months as though nothing interesting occurred... and perhaps (depending on your personal opinion) maybe it really didn't anyways. :)
I thought I'd take the easy route in getting back into blogging and share what has become one of our top favorite meals. We enjoyed Mojito Shrimp, Grilled Pineapple and a balsamic vinegar-splashed tomato/cucumber/cauliflower salad several times over the summer. The worst part about this meal is not having any leftovers for the next day... it somehow manages to get eaten every time.

Mojito Shrimp

1 to 1-1/2 lbs. peeled, deveined shrimp (21-30 per lb. or I've used 31-40... whatever was on sale and made its way into my freezer)
*Mojito Marinade (recipe follows)
2 Tblsp. fresh lime juice
Mint sprigs

1. Prepare grill for high heat (you can hold your hand 1-2 inches above cooking grate only 1-2 seconds). Meanwhile, put shrimp in a 1-gal. resealable plastic bag and pour in marinade. Seal and marinate at room temp 15-20 minutes. Don't marinate for longer than recommended time or the rum and lime juice will "cook" the shrimp and ruin their texture.

2. Remove shrimp, reserving marinade. Thread shrimp onto metal or bamboo skewers.

3. Arrange shrimp on grill and baste with marinade (dab some mint and shallot on shrimp); close lid. Cook until shrimp are just beginning to brown, 1-2 minutes. Turn shrimp over, baste again, and close lid. Cook 1-2 minutes until browned but still moist in center (cut to check). Transfer shrimp to a platter, drizzle with lime juice and garnish with mint sprigs. Serves 4-6.

**Mojito Marinade**

20 chopped fresh mint leaves
1/3 c. sugar
1 thinly sliced shallot
1/3 c. light rum
3 Tblsp. fresh lime juice
1 Tblsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. freshly grated lime zest
1 tsp. coarse kosher or sea salt

1. In a medium bowl, combine mint leaves, sugar and shallot. Pound with a wooden spoon to crush coarsely.
2. Whisk in rum, lime juice, oil, lime zest and salt. Whisk until salt dissolves.

Grilled Pineapple

1 fresh pineapple or 1 can pineapple chunks
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Peel, core and cut pineapple into six spears or place pineapple chunks on metal or bamboo skewers. In a small saucepan, melt butter with sugar and nutmeg. Brush over pineapple. Grill, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 7-10 minutes or until lightly browned, turning occasionally.

Granola for breakfast; Bananas for dessert

2010-05-01T21:23:00.000-07:00

Two simple recipes walk into a... kitchen. And that is the start and the end of what could be the world's lamest joke ever. Oookay. It's late and I'm tired. I'll close by saying that we've been munching on this easy, Simple Granola for the last several days for breakfast, snacks, lunch... bedtime noshes... it's oh so good. The Baked Bananas are to DIE for. I threw them in the oven for a Dessert Night get-together we failed to attend after our repeated attempts to leave the house were foiled by (Selah's) diaper explosions and (Eileigh's) no-nap-this-afternoon-related breakdowns. A scoop of vanilla ice cream would be superb with the bananas- not that the bananas need it... just that the bananas are so good they could make even ice cream better. At least, I would imagine- we polished ours off before I could test such a revolutionary theory.

Simple Granola

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Combine in large mixing bowl:
2 c. whole wheat flour
6 c. rolled oats
1 c. coconut
1 c. wheat germ

Blend together separately:
1/2 c. water
1 c. oil
1 c. honey or corn syrup (I used honey)
2 tsp. vanilla (I was out... so I used 1 tsp. of almond flavoring instead with highly satisfactory results)
1 Tblsp. salt

Add blended liquids to dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Spread out on 2 greased cookie sheets and bake one hour until dry and golden. Store in covered containers.

Simple Baked Bananas

4 bananas (I sliced at angles about 1 inch apart for presentation... not that we noticed...)
2 Tblsp. melted butter
2 Tblsp. honey
1/3 c. apple or orange juice (I used pear juice/syrup from a jar of canned pears)
Cinnamon
Sugar

Place bananas in shallow buttered casserole dish. Drizzle with melted butter, honey and juice. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Serve warm.

Spicy Chili

2010-04-21T19:37:00.000-07:00

Or "fice-y" as Eileigh pronounces it. I love it when she says it- that and "opie-meal" (oatmeal). :) I was quite pleased with my efforts in making this huge batch of chili. I combined a few different recipes as well as money saving options. Primarily that would be using dried beans (that I soaked and cooked) and also making this a meatless chili. To be honest I have always been a fairly intense meatatarian but lately I've been focusing on eating less-meat if not being meatless altogether. I loved how this turned out since the bulgur has great flavor and texture; I don't miss the meat at all! For all the die-hard meat enthusiasts, just swap the bulgur for a pound or two of ground beef and brown the meat with the onion and garlic. Due to the 1/4 c. of chili powder the heat might be a little warm on the tastebuds but a good dollop of sour cream and some shredded cheddar cheese will tame it down nicely. Eileigh ate a big bowl and didn't seem to mind a bit!

Spicy Chili

1 c. dried kidney beans
1 c. dried black beans
1 c. dried pinto beans

Soak beans overnight in water 2-3 inches above beans and covered in individual containers. The next day place beans and water in Dutch oven or large soup pot and bring to a boil. Cover and boil 1-2 hrs. until beans are tender. (You may need to add more water as it cooks; check occasionally). Drain in colander.

Meanwhile in medium bowl, pour
2 c. boiling water over
3/4 c. bulgur
Cover and let sit 30 minutes.

Next, saute in same Dutch oven/soup pot:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
(1-2 lbs. ground beef if you aren't using the bulgur)

When onions/garlic tender (and meat browned), add:
2 cans (15 oz) tomato sauce
2 cans (14-1/2 oz) diced tomatoes (or petite diced)
1-3/4 c. water
2 bay leaves
1/4 c. chili powder (less if you don't want it as spicy... or just use it as an excuse to double up on the sour cream)
1 Tblsp. EACH salt, brown sugar, dried basil, Italian seasoning, dried thyme and black pepper
1 tsp. EACH dried oregano and dried marjoram
cooked beans
cooked bulgur
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 45 minutes. Serve with sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese. Makes: about 12 cups

Cauliflower with Cheese Sauce

2010-04-20T21:39:00.000-07:00

Last week I bought a head of cauliflower fully intending for it to sidle up to one of my main dishes. However, due to unforseen circumstances (ok, ok, I forgot) it has remained in my crisper drawer, mocking me and challenging me to use it before I lose it. As I browsed my recipe stash for possible options I discovered this delicious little gem of a recipe. I think it is meant to be a side dish but I cooked up some brown rice and served the cauliflower and cheese sauce over the top- perfection!! Hmm... I just now realized I omitted several things in my rush to get dinner on the table before I had to run to make my pedicure appointment. WELL. I'll let you know what I omitted and then you can just make up your own mind what to include!

Cauliflower with Cheese Sauce

1 large head cauliflower
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (I omitted)
1-1/2 cups milk
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
Paprika (I omitted)
Minced fresh parsley (I omitted)
*Optional: Hot cooked rice to serve with cauliflower and sauce

In a large saucepan, bring 1 in. of water, cauliflower and salt to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 5-15 minutes or until cauliflower is crisp-tender.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter; stir in flour and thyme until blended. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; add cheese, stirring until melted.
Drain and pat cauliflower dry; place on a serving platter. Top with cheese sauce; sprinkle with paprika and parsley. Cut into wedges. Serves 4-6

Baked Oatmeal and Broiled Grapefruit

2010-04-16T11:32:00.001-07:00

For the most part our family doesn't eat cold cereal (unless it is a bonafide pregnancy craving, which I have had with both of my pregnancies). Cold cereal, while generally sugary and tasty, is expensive and I'm always hungry 2 hours later!! And since Mike is so wonderful to work so hard providing for us I feel it is my joyful obligation to stretch those dollars as far as I can. Enter oatmeal. This hearty whole grain is filling and relatively inexpensive compared to many other breakfast options. Of course, I'm talking about the regular oats getting dressed up fancy; not the variety box of little packets with flavored fruit. Although oats are great with a little peanut butter or cinnamon or molasses mixed in, occasionally I like to make this recipe for Baked Oatmeal. It's sweet but not overly so and a recent indulgence caught us pouring on some fat-free half-and-half needing to be used up; otherwise we just add a little milk.
Broiled grapefruit is a great way to use up some fruit that's right on the end of its shelf life or when you're married to someone who's just not that fond of it to begin with. It works great as a complement to breakfast, a side dish or even a simple dinner dessert. All of our grapefruits have been consumed in this manner as of late.

Baked Oatmeal

3 c. oats
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar (I decreased the sugars to 1/4 c. each on my last batch and it was just a little sweet. Eileigh and I liked it but Mike prefers it sweeter. I think I will be trying honey on my next batch to see how that turns out)
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c. vegetable oil (I have successfully substituted 1/2 c. applesauce for this, making it healthier but not quite as deliciously ooey-gooey)
1 c. milk
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
Optional add-ins: chocolate chips, raisins, chopped apples, nuts, etc.

Mix all dry ingredients together. Add oil, milk, eggs and vanilla and optional add-ins. Stir until well mixed. Pour into greased 8x8 pan. Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes until set (middle will be slightly unset). Serve warm in bowl with milk. May double recipe and put in 9x13 pan.

Broiled Grapefruit

2 grapefruit, cut in half
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 Tbsp. butter or margarine

Mix cinnamon and brown sugar and sprinkle a little on each grapefruit. Dot a little bit of butter on top. Broil 10 minutes (my timing varies; keep an eye on it). Serve warm.

Ezekiel Bread

2010-04-15T20:30:00.000-07:00

As I finished up my prior post I realized I haven't shared my go-to recipe for bread. I haven't bought bread in literally months (last time maybe Sept. of last year?) since
1. I like this recipe/flavor/bread so much
B. It makes four loaves at a time
3. It's healthy and includes real ingredients I know (i.e., flour, honey, wheat germ, etc.) as opposed to most store-bought bread
4. It's more economical than store-bought
and finally
5. I usually give at least one loaf per batch away and I enjoy being able to do that!
I haven't kept track of how often I make bread but I'd guess it's around every 2-3 weeks (give or take a week), depending on how much I give away or how many sandwiches we decide to eat. I freeze the extra loaves in gallon-size freezer bags (after cutting off one end so it fits!). :)

Ezekiel Bread

3 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
5 cups warm water (110° to 115°), divided
1 tablespoon plus 2/3 cup honey, divided
2/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
4 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup toasted wheat germ
6 to 8 cups bread flour

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in 3/4 cup warm water and 1 tablespoon honey. Add the remaining water and honey, oil, sugar, salt, whole wheat flour, wheat germ and 3 cups bread flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining bread flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky).
Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a bowl coated with cooking spray, turning once to coat the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down. Shape into four loaves. Place in 9-in. x 5-in. loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes.
Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Yield: 4 loaves (16 slices each)

BBQ Shrimp and French Bread

2010-04-15T19:41:00.001-07:00

Ahhh, finally! The catalyst I've needed to get back to blogging. One of the curses of having some slightly perfectionistic tendencies is wanting to do something SO right that instead you procrastinate and put it off because you feel it just can't be done the right way... and then it doesn't get done at all. Therein lies the sad state of my blog.
Quick summary of the last month: Eileigh and I got sick, Selah and Mike got sick, Selah got admitted to the hospital for bronchiolitis and I stayed with her for the three days she was there while Mike's mom came down to stay with us and help out; finally everyone was better. Then we were informed of the possibility of Selah having craniosynostosis (early fusion of skull sutures) and rode the emotional rollercoaster until we landed somewhere around the breathable wait-and-see zone. I think we had about a week off for emotional rebooting until Mike was informed of his need for surgery to fix a complication from a surgery he had a year and a half ago. So that's the next thing on the horizon... that we anticipate! Who knows what else is in store- but I know God is faithful! He has carried us through so much and I am so thankful for His sweet presence and peace.
Now to the good stuff! Our family l-o-v-e-s shrimp. Eileigh most definitely included- she can keep pace with the best of us. One of our all-time faves is Mexican Shrimp Bisque, which is so simple yet rich and I am always on the lookout for other great shrimp recipes. I was thrilled how easy and delicious (or "licious" as Eileigh calls it) this recipe is! It's been adapted for the crockpot and only takes about two hours. The "BBQ" part doesn't seem as much BBQ-y to me but more of a spicy, yummy, sop-it-up-with-thick-bread sauce. Mike (who is not much of a thick-bread/sop-up-sauce man) tore off an extra hunk of bread just to dip in the sauce- oh yeah, it's that good! I love homemade French bread- it's easy and this recipe makes four loaves for under $0.50. However you can also use slices of fresh-baked Ezekiel Bread if your sweetheart misunderstands you about throwing the frozen French bread in the oven and warms up the Ezekiel bread instead. Delicious that way too! :)

BBQ Shrimp (crockpot)

2 lbs. raw shell-on shrimp (I used 51-60's and took some shells off for Eileigh prior to cooking)
8 Tbsp. (1 stick) butter (I used 4 Tbsp. and it was definitely fine!!)
1/4 c. olive oil (I'll probably decrease this next time... maybe 1/8 c.?)
1/4 c. Worcestershire sauce
1-2 Tbsp. Tabasco sauce (I used 1-1/2 and liked the results; a bit warm, especially the sauce)
1 tsp. kosher salt (I used sea salt)
1 tsp. ground black pepper
juice of 3 lemons
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil (I think this really enhanced the flavors)

Rinse shrimp (thaw if needed) but don't soak too much. Put shrimp into crockpot with butter, olive oil and Worcestershire sauce. Add the Tabasco, salt, and pepper, then add the lemon juice and basil. Toss just a bit with a big spoon to mingle the flavors- it's okay that the butter is in a big stick. Cover and cook on high for about 2 hours, checking every 30 minutes. You'll know the shrimp is done when it has turned pink and can be peeled easily. I turned ours off at 2 hours and it was perfect. Serve with French bread to sop up the juice. Serves 6-8

French Bread

3 c. warm water
1 pkg. (2-1/4 tsp.) dry yeast
3 Tbsp. sugar
1-1/2 Tbsp. salt
7-1/2 to 8 c. flour

In a large bowl dissolve yeast in 1 c. warm water. Add sugar and salt; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in 2 c. water and 3 c. flour, beating with the paddle on a heavy-duty mixer or by hand with a wooden spoon. Add remaining flour a cup at a time. Knead with a dough hook 4-6 min. or 8-10 min. by hand until the dough feels smooth and elastic. Cover with a towel; let dough rise until almost tripled. Or make dough early in the morning, and let rise all day. Shape dough into 4 baguettes (long, slender loaves). Let loaves rise about 45 minutes until doubled in size. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees; bake for 30 more minutes until golden brown. *Freeze each baked loaf in foil. To reheat, loosen one end of foil and heat loaf at 375 degrees about 20 minutes until hot and crisp.

Defining a Movement

2010-03-02T21:05:00.000-08:00

What a wonderful Truth is shared in this video- what we do matters. I'm sharing this encouraging video for all of my fellow moms in the trenches. Thanks for leading me to this, Dialing Home!! :)

Mrs. Potato Head (incognito)

2010-02-27T18:42:00.000-08:00

Eileigh received Mrs. Potato Head for Christmas... her favorite part being the tater's glasses, which she frequently likes to wear herself and occasionally fit on her dolly, her Daddy, or her baby sister.

The reasons I get up in the morning:

2010-02-27T18:34:00.001-08:00

And at midnight... and at 2:30am... and at 5:30am... and every second is worth it.

Insights from a refrigerator

2010-02-26T21:03:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share an excerpt from a book I'm re-reading that really moved me recently (read: encouraged me at the same time I bawled my eyes out... but my emotions are a bit raw lately). I hope it touches you the way it touched me. The author writes about the scene she gazes at as she looks at her picture-covered refrigerator.

As I pondered the scene before me, I was struck with the wonder and significance of the family- for better or worse. The family is at the heart of what really matters to all of us. If things aren't well at home, every other area of life is affected. I looked at those scores of women sitting like mother hens surrounded by their brood of young ones, and I felt an enormous sense of gratitude for the willingness of those women to be givers and nurturers of life.

In the middle of all the photos, I have placed a bumper sticker you may recall seeing several years ago: "Life: What a Beautiful Choice." These women have chosen life by bearing children (something only a woman can do, I might add); and they are choosing life every day...

with every meal they prepare;
with every load of dirty clothes they wash;
with every trip they make to the grocery store, to school, to the dentist, to piano lessons, to soccer practice, or to the shoe store;
with every scraped knee they bandage;
with every encouraging word they speak;
with every hour they spend rocking a sick or scared child;
with every dispute they arbitrate;
with every moment they spend building Legos, coloring, helping with math problems, reading a Bible story, or listening to a husband or child describe his day;
with every moment they spend interceding for the spiritual growth and protection of their family.

Day in and day out, they are building a home; they are being lifegivers; they are laying a foundation and building a memorial that will outlive them for generations to come; they are honoring their Creator in the greatest possible way.

Meatballs and Italian "Focaccia" Bread

2010-02-25T10:00:00.000-08:00

I wanted to post a couple recipes that we have been living off of and loving since Selah's birth. Before she was born I'd made up a batch of the Meatballs and stuck them in various portion sizes in our freezer so we've been able to enjoy several dinners out of them. The Bread is so easy to whip up I've been making it often to compliment a variety of different meals. Eileigh loves both and calls the bread "pizza".

Meatballs

2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 c. ketchup
3/4 c. oats
2 Tblsp. chopped parsley
2 Tblsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. chili powder
2 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground pork (I generally just use 3 lbs. of whatever meat I have on hand- usually elk)

Sauce:
1/2 lb. brown sugar
1 jar chili sauce (I use Heinz)
1 can beer

Mix all ingredients together (except sauce) and shape into balls. Place on baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 15-17 minutes. Place baked meatballs in crockpot and cover with sauce ingredients. Cover and heat through.

Italian "Focaccia" Bread

2-1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 Tblsp. Quick-rise yeast
1 c. warm water (120-130 degrees)
1 Tblsp. vegetable oil

Topping:
1/4-1/3 c. prepared Italian salad dressing
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. dried thympe
Dash of pepper
1 Tblsp. grated Parmesan
1/2 c. shredded mozarella

In bowl, combine first four ingredients. Combine water and oil; add to flour mixture. Add additional flour if needed to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface, knead for 1-2 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes. Punch dough down; place on greased 12-inch pizza pan and pat into a circle. Brush with dressing. Combine seasonings and sprinkle over top. Sprinkle with cheeses. Bake 450 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Sunshine.. On My Shoulders..

2010-02-25T09:43:00.000-08:00

Makes me happy!!! This last week we enjoyed several breathtakingly beautiful days of sunshine that were a welcome break from the drizzling rain. It stayed fairly chilly so we made sure to "button up" but the fresh air was a great remedy for our cabin fever. Mike spent the days working to complete the railing for our back deck and Eileigh skillfully managed to interrupt him as much as possible. They had a great time together. Eileigh spent most of her time mixing the three different sizes of screws together, moving the pieces of railing around, getting just this close to falling off the edge of the deck, and keeping up a steady stream of chatter to entertain us with. The girls and I were also able to go on a few walks to the park where Eileigh could swing and slide and Selah continued to sleep. The rain is back this week but we are looking ahead to brighter days!

Today: Six weeks!!!

2010-02-24T20:43:00.000-08:00

Six weeks and 3 Lbs. heavier: 10 lbs, 4 oz!!

Little Lady...Bug

2010-02-24T20:32:00.001-08:00

Coming Soon:

2010-02-24T09:39:00.001-08:00

I'm soon to be back in the blogging action! I'm currently working on Selah's birth story and have lots of pictures, stories, recipes and other mildly interesting thoughts to share!! Hoping to post soon... I better go, the baby just woke up!

Introducing: Selah Rae

2010-02-17T20:48:00.000-08:00

Oh, how many times I've gazed longingly at the computer in hope of getting my blog back up to speed... all in vain as I'm consistently pulled away, either by the sound of baby cries or even worse: the absence of noise from my two year old. As of this moment, it is quiet in the house. Eileigh is in bed and down for the night, her singing and talking completed for this day. Selah is sleeping (however momentarily is yet to be seen) and Mike is saving lives on shift until tomorrow.

Have you ever experienced a time in life when every day seems the length of eternity but somehow time still manages to fly and before you know it a week or a month has gone by? That is where I've been living for the last month or so. I can't believe it's already been 6 weeks since Selah came into our lives. The quick stats: Selah Rae (the Rae after my Dad's middle name) was born January 13th at 4:07 am and weighed 7lbs, 4oz and measured 21 inches in length. She was born via breech waterbirth and came out bottom first! During pregnancy she was positioned with her head up, knees bent and both her feet and bottom down so it was a toss up whether her feet or bottom would arrive first; we're so thankful it "ended" up being her hiney!! We had so many people praying for us and I know this was just one of the many, many ways God answered prayers.

It had been an intense process to make the decision to labor and deliver instead of opting for a C-section. We researched a lot, discussed even more, and prayed a ton. My emotions went through the wringer- so much of it based in fear. Fear that something would go wrong and I would lose the baby (something that could have been prevented had I had a C-section) and feeling like I had to make the choice between my wellbeing or the baby's. I found solace in the Psalms as God comforted me in my desperation through His Living Word. I realized that no matter the decision we made, God was Sovereign, completely in control of every event and circumstance and He would choose the outcome- whatever that may be. I also came to the realization that no study or statistic could tell us what our outcome would be- we simply had to make the choice and allow God to carry us through to the finish line. Mike and I were introduced to Jennifer, a midwife and- most importantly- someone with extensive breech birth experience. After intensely discussing our questions, fears and concerns with her, Mike and I both came to the empowering conclusion: I would birth naturally. I felt an overwhelming peace knowing that the decision had been made and Mike and I were in complete agreement.

My water broke on a Tuesday at 8:00am after a restless and mostly sleepless night. I thrilled at the knowledge that The Beginning has begun... and cringed at the thought that The End was coming. After excitedly notifying family, I settled in to wait for contractions to begin. And waited. And waited. The day went by. Mike and I cleaned the house like crazy. I finished packing and Mike completely loaded the truck, carseat and all. Dinner time arrived; I made dinner and invited my parents over to share. Evening came. I ate a can of pineapple, having read there may be a prostaglandin-like response to it. By 10:00pm I headed downstairs for a bedtime snack of Cornflakes, honey and milk. I munched on a few bites and suddenly felt a big shift or pop or something! I immediately had strong, wrap-around back pressure for the next five minutes and knew labor had begun. We headed to bed at 11:00 but by 11:45 I called Patricia (our other midwife) and told her my contractions were about 2 minutes long and getting closer and closer together. When she checked me at around 1:00am I was dilated to 5cm and she could feel Selah was presenting butt first- a welcome announcement! I labored for awhile and clambered into the tub when it became more intensely painful. I remember thinking it was a strange thing to have such an intense contraction to work through and then once the contraction was over I was able to converse and felt rather like a normal person. I certainly didn't feel that way laboring with Eileigh- probably due to being induced with Pitocin. Laboring with Eileigh felt like I never got a break. Definitely a vote for natural labor! :) By the time I was ready to push Mike was sitting on the edge of the tub behind me and alternating between supporting me and putting REALLY firm counter-pressure on my back. I could feel her moving slowly down the birth canal and after what seemed like an eternity (but was about 10 minutes of pushing according to Patricia's watch) her bottom emerged first and then her legs followed (kind-of falling out the side) and she was born to her tummy. The next pushes and out were the arms and shoulders to the nape of the neck. At that point it felt extremely hard to push her head out since I didn't really feel the urge to push like I did before. Jennifer reached down and said Selah was born to the nose and encouraged me to PUSH! I pushed harder than I ever have or thought I could and finally she was out and in my arms. I kissed, greeted and talked to her as the midwives assessed her and gave her a little blow-by oxygen. By 1 minute her APGAR was 8 and she was peacefully laying against me. I rested in the birthing tub in blissful exhaustion, so happy and thankful to finally be embracing our new little miracle.

Fresh out of the water

Jennifer, one of our two incredible midwives

Sleeping with Daddy

First outfit

Eileigh and Selah meeting for the first time- Eileigh was thrilled, to say the least

A few hours old

Eight days old

Sunbathing

The cat has adjusted quickly...

Homemade Shampoo Update

2010-01-09T13:45:00.000-08:00

So it's been about a month since beginning our foray into the land of castile soap, homemade shampoo and conscious avoidance of all things containing SLS (Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate). When I first decided on this venture Mike threatened a psychiatric eval for yours truly but he eventually (reluctantly) agreed to give it a go for a few weeks. I love that he can be so patient (yes, tolerant) with my projects and schemes! :) And the verdict is: we LOVE it!!!

We are using Tom's of Maine SLS-free toothpaste that still does a great job (in my opinion, a much better job) of cleaning our teeth and although not as "foamy" as regular toothpaste has a great fresh taste/aftertaste to it. Mike's already gone through an entire tube- and has only had one time where he thought he was getting a canker sore but it never came to fruition. Success! I order it online for about half the price of what it costs at our local health food store.

Next up on my list of purchases was a gallon-sized container of Dr. Bronner's liquid castile soap- I bought the Tea Tree version since I wanted to try it out for cleaning and other purposes as well. I got a few cheap ebay "foamer" hand pumps for each of our bathrooms, placed a small amount (maybe 2-4 Tblsp) of soap in the bottom of the containers and filled them the rest of the way with water- voila! Cheap, great smelling handwash! Plus it's instant bubbles- Eileigh is a big fan to say the least.

My shampoo journey has been a bit more involved. Mike had great results from the get-go (hair and scalp) but my hair went through detox for a couple weeks. I rotated the homemade shampoo with a baking soda rinse (to cut oiliness) and then did an herb and vinegar rinse about twice a week for conditioning. While my first shampoo recipe was great for Mike, I upped the shampoo content of the next batch for myself and seemed to have a lot better results as far as oiliness is concerned. Since I've never thought of my hair as oily I'm not sure if my hair might still be detoxing or if pregnancy is causing some changes but whatever the case, my hair has responded well to a higher shampoo-to-water ratio. Now that I'm figuring it out I love having ONE bottle in the shower (yes, ONE- my entire life I've maintained an average of 5-10 pairs of shampoos/conditioners in the shower to rotate through) and it smells great, works wonderfully and is definitely cost-effective! I use the shampoo for a body wash as well although I did just buy a few of Dr. Bronner's bar soaps to try out some of the other scents (I'm wondering if Mike will mind the lavender...). You can try out all different kinds of herbs for the shampoo or rinse- check them out to see what they'll do for your hair- and though I've tried parsley as well, rosemary is definitely my favorite so far.

So here are the recipes:

Homemade Shampoo #1
1/4 c. Dr. Bronner's Tea Tree Liquid Castile Soap
1 c. strong rosemary tea (pour boiling distilled/spring water over 1/4 c. fresh rosemary and let steep for 30 minutes)
1 tsp. olive oil
*Easiest is to microwave the water and then pour over the rosemary. Strain through a coffee filter or dishtowel to keep the herbs out of the shampoo when adding to the soap. I keep ours in a spray bottle since it's more liquidy than regular shampoo. Use a normal amount of shampoo when washing hair.

Homemade Shampoo #2 (my most recent batch and works better to get rid of oiliness)
1/4 c. liquid castile soap
1/4 c. distilled/spring water
1 tsp. olive oil
*Mix ingredients together. I miss the rosemary scent so next time I'm going to make the rosemary tea and then just increase the soap amount.

Herb and Vinegar Rinse (use about twice/week to condition and detangle, rinse briefly- once hair dries it doesn't smell like vinegar, don't worry!)
2 c. apple cider vinegar
1 c. chopped herbs
*Place herbs in glass jar. Heat vinegar before pouring over herbs and steep in refrigerator for a few days before using. (Or if not in hurry can cover herbs with cold vinegar and steep/refrigerate two weeks). Strain herbs through coffee filter into fresh clean bottle. Refrigerate up to 6 months.
TO USE: Dilute 1 Tblsp. herb/vinegar mix to 1 c. water, rinse through hair after shampooing.

Baking Soda Rinse (use to cut oiliness as necessary)
1 Tblsp. baking soda
1 c. water
I just take a container with the baking soda into the shower with me and fill with water so it's warm and then rinse it through my hair! (And I do the same with the herb/vinegar rinse).

Next up: homemade deodorant!! Maybe YOU can let me know how that goes.... :)

Lentil and Sausage Soup and Beef-Barley Stew with Roasted Vegetables

2010-01-08T20:16:00.000-08:00

This week I tried out a couple new recipes from a cookbook given to me for Christmas by my mother-in-law. I'm pleased to say they were delicious served up in big soup bowls and warmly combated the nasty, rainy weather we've been soaking in. The Lentil and Sausage Soup was an easy dish to prepare while the Beef-Barley Stew was a little more time-consuming from having to add things at different points along the way. Both had fabulous flavor.

Lentil and Sausage Soup

2 tsp. olive oil
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 lb. turkey kielbasa, thinly sliced (I used 1/2 lb. polish sausage...mmm)
1-1/4 c. brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
5 c. water
1 (14-1/2 oz) can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp. salt (I am now using sea salt for everything)
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the carrots, onion and garlic; cook, stirring frequently until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the kielbasa, lentils and water; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.
Stir in the tomatoes, salt and pepper. Simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes longer.
Serves:4 (about 1-3/4 c. each)

Beef-Barley Stew with Roasted Vegetables

1 celery root, peeled and cut into chunks (I omitted)
4 carrots, cut into chunks
2 parsnips, cut into chunks
2 onions, chopped (I used one)
1 Tblsp. chopped fresh thyme (I sprinkled veggies with dried thyme, maybe 1-2 tsp.)
1-1/2 lbs. boneless lean beef chuck, cut into 1-in. chunks
6 c. reduced-sodium beef broth
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
8 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 c. pearl barley, rinsed

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a large shallow roasting pan with nonstick spray. Put celery root, carrots, parsnips, onions and thyme in pan and spray with nonstick spray; toss to coat. Roast, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are browned and crisp-tender, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, spray a Dutch oven with nonstick spray and place over medium-high heat. Cook the beef until browned on all sides, about 4 minutes. Add 5-1/2 c. beef broth, the garlic, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, 45 minutes.
Stir in the mushrooms and barley and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes. Stir in the roasted vegetables and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the beef is fork-tender and the barley is tender, about 15 minutes, adding the remaining 1/2 c. broth if the stew seems too thick.
Serves:8 (generous 1 c. each)

Oh It's the Holiday Season....

2010-01-03T15:07:00.001-08:00

As I am- on occasion- technologically challenged, I am happy to say I have finally surmounted the latest obstacle blocking my blogging path and have figured out how to upload pictures from our new camera to my blog (with fewer headaches, less time and significantly decreased personal resistance to the entire process). What follows are holiday moments as captured by our camera lens.

Eileigh searching for the perfect tree one incredibly cold morning

Watching Daddy cut the tree...

Whoops, leaned a little too far...

Helping to decorate the tree- the "ornament" she's holding is my mom's most hated ornament (which I love, perhaps because she hates it) :)

A wonderful lazy morning to decorate the tree... notice Eileigh's missing slipper

Eileigh's most cherished worldly possession: her (now) one-eyed bunny, chewed nearly into oblivion

Eileigh's first homemade sugar cookie (at least first made by me)- she loved it, of course

Eileigh was able to lick one of the frosting beaters... Mike commandeered the other

Mike did a great job putting up all the lights!

My favorite place was our back porch- it was so beautiful at night!!!

I was able to get Eileigh's hair in a ponytail for the first time... Mike said she looked like my Mini-me :)

My two sweeties

We painted Eileigh's toes for the first time- she calls them her "pitty toes!"

Christmas dress

Eileigh was SOO excited to wear camo like Daddy- thank you to Charlie and Sheryl!!!

Chillin' in her camo, Cabela's chair, and Daddy's fleece

Christmas morning at our house- I had no idea I was about to open my Uggs!! :)

Eileigh had to put on her robe right away...

Necklaces, bracelets and earrings, oh my!

Going to feed her new dolly in the crib (after trying the bottle out herself)

Such a helper- aiding Boone with his new electric toothbrush

He had the most hysterical look on his face...

While I cracked up that Eileigh was opening her mouth while brushing HIS teeth

They switched dolls for a little while...

Until Eileigh grabbed them both

I'm not so sure Boone knew quite what to think...

A gift for Baby Finn when he arrives (well, and grows a little...)

Boone seemed pretty happy with his new camo chair from Cabela's

And David was the lucky recipient of the gift that keeps on giving... year after year... a broken cat ornament

My mom and her new iPod

Matching robes... mine was left at home. :)

Happy 2010!!

2010-01-01T13:14:00.000-08:00

Last night marked the ending of an incredible year and we had a great time sharing it with family and friends [minus Emi and David who thought it would be more fun to cruise to Mexico for a week :)]. We enjoyed a bountiful meal of shrimp and grits, grilled halibut, crab dip appetizer and delicious sides and desserts before attempting to do some "ski jumping" on the Wii (I failed miserably and ended up in a snowball after every attempt but gleefully blamed it on my unwieldy belly- it gets blamed for most things at this point). All in all, a great way to wrap up 2009.

Since I've been so focused lately on upcoming events I thought I should take a little time to think about all that has happened throughout 2009 and how much God has blessed us- so richly!!

January we had a covered back porch/overhang built and it has been a much appreciated addition to the house! I also met and completed my goal of exclusively pumping for 1 year and officially "hung up the horns". Although reaching the goal was bittersweet, Mike and I fully enjoyed celebrating the milestone at Bonneville Hot Springs Spa and Resort for our first overnighter away from Eileigh (who did great). We celebrated Eileigh's first birthday with family and Eileigh started crawling three days before she took off walking on her own, all within the same week of her birthday.

In March we adopted our cat Sterling and he's been great from Day 1. Mike enjoyed the annual fishing trip to Wikiup Reservoir in April and came back with some great stories and nice fish.

We headed up to Seattle in mid-May to celebrate four years of marriage at a Mariner's game and stayed the weekend with Mike's family in Olympia. Mike and I had a blast at the game enjoying time for just the two of us- it wasn't until two days later that I discovered it wasn't just the two of us at the game like we'd thought but in fact I was pregnant and due in January 2010!! We were thrilled, to say the least.

The summer months were a whirlwind of frequent trips to the Oregon Coast, gardening, trying my hand at canning peaches, pears, making pear butter, jalapeno jelly and huge batches of freezer corn, watching Eileigh play outside in the little backyard pool, garage saling and keeping Mike supplied with fresh ice water and Gatorade while he worked diligently to build our back deck- at times seemingly an insurmountable process. July 12th my baby sister Emily got married in a beautiful outdoor wedding, in the rain! It was an amazing time- so special for all of us who were blessed to share in it. In August we were blessed to attend Mike's cousin's wedding during the annual family reunion at his Grandma's lakefront property- the only time I've ever gotten to swim in a lake during a wedding reception- and it was perfect. We also found out my sister Mindi is expecting and due in February 2010!

The end of August always begins my official hunting widowhood as I lose my husband to the pursuit of four-legged, horned creatures. Mike spent a week over East bowhunting elk, a few days camping at Detroit with his old C-shift crew from the fire dept. and then mostly stayed in the area for the rest of elk and deer season- first and second season, that is. The last day of deer season he bagged a nice forkie to add to the wall collection that is steadily growing in our house.

September we travelled back to the Oregon Coast for my family's yearly camping/yurt/5th-wheel trip and spent what was to be our last vacation in our 5th wheel. It was surprisingly cold at night even in the 5th wheel and so the last night Eileigh bundled up next to me while I spent a sleepless night realizing how much things are going to change in the next few months and to enjoy each and every moment as it comes.

The end of October saw Eileigh costumed as a flower and Boone decked out as a spider as we went to a few houses on the street in search of "goodies". The kids liked going up and knocking on the doors perhaps even more than getting the candy (probably because we didn't let them actually eat the candy).

Thanksgiving was spent at Mike's parents' in WA and we also enjoyed a trip up to the mountains to play in the snow in November. I spent the rest of the month trying to wrap up all of my Christmas shopping!!!

In December we eagerly looked forward to Christmas as Eileigh is now old enough to somewhat start to grasp the excitement of the Season. This year we started my childhood tradition of the Elf Pail (it was the Elf Box when I was growing up but I couldn't find a "box" ornament and instead decided to use a little tin bucket I found to hang on the tree). Once the Christmas tree is up the "elves" bring a "goodie" (generally a butterscotch chip and a chocolate chip) every morning until Christmas, when we open presents instead. I always loved this tradition since it gave us something to look forward to each morning and it was so much fun to see Eileigh's excitement as well! It was almost like I was experiencing it for the first time myself. One of Eileigh's favorite things this Christmas had to have been the Christmas lights (which she pronounced Kee-fee yights... although she soon shortened that to just requesting "Kee-fee ON!!") We spent several evenings just driving around and looking at homes all decked out with lights and eventually had our favorite routes that included all the best displays. Christmas Eve was spent with some of my mom's side of the family and then Christmas morning Mike, Eileigh and I had a great time exchanging gifts. Mike and I had decided to buy a really nice camera for a "family" gift and not do anything extravagant for each other- which he totally disregarded and shocked my socks off (literally) when I unwrapped a beautiful pair of brand new Uggs!! He was so sweet about it it brought tears to my eyes- he has been such a rock for me to stand on. After that we headed over to my parents' for more gift-exchanging and brunch. Eileigh and Boone went a little into overdrive and actually seemed a little tired of opening gifts by that point and ready to just play. Eileigh got a couple dollies to love on and even tried to take away Boone's little boy doll too- she is definitely excited for our baby to be here (although I know she cannot conceive what all that will entail- not that I do either).

This year of 2009 we experienced some incredible growth in our relationships as well as watched Eileigh grow like a weed and expand her vocabulary exponentially. 2010 we're looking forward to Selah's arrival and becoming a family of four- won't be too long now! We are so richly blessed and I love knowing that our God will supply all our needs, strengthen us and carry us through whatever this next year holds!! There is such a peace in knowing it is HE Who holds our future. Blessings to you in 2010!!

Ergo...

2009-12-03T20:39:00.001-08:00

Our new baby carrier- an Ergo- just arrived and we had to try it out. It can fit all the way from infant to 40 lbs. so we're pretty excited at the versatility for when the baby comes. It's super-comfortable and even I do okay carrying Eileigh around on my back (although the front-carry is a no-go for now). The best thing about it (other than the comfort) is that it's ergonomically correct, so Eileigh (or the baby) is able to sit in it as opposed to dangling from a carrier with all the pressure put on her pelvis and legs. We'd originally gotten a good deal on a pretty pink one with flowers but Mike tried it on and while he liked the comfort and ease of wearing it, he was not a big fan of being covered in pink and flowers- who knew? :) So we sold that one and bought the black one new for a great price. I hope Selah likes it, I know Eileigh does!

Eileigh was getting a little tired of "helping" me make dinner at this point

The back-carry position is also great for receiving neck massages (Eileigh calls them "saj")

Thanksgiving 2009

2009-12-02T21:29:00.001-08:00

Thought I would share some pictures from our time spent in WA for a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Eileigh loved having so many people to play with!!

Eileigh and Great-Grandma Mary

One of the coolest ideas ever: waterpainting!! (Until Mama cut it short when the green paint worked its way over to Eileigh's nose and upper lip)

Eileigh trying out Daddy's new purchases from Cabela's

Classic Jack and John (Mike's dad Jack on left, Uncle John on right): discussion of differing viewpoints

Eileigh appearing to sit patiently

I threw this one in mostly for the belly shot... almost at 32 weeks here

Grandma Kathy (Mike's mom) with a hat Eileigh enjoyed

And no trip would be complete without the obligatory stop at Cabela's

Eileigh liked all of the (dead) animals but loved the (live) fish most of all!!

Mexican Shrimp Bisque

2009-12-01T19:59:00.000-08:00

Ohhh, yum. I adore shrimp and tonight Eileigh enjoyed her first shrimp as well! I was somewhat doubtful that she'd even try it but down the hatch it went and she kept asking for more! This soup was rich, easy to make, and full of flavor. I will definitely be putting this into my regular rotation of recipes.

Mexican Shrimp Bisque

1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup water
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (I used whole milk and will use it again next time- it made the soup still creamy but not too rich)
1 tablespoon chili powder (perfect amount of flavor, not too spicy)
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander (I might use a little less next time)
1/2 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup sour cream
Fresh cilantro, cubed avocado, and shredded cheddar cheese, optional

In a large saucepan, saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in flour until blended. Stir in the water, cream, chili powder, bouillon, cumin and coriander; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
Cut shrimp into bite-size pieces; add to soup. Simmer 5 minutes longer or until shrimp turn pink. Gradually stir 1/2 cup hot soup into sour cream; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Heat through (do not boil). Garnish with cilantro, avocado and shredded cheddar cheese, if desired. Yield: 3 cups. (Serves 2-3)

Towards Greener Living...

2009-12-01T15:03:00.000-08:00

I've been Baby-stepping our family down the path towards "greener" living, mostly as a result of being reactive as opposed to proactive as I'd like to be. A lot of it has to do with finances and ways of doing things cheaper but I'm finding that so much of the time cheaper really IS better! And simple, back-to-the-basics is so often better.
Making homemade laundry soap was one of my first forays into the Land of Green (or so I thought) until I discovered that Fels Naptha isn't all that great (has animal fats and some nasty petroleum-based toxic ingredients). So it was back to the drawing board and I ended up finding some great recipes! And there are so many. I decided to stick with a couple of really basic recipes- one for Eileigh's cloth diapers and one for the rest of the laundry. Since we have a front-loading HE washer I had to make sure the recipes would be okay to use but I believe I figured it out and so far, so good!
Also in my searches and extensive (ahem, internet) research, I stumbled fortuitously across information on a nasty little thing called Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (or SLS as it is lovingly referred to). This stuff (along with Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate) is used not only in engine degreasers and floor cleaners but shampoos, body washes and toothpaste since it is a cheap degreaser. It's approved by the FDA for "brief, intermittent use not in contact with mucous membranes"... (a bit difficult since it's in toothpaste) and has been shown to correlate with a number of toxic responses. (And while I'm here mentioning toxic ingredients to avoid, propylene glycol is in so many things and should definitely be avoided). Anyhoo, SLS can cause and exacerbate skin issues and cause canker sores in the mouth, which really piqued my interest since Mike gets terrible canker sores rather frequently that can last for weeks. I've always used special soap for Eileigh since she has really sensitive skin but now I'm choosing to make the Big Change for our entire family. Mike thinks he might have to lock me up in a mental institution but I told him to give me a couple weeks and see if he can't tell a difference. We're going the route of good ol' castile soap (Dr. Bronner's for the liquid version; Kirk's Castile for bar soap) and are going to use it for shampoo, body wash, hand wash and anything else I can find a use for! I've actually collected several recipes also using it for dishwasher detergent, household cleaner and "softscrub" cleaner- for anything needing a little abrasion. Some people use it for toothpaste but the thought of that makes me want to gag so instead we'll be using SLS-free toothpaste (Tom's of Maine). A lot of the ingredients can be found at Fred Meyer's or Lifesource but I ordered everything for a significantly lower price online (vitacost.com, although I'm sure there are other great sites out there). Apparently for those who've made the switch to using castile soap it can take a few weeks for skin and hair to "detoxify" but after that it's shiny hair and conditioned skin without a need for lotions and/or conditioners! We'll see how it goes- I'm just waiting for my soap to arrive! I'll share those recipes once they're tried and approved. :)

Greener Homemade Laundry Detergent (okay for HE washers)

1 box (about 4 lb.) Borax
1 box (about 4 lb.) Washing Soda (not Baking Soda)
2 bars Kirk's Castile Soap, finely grated (I used my microplane grater and it's perfect- looks like snow!)

Mix all ingredients, use 2-4 Tbsp. per load.

Homemade Diaper Detergent (okay for HE washers)

1 c. Borax
1 c. Washing Soda
1 c. Oxiclean Free

Mix all ingredients, use 2 Tbsp- 1/4 c. per load. (I err on the side of less is more)
**A couple drops per load of tea tree essential oil is supposed to be really great for killing bacteria and any ammonia smell but I haven't gotten around to trying this suggestion out yet.

Favorite Cranberry Bread and (modified) Sausage and Pumpkin Pasta

2009-11-30T18:12:00.000-08:00

I fully admit to slacking in the blogging department and am trying to get back into the habit. At the moment I find things complicated by an almost 2-yr. old taking up what's left of my lap (which is not much, considering that Sunday marked 32 weeks into this pregnancy) as she is attempting to write her favorite letters: D-Daddy, E-Eileigh, B-Boone, M-Mama, P-Papa, G-Gramma and the occasional K-Kitty or other letter she can think of at this point in time. (I should clarify that this is exactly how her letters are stated, i.e., "D, Daddy" is the letter's full title and description). During these writing attempts she frequently leans over my arm to reach various other writing utensils or objects of interest and thereby further complicates my typing attempts. I wouldn't trade it for the world- but will have to remember in the future to blog when she is occupied elsewhere (as in, fast asleep in her bed).
Thanksgiving was spent in Washington at Mike's parents' house and we had a great time catching up and relaxing. Thanksgiving dinner was a feast to be sure and I enjoyed every bit of it, including the leftovers. Sometimes I think I love Thanksgiving more because of the great leftovers and fasba (a Mennonite low German term for coffee and sandwiches but applied by our family to specifically mean dinner rolls stuffed with leftover meat and cheese and slathered with mayo and mustard). Although I did not get to indulge in the fasba tradition this year I did come home with some leftover turkey and decided to tweak a new recipe I've been wanting to try and use turkey instead of the sausage the recipe called for. I spent a good amount of time last week roasting pumpkin seeds and cooking and baking our garden's Halloween pumpkins into "canned" pumpkin which I was able to use for this recipe as well. It turned out quite tasty- even my non-pumpkin-loving husband enjoyed it.

Sausage (or Turkey), Pumpkin and Mushroom Pasta

2 cups uncooked multigrain bow tie pasta
1/2 pound Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed (or substitute leftover turkey)
1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup white wine or additional reduced-sodium chicken broth (I used white wine- Riesling- and really think it made for great flavor!)
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes

Cook pasta according to package directions.
Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook the sausage, mushrooms, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the chicken broth, pumpkin, wine, sage, salt, garlic powder and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5-6 minutes or until slightly thickened.
Drain pasta; add to the skillet and heat through. Just before serving, sprinkle with cheese and parsley.

I also wanted to share my recipe for Cranberry Bread- I'd baked a loaf since I had fresh cranberries on hand and then brought it with us to WA. So far it's been deemed a winner by all who partake! I know I love it. I've also made it with apple juice instead of orange juice and omitted the orange peel so Eileigh can enjoy it but personally I like it best with the hint of orange flavoring. Don't forget to add the glaze- that's Mike's favorite part. :)

Favorite Cranberry Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup cold butter
1 egg
3/4 cup orange juice
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
1 cup chopped fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup golden raisins

STREUSEL:
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cold butter

GLAZE:
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons orange juice

In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients; cut in butter until crumbly. In a small bowl, whisk the egg, orange juice and peel. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in cranberries and raisins. Transfer to a greased 8-in x 4-in. loaf pan.
Combine brown sugar and flour; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over batter. Bake at 350° for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
For glaze, combine confectioners' sugar and orange juice until smooth. Drizzle over bread.

4x4in'

2009-11-12T20:50:00.000-08:00

Today Mike had a wild hair to pack us up and head off to the mountains for a nice little day trip. He was pretty excited and of course his girls love to be wherever he may be so we got ready (as fast as two girls can) and saddled up. Eileigh commandeered Selah's new carseat so we didn't have to switch hers from my car to the truck. Our main goals were to have fun enjoying each other's company, find some snow and be able to see some of the key areas Mike haunts during hunting season(s). In honor of an old tradition (from my childhood, of course) we agreed that whoever spotted the first deer/elk gets $0.25. I think with inflation this price should definitely have increased over time but we decided to stick with the historical precedence. Having spotted the first and only deer (a tiny buck) I now wish I had opted for the increased rate but so it goes. Eileigh did great, loving the bumps and contentedly munching on rice cakes and apples while I on the other hand had to have Mike stop the truck just about every few feet due to the vicious combination of rutted roads, a 30-wk. pregnant swollen belly, and sadly abused little bladder. I determined not too far into the start of the trip that I would not voluntarily be making any more such trips until after the baby is born.
When we got to the snow Eileigh excitedly walked around, occasionally touching it but mostly checking out her snow-covered boots and saying "Walkin'." Recently everything ending in "-ing" gets the "g" dropped: walkin', dancin', singin', Mornin'!!- her favorite greeting as of late. We all had a great time taking pictures and enjoying the crisp peacefulness of the snow-covered woods.

Treats, no tricks!!

2009-11-12T20:38:00.000-08:00

She didn't say "trick or treat" but she would say "knock-knock"

Check out Eileigh's name in the pumpkin- we carved it with a nail when it was just a little gourd (are pumpkins gourds?) and the name grew bigger with the pumpkin!! Courtesy of our garden.

Boone had this look on his face a few times throughout the night... cutest spider ever.

Just to clarify: Eileigh was a flower. :)

Halloween Eats

2009-11-01T12:17:00.000-08:00

Last night everyone minus my youngest sister Emily (who had to work night shift) came over to our house to enjoy a little get-together before heading out to a few of the neighbors' houses for some laid-back trick-or-treating. Hopefully I will have some pictures to post soon of the kids in their outfits- until then I will share a few recipes we utilized to make the evening's meal frighteningly delicious. :) The Black Bean and Pumpkin Chili I've made before and liked it even better this time around (throwing in a few of my own twists) and my mom made a big batch of Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls that not only went great with the chili but also make for a great breakfast the next day!!! (and snack... and lunch...).

Black Bean 'n' Pumpkin Chili (Crockpot)

1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium sweet yellow pepper, chopped (I used a red bell pepper this time, just as good)
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups chicken broth
2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained (this time was 1 can black beans, 1 can kidney beans)
2-1/2 cups cubed cooked turkey (this could be any meat, really- I used leftover pork from making Spicy Carolina BBQ Pork and leftover chicken from making homemade chicken broth- I think the spicy pork really made the dish- I'll add the recipe on at the bottom of this post)
1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
2 teaspoons chili powder
1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large skillet, saute the onion, yellow pepper and garlic in oil until tender. Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker; stir in the remaining ingredients.
Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until heated through. Yield: 10 servings (2-1/2 quarts).

Pumpkin Cinnamon Buns

2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
4 eggs
1 cup shortening
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup warm milk (110° to 115°)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup instant vanilla pudding mix
1/3 cup instant butterscotch pudding mix
1 teaspoon salt
7 to 8 cups all-purpose flour

FILLING:
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

ICING:
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the eggs, shortening, pumpkin, milk, sugars, pudding mixes, salt and 6 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky).
Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down; divide in half. Roll each portion into a 12-in. x 8-in. rectangle; brush with butter. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over dough to within 1/2 in. of edges.
Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seams to seal. Cut each into 12 slices. Place cut side down in two greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
Bake at 350° for 22-28 minutes or until golden brown. In a small bowl, combine the water, butter and cinnamon. Add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth. Spread over buns. Serve warm. Yield: 2 dozen.

Spicy Carolina BBQ Pork (Crockpot)

2 onions, quartered
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. paprika
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 (4-6lb.) boneless pork butt or shoulder roast
3/4 c. cider vinegar
4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1-1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1-1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
Hamburger buns

Place onions in crockpot. Combine the brown sugar, paprika, salt and pepper and rub mixture over roast. Place roast in crockpot. In a bowl, combine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper flakes, sugar, mustard, garlic salt and cayenne pepper. Mix well. Drizzle 1/2 of vinegar mixture over the roast. Cover and refrigerate remaining vinegar mixture. Cover; cook on Low for 10 hrs. or High 6 hrs. Remove the meat and onions and drain. Shred meat and serve with onions on hamburger buns. Use the remaining vinegar mixture to drizzle over the sandwiches.

Poppers

2009-10-24T19:29:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure what the official name is but I've always called them "Poppers"- which of course Eileigh now calls them that as well. They're the puffy little seed balls that fall from what I believe are oak trees... please feel free to have actual knowledge of their title but I'll continue to refer to them as poppers. :) The best thing about them is the delicious crunch they let out when stepped upon. When the first ones started falling I pulled Eileigh out of the stroller during our walks and let her try her foot at it- it took her a little while at first but now she's an old pro. My mom now saves poppers from her walks and will bring them over for Eileigh to crush on our back deck. This afternoon we enjoyed a rare treat. My mom, Eileigh and I met my Dad over at my grandparents' farm where my Dad had spent a decent portion of time raking together all of the poppers that had fallen from one of their huge trees. Eileigh was in popper heaven and soon moved from annihilating single poppers to running through the pile and decimating several clusters in one fell swoop. My mom and I had our own fun "helping" Eileigh- as we liked to call it. Ahhh, the simple pleasures in life.

Oh My Word!!!

2009-10-05T16:30:00.000-07:00

I can hardly believe the amount of words (and sometimes the actual words) coming out of Eileigh's mouth!! Nothing "bad", don't get me wrong- I just didn't expect Eileigh to pick up on some of the things she has. In the last two weeks I think her vocabulary has just about doubled. She's throwing out phrases right and left and I hear my own words being repeated often. I've also noticed that she pays special attention when a word or phrase is said with emphasis from me- those words will definitely get repeated. Our first instance actually occurred during our camping trip at the coast. Before Mindi, Boone, Eileigh and I ended up at the Marine Science Center, we had planned to go to the Aquarium. Unfortunately as we drove up, a big sign had been set up announcing that due to special events the Aquarium was closing that afternoon at 3:00pm- and it was 2:45pm. Mindi scoffed in disgust as I declared, "That's crap!" Suddenly from the back seat I heard a sweet little voice pipe up, "That's crap! That's crap!" Mindi and I didn't know quite what to do and tried to smother our giggles so as not to encourage Eileigh's new phrase, courtesy of her mother's potty mouth. Thankfully after a few tries on the phrase she gave it up. I've really been trying to watch it while I'm driving and most of the time I do pretty well, occasionally letting an "Oh my WORD!" slip out (believe me, pre-kid it was much more colorful) but even still, Eileigh chimes in "Word! Oh my! Oh my!"
Other favorites of hers include "All gone" and "I know". Some of my favorites to hear her say are "Stinker" (teen-ter) and "Buster" and "Honey". She's repeated "Bye, sweetie" at bedtime and every now and then when she wants Mike for something she calls out, "Mike! Mike!" Whoopsie- I think that one's from me as well. :) Mike isn't overly thrilled at it but I think it's hysterical (on the inside; on the outside I tell Eileigh to say Daddy).
Eileigh is my God-given daily reminder to think before I speak!!

Pumpkin Dessert Squares, Coconut-Pecan Sweet Potatoes and Cranberry-Glazed Pork Roast

2009-10-05T16:06:00.000-07:00

This last Friday we had a good-bye and good luck potluck for a co-worker who is on to greener pastures and will be sorely missed. Luckily someone reminded me the day before so I had ample time to whip up a contribution to the meal. I'd been wanting to try the Crunchy Pumpkin Dessert Squares and they were not only really easy to put together but also very yummy with Cool Whip on top! Cool Whip makes everything taste better, in my opinion (not to say that this dessert needed it). I also threw Coconut-Pecan Sweet Potatoes in the crockpot and let that cook at work until lunch time (turned out it needed a little bit more time than planned due to a few lid-lifters- you know who you are!!!). :) Finally, I wanted to share the Cranberry-Glazed Pork Roast recipe because it's delicious (the sauce is fabulous) and goes wonderfully with the Coconut-Pecan Sweet Potatoes. I made them both for dinner last week and everyone heralded it a success.

Crunchy Pumpkin Dessert Squares

1 can (30 ounces) pumpkin pie filling
1 can (12 ounces) fat-free evaporated milk
3 eggs
1 package (18-1/4 ounces) yellow cake mix
2/3 cup chopped pecans
1 cup reduced-fat butter, melted
1-1/4 cups fat-free whipped topping

In a large bowl, combine the pie filling, milk and eggs; beat on medium speed until smooth. Pour into an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Sprinkle with cake mix and pecans; drizzle with butter.
Bake at 350° for 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack. Garnish with whipped topping. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 20 servings.

Coconut-Pecan Sweet Potatoes (Slow-Cooker)

4 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (I've used both sweet potatoes and yams- they're both tasty, just depends on your personal preference)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup reduced-fat butter, melted (Yeah, I just use regular butter)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place sweet potatoes in a 5-qt. slow cooker coated with cooking spray. Combine the pecans, coconut, sugar, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and salt; sprinkle over potatoes.
Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or until potatoes are tender. Stir in extracts. Yield: 12 servings.

Cranberry-Glazed Pork Roast

1 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce
3/4 cup unsweetened apple juice
3/4 cup barbecue sauce (Our family is a big fan of Cattleman's)
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
1 boneless rolled pork loin roast (4 pounds) **(I used two smaller pork loin roasts- one about 2.5 lbs., one about 1.5 lbs. and cooked them together for about an hour and a half total time, including glazing)

In a small saucepan, combine the cranberry sauce, apple juice, barbecue sauce and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Combine the cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into cranberry mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Set aside 1 cup sauce.
Place roast in a shallow roasting pan. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 1-3/4 hours. Spoon a third of the remaining glaze over pork. Bake 30 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer reads 160°, basting twice. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with reserved sauce. Yield: 16 servings.

Pumpkin Lasagna and Sweet Potato Bread with Pineapple Butter

2009-10-01T14:52:00.000-07:00

Fall is here! We've decorated the outside of our house with cornstalks and pumpkins from our garden and I'm still working on the inside decor. Yesterday since Mike was on shift I decided to make Pumpkin Lasagna. He's not what you would call an avid fan of pumpkin (or any kind of fan, really), which is an extremely difficult thing for me to accept since I love all things pumpkin. Pumpkin bread, pumpkin chili, pumpkin pie, pumpkin cake, pumpkin ravioli, pumpkin lasagna- you name it, I'd like it. Thankfully my parents live nearby and are also fans of the Big Orange so I was able to make a dinner and have others to share it with (with minimal leftovers for Mike to worry about). I also baked up some Sweet Potato Bread with Pineapple Butter- wonderfully spiced, moist bread brought to new heights when combined with the pineapple butter. Our entire family, Mike included, loves this bread so it disappears quickly.

Pumpkin Lasagna

1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
1/2 cup half-and-half cream
1 teaspoon dried sage leaves
1/2 tsp. nutmeg (this is my own addition but I think it's an important one for flavor)
Dash pepper
9 no-cook lasagna noodles
1 cup reduced-fat ricotta cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a small skillet, saute the mushrooms, onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt in oil until tender; set aside. In a small bowl, combine the pumpkin, cream, sage, nutmeg, pepper and remaining salt.
Spread 1/2 cup pumpkin sauce in an 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with three noodles (noodles will overlap slightly). Spread 1/2 cup pumpkin sauce to edges of noodles. Top with half of mushroom mixture, 1/2 cup ricotta, 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers. Top with remaining noodles and sauce.
Cover and bake at 375° for 45 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. Yield: 6 servings.
**Make sure to use the full amount of salt the recipe calls for- I went light on the salt since my Dad watches his intake and then we added more individually at dinner. As stated earlier, I think nutmeg is a great addition to this recipe- adds flavor without turning the lasagna into a sweet dish. I didn't think the sage by itself was enough flavoring with the pumpkin.**

Sweet Potato Bread with Pineapple Butter

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup mashed sweet potatoes (I microwaved one large potato for about 6-8 minutes after poking with a fork, rotating potato every few minutes using an oven mitt)
1/2 cup canola oil
1/3 cup water

BUTTER:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, well drained

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. In a small bowl, combine the eggs, potatoes, oil and water. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.
Transfer to a greased 9-in. x 5-in. loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.
In a small bowl, combine butter and pineapple. Serve with bread. Yield: 1 loaf (16 slices) and 1 cup butter.