Simply Mangerchine

Honey Whole Wheat Bread

2012-01-30T18:45:00.000-05:00

I am still a very amateur baker, but I am enjoying slowly learning bit by bit about baking bread. I'm ever so slowly conquering my fear of yeast. The art of baking bread appeals to me. It's rustic, romantic, slow, contemplative. Freshly baked bread is so much better than what can be bought in the store, not to mention SO much cheaper. Plus, I love the act of making things to nourish my family.

I decided to give this one good loaf recipe a try. I love that this recipe bakes only 1 loaf, which is perfect for our small family. I used all whole wheat flour (which, from my research can make the bread more difficult to rise), to meet our preference. Other than that I followed the recipe as is, but in the future I think I'd like to substitute olive oil for the shortening.

As I worked my way through the bread making process, listening to my favorite worship cd (Fike and Dana), I couldn't help but think about the many references in Scripture to yeast and baking bread. There's so much profound truth to be found and learned through this ancient act of baking bread.

Matthew 13:33 He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.”

Austrian Goulash Soup

2012-01-29T21:45:00.000-05:00

I made this Austrian Goulash Soup for dinner tonight. I thought it was pretty good, but Jeremy and Noah both really seemed to like it. The few changes I made were to add 2-3 Tbsp sugar, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, and eliminated the beef shin (although I do think it would add great flavor!). This would be great over whole wheat egg noodles, or served with homemade bread for dipping.

new favorite cookbook

2012-01-29T16:02:00.000-05:00

I just got a new-to-me copy of Deceptively Delicious. I have only made one recipe so far (which was delicious!), but I am just enamored with this book. Jessica Seinfeld (yes, Jerry Seinfeld's wife) has a great concept of getting kids to eat veggies, and of making meals more nutritious, by slipping vegetable purees into everything from scrambled eggs, to meatballs, to baked goods. If you have picky eater kids, or know grown ups who aren't big fans of vegetables then buy this book! We all like vegetables here, but I always love anyway to make food more nutritious, and still tasty.

memory game

2012-01-28T15:58:00.002-05:00

I made this memory game to send to a little boy for his birthday. It was super simple, quick, and cheap (using supplies that I already had). I printed out some fun clip art images, modge podged them onto wood, and modge podged scrapbook paper to the other side of the wood. This could also be really fun by personalizing with pictures of family members, favorite toys, or whatever your little one is into.

Broccoli, Cheese and Rice Casserole

2012-01-27T19:10:00.000-05:00

Broccoli, Cheese and Rice Casserole

You could also stir in chopped cooked chicken prior to baking to make this a one dish meal to please meat eaters.

-2 c uncooked brown rice, cooked according to package directions
-4 c broccoli, chopped, and steamed for 5 minutes
-2 Tbsp butter
-1 yellow onion, diced
-1/4 c all-purpose flour
-2 c skim milk
-1/3 c light sour cream
-1 1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese, divided
-1/2 tsp garlic powder
-1/2 tsp black pepper
-1 tsp salt

Melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Add onion, saute 5 minutes. Add flour, cook 2-3 minutes stirring constantly. Add milk, cook stirring constantly until sauce bubbles and thickens. Remove from heat, stir in 1 c cheese, and sour cream. Stir garlic powder, salt and pepper into sauce. Stir broccoli and rice into sauce. Spread mixture into a greased 13x9 pan. Top with remaining 1/2 c cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

learning from Noah

2012-01-27T08:29:00.000-05:00

here are a few things that I'm learning right now from this little man;

to enjoy the journey, and not be so focused on the destination that I forget to enjoy the present... he never worries about where we are going, but enjoys exactly where we are to the best of his ability, living in the moment
to delight in simple things... he played for 1 hour the other day with a scrub brush and a spoon
to play, laugh, and not take myself too seriously
that if my imperfect human heart is so full of so much unconditional love for this little man, how much more full and perfect is the love of my Heavenly Father for me

Mark 10:14-15 “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. ¹⁵ I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” ¹⁶ Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them.

Thank you Lord for this child. Thank you for the ways that you use him to speak to me.

15 months

2012-01-27T07:00:00.003-05:00

Here is what is going on with Noah this month according to babycenter.com;

Whirlwind. It's a word that aptly describes a typical 15-month-old, and life with a toddler this age is never dull. His attention is equally divided between his toys and you. Children thrive on their parents' attention, and if you happen to leave the area where he's playing, he'll come looking for you within a few minutes because he wants to know that you're paying attention to him. "See! See!" is probably a common refrain in your house as your child tries to balance his drive to be more independent with his need to know he can depend on you.

Until now, your toddler has been preoccupied with checking out his surroundings and the objects in his world. Now he's just as curious about the effects of his behavior on other people, and his connection with you is vital to his confidence. During this period of social exploration you may see him trying to get your attention anyway he can. He'll shout, imitate gestures he sees you and other adults making, pinch, poke, shove, whine, and cry, all in an attempt to see how you react, and what it takes for him to get what he wants. He will quickly realize that various behaviors get different results from the adults who surround him. He may learn that he gets what he wants faster if he laughs instead of whines. Or that whining will get him what he wants from his grandfather, but not from his mom or dad. This experimentation is all part of socialization, and if you are consistent with enforcing limits, he'll soon learn which behaviors are acceptable and which aren't.

The wilder things your child does to maintain his connection with you and your attention on him may be more annoying and frustrating for you than for your toddler. Really listening when your toddler is trying to tell you something and giving him as much attention as you can may head off a great deal of whining and screaming, but when you've reached your limit you may simply need to remove yourself from the room. Put your toddler in his crib or playpen and step out for a few minutes, take a few deep breaths, and take a moment to remind yourself that he's going through a phase.

Consider getting involved in a playgroup that includes some children who are slightly older than yours. Preschool-age children are capable of engaging their younger friends in pretend play, and yours may enjoy being with kids who are willing to take a "leadership" role in play. Playing with a mixed-age group can also be a great way for the younger ones to learn about cooperation. If your child is reluctant to let you out of his sight, a small group of two or three children who are your child's same age will probably suit your toddler best, and once he's gotten used to "playing" with one or two other children his own age, it will be easier for him to be away from you.

Everyone loves a clown, and your 15-month-old already realizes this. Once he recognizes that a certain behavior — dancing, crawling like a baby, doing somersaults — gets a positive response from you, he'll do it over and over not just because he can, but because he loves to be the center of attention. After a silly dance performance, for instance, he'll look around the room just to see what kind of effect his moves have had on the audience, and if he has everyone's attention, he'll offer an encore.

Don't be surprised if your toddler already seems to treat you and your spouse differently. Whichever parent he spends the most time with will be the one he demands more of and is hardest on. If Mom's around more, Dad will be treated like someone special, and vice versa. While this may make one of you feel jealous, know that it's normal and is your child's way of testing out his relationship with each of you. Family dynamics, and your child's shifting loyalties, will be more and more evident during the next few months as he becomes increasingly independent.

Finally, as toddlers begin to experiment with imaginative play, they also sometimes start to have nightmares. A 15-month-old is reaching an age where he can start to think on a symbolic level and is able to transform reality into fantasy (not that he could explain this to you!). It will be several years before your child can distinguish between dreams and reality. Since he probably can't use words to tell you about his dreams, you'll have to rely on unusual behaviors to alert you. Children who are stressed or anxious (usually related to tension in the family or problems with daycare or preschool) are prone to nightmares. If your usually sound sleeper awakens crying in the night and can't tell you why he's upset, try talking to him in a soothing voice and rubbing his back until he settles down.

At this age, all you can do is comfort your child and perhaps establish some sort of routine to banish the "monsters" from his room. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests reading your toddler some stories about dreams and sleep, such as In the Night Kitchen, by Maurice Sendak, to help him understand that they're nothing to be afraid of.

This is such a fun age! Noah's vocabulary is growing each week. His most recent new words are shirt, hug, cheese, cheerios, and toast. If we ask him for a hug he will run across the room to come give us a hug and a kiss. He's learning an increasing number of body parts and can point to his head, hear, ear, mouth, nose, eyes, arm, hand, leg, foot, and belly when asked. He can count to five, normally leaving out the 2 and/ or 3.

He still loves to read, and will sit on our laps for as long as an hour reading the same book over and over. He loves to play with toys, especially blocks, trucks, cars, and balls. He'll play by himself some, and occasionally with another kid, but it seems that he most prefers to have mom or dad playing with him.

He was weaned this month, and is now drinking whole milk. I initiated it, but he didn't seem to mind too much at all. In fact, I think he even goes to sleep better now without his before bed nursing. It definitely hurt me more than him that we have moved past our nursing stage. I guess my baby is growing up!

Most of his back molars have come in now, and he was a trooper through all of it!

food for my soul

2012-01-26T13:25:00.000-05:00

This morning Psalm 51 has been feeling like food for my soul...

Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness;

According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity
And cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
And my sin is ever before me.
Against You, You only, I have sinned
And done what is evil in Your sight,
So that You are justified when You speak
And blameless when You judge.
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being,
And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.
Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me to hear joy and gladness,
Let the bones which You have broken rejoice.
Hide Your face from my sins
And blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from Your presence
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
And sustain me with a willing spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners will be converted to You.
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation;
Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.
O Lord, open my lips,
That my mouth may declare Your praise.
For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;
You are not pleased with burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.
By Your favor do good to Zion;
Build the walls of Jerusalem.
Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices,
In burnt offering and whole burnt offering;
Then young bulls will be offered on Your altar.

Hutspot (Dutch Mashed Potatoes, Carrots, and Onions)

2012-01-26T13:16:00.000-05:00

I made this Hutspot to use up some potatoes and carrots that I had on hand. It was delicious, and probably a great way to get kids who don't like carrots to eat them. I doubled the curry powder, but the flavor was still mild and subtle, not overpowering. Noah and I really liked this dish, and I'm sure we'll eat it again.

felt food

2012-01-25T11:00:00.001-05:00

I made this felt food to send to a special little girl for her birthday. It was a really fun process. I didn't realize how much I like working with felt and embroidery thread, and the act of hand sewing/ embroidering. There was something soothing and meditative about it.

things I'm LOVING right now

2012-01-25T10:00:00.005-05:00

this moment... my little boy snuggled up on my lap wearing his daddy's hat
that this little boy's newest favorite activity is going and grabbing one of daddy's hats and wearing them for hours
that said hats, naturally turn and sit sideways on his little head making him look like a mini thug
that this little boy has a new found love for snuggling, and will sit on my lap for as long as an hour reading, or while we are just silly with each other
those chubby little cheeks!
those bright blue eyes!
that Jeremy has been playing the guitar very regularly lately
that Noah loves his daddy playing the guitar
being neighborly... recently being able to share our extra leftovers with neighbors, and also borrow crafting supplies
a 30 day break from facebook
a slow pace of life now that the holidays are over
having some time to be creative and craft with this slower pace
a new pair of running shoes, courtesy of wellness dollar from Jeremy's work
a new pair of TOMS, courtesy of some Christmas money
skinny jeans... so comfy!
perusing a new-to-me cookbook
teaching Noah how to color with crayons
a fun evening last night with friends and neighbors enjoying yummy 2/$2 tacos from the bar down the street

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Thank you Lord for all of your good gifts!

Mardis Gras Wreath

2012-01-24T19:23:00.002-05:00

I used a wreath form that I had lying around to make a festive wreath for Mardis Gras. It was quick, easy, and free (by borrowing beads and feathers from friends).

play date

2012-01-24T15:18:00.000-05:00

Noah and I had a play date with a friend and her 3 boys at the park today. We are so blessed that City Park is only about a mile from our house! It holds the biggest playground around, with lots of equipment for big and little kids. The playground even overlooks a pond that is filled with ducks and swans, so Noah gets to enjoy some wildlife while he plays. It really is the perfect little spot for him, he always has a great time there!

I tend to be an introvert, and could be comfortable with hardly ever leaving our home. But I'm a very extroverted introvert, because I really do love getting to know new people, hearing their stories, and making new memories with friends that I already have. And as much as I could just hide out in our house all of the time, I always enjoy getting out, and getting some social interaction.

When pondering these tendencies this morning, I realized that God wants me to both get out, and stay in. He wants me to use my home as a place of hospitality and ministry. To maintain it as a warm environment, that is filled with His presence. To invite others into that, and serve them. But He also wants me to get out, to be a light to the world, which involves going into the world... which today meant going to the park, engaging those whom I encountered, and loving them in action and in truth. And today, Noah and I had so much fun doing just that!

overwhelmed by grace

2012-01-24T10:53:00.000-05:00

God is SO good! It is blowing my mind right now! A few days ago I was consumed with confusion and doubt, and now I am overflowing with His joy and peace. Thank you Lord!

Right now I'm reading the Bible like it was written solely to, and only for me. God has worked this out so perfectly! It takes me about 18 months (rather than the 1 year plans) to read through the Bible. And lately each book that I'm in at a specific time seems like a God ordained appointment. I just happened to be reading through Acts during the same month that I was praying and trying to learn more about the Holy Spirit, spiritual gifts, and supernatural power. And then, once that quest was getting to be too much for me (see my post from a few days ago for details) I finished the book of Acts (yesterday) and started Romans. It again seems God ordained that I be reading Romans right now. In a time where I am coming out of confusion and doubt, and desperately clinging to the basics, that is just what Romans seems to be outlining for me. Thank you Lord!

I was especially struck by Romans 3:19-31 this morning, and want to post it here as a future encouragement to myself;

Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.

But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.

Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.

After all, is God the God of the Jews only? Isn’t he also the God of the Gentiles? Of course he is. There is only one God, and he makes people right with himself only by faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law.

And this morning, the concept of spiritual hills and valleys has become so real to me.

Deuteronomy 11:11-12 Rather, the land you will soon take over is a land of hills and valleys with plenty of rain— a land that the LORD your God cares for. He watches over it through each season of the year!

"Yet the land we are to possess is a land of valleys and hills. It is not all flat or downhill. If life were always smooth and level, the boring sameness would weigh us down. We need the valleys and the hills. The hills collect the rain for hundreds of fruitful valleys. And so it is with us! It is the difficulty encountered on the hills that drives us to the throne of grace and brings the showers of blessing. Yes, it is the hills, the cold and seemingly barren hills of life that we question and complain about, that bring down the showers. How many people have perished in the wilderness valley, buried under its golden sand, who would have thrived in the hills? And how many would have been killed by the cold, destroyed or swept desolate of their fruitfulness by the wind, if not for the hills- stern, hard, rugged, and so steep to climb? God's hills are a gracious protection for His people against their foes!" -Streams in the Dessert, L.B. Cowman (January 1 Devotion)

This morning, I am so thankful for the hills and the valleys!

Corn Grits

2012-01-23T19:23:00.000-05:00

There is a local casual dining chain restaurant named Zea's. They have THE most amazing corn grits! Recently I realized that the recipe is posted on their website. I was able to make the same corn grits that I love, but with a lot less fat. The few changes that I made were to use fat-free half and half instead of the heavy cream, used regular (rather than yellow) grits because that's what I had, doubled the corn (although I don't think I'd do that again next time), added 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper, and I reduced the butter by half. These turned out a little more thin than I would like. Next time I think I'll reduce the fat-free half and half by 1/2 cup to correct this. But in all, the flavor was great! Use veggie broth instead of the chicken to make this a vegetarian recipe if you like.

clinging to Jesus

2012-01-22T21:27:00.000-05:00

I've been struggling in my faith a little this weekend.

This happens to me from time to time. Anytime that I begin to pursue something more than I am pursuing Christ... even (and ESPECIALLY) when what I am pursuing is religious or spiritual.

A few months ago, this happened when I was trying to learn about Calvinism and Armenianism. I got so caught up in the pursuit of having answers and clear understanding. I saw points to each side. I had so many questions. And no answers. And then confusion set in. And in that confusion I was drowning, desperately grasping to any little bit of faith and truth within me to cling to, to hold to, so that my faith as a whole didn't come crashing down. And I realized that it was no longer healthy for me to pursue studying about these doctrines. That my pursuit was becoming a hindrance, rather than a help to my walk with Christ. That I was pursuing answers more than I was pursuing Him.

Now, two months later, I find myself in this same desperate state again. I've been doing a lot of studying, learning, and pursuing experiences of the supernatural... of gifts of the Spirit, of the power of God and manifestations of that power, and of spiritual warfare. I've become so caught up in the pursuit of knowledge and experience that I lost sight of Christ, that I allowed pursuing these things to become more important to me than Him. And in that I find myself overwhelmed. With more questions. Grasping for a small life raft of truth to cling to.

And so I cling to Christ. To His life, death, and resurrection. And I resolve to make His Kingdom my primary concern, rather than the other things. Things that good. Things that I will still pursue, but things that I will NOT pursue before Him.

Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness

1 Corinthians 2:2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

And so I seek Him. His voice. His presence. And humbly ask Him to increase my faith. To help in my unbelief. To guard me with His truth. And I KNOW, that He will get me through this.

2 Timothy 2:13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.

Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

Mark 9:24 Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief.”

Thank you Jesus. For your faithfulness. Thank you!

(p.s. I am in no way saying that people shouldn't pursue these things, or that all people who do will fall in the same way that I have, I am just saying that these pursuits have been a problem for ME)

{today}

2012-01-22T17:00:00.000-05:00

today we met friends at City Park to have a picnic for lunch, and gave Noah a chance to enjoy the huge playground there. it was perfect... the weather was amazing, Noah had a great time, and the food and fellowship were great!

Thank you Jesus for your wonderful gifts to us!

(I got to steal a bunch of snuggles from this precious little one)

{love these two}

2012-01-20T15:45:00.020-05:00

after a month of not watching Luke, today was my first day keeping him again, and now we'll be doing once a week through May. Noah and I missed Luke SO much! these two boys are so good for each other! for the most part, Noah doesn't play much with other kids, and kinda does his own thing and watches others. but with Luke, Noah spends the entire day playing directly with him. I love watching them play, and laugh, and be silly... even if it does wreck every.single. room of my house!

today I'm so blessed by getting to watch these two enjoy each other. I pray for them every day. that they both will come to know the Lord at a young age, and serve Him all of their days, making disciples of the nations for His glory. I'm thankful for and humbled by the role that I get to play in shepherding them along the way.

Thank you Jesus! Use me to lavish these two with your love, with your Truth. Use me to teach them to seek Your presence. Protect them Jesus, draw them to Yourself..

Curried Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

2012-01-17T18:45:00.000-05:00

Curried Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

I love this soup with the addition of curry powder, but it is also great without it. Try garnishing with fresh chives or parsley, and a dollop of sour cream. This soup is even better when made a day in advance.

-2 Tbsp butter, divided

-1 onion, diced
-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
-1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
-1 tsp curry powder
-3 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
-1 lb carrots, peeled and diced
-3 1/2 c water
-3 c chicken or veggie broth
-1 tsp salt
-1/2 tsp black pepper
-1/2 c fat-free half-and-half

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion; cook 5 minutes. Stir in cinnamon, nutmeg, and curry powder. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Increase heat to medium-high; cook 1 minute or until butter begins to brown. Add sweet potatoes, carrots water, broth, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 35 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat, puree using a blender or immersion blender. Stir half-and-half into pureed mixture and serve.

{today}

2012-01-13T15:42:00.000-05:00

we have several playgrounds and parks within a few block radius of us. over the past few weeks Noah and I have started favoring one particular playground because it's the only one that is fenced in, so he can roam free without fear of running in the street. Noah doesn't care for the swings too much, but he loves the slides. we love this little spot, and the fact that we get to visit so often.

today I'm thankful for...

-such a mild December and January... beautiful weather, allowing lots of time outdoors
-some cooler weather moving in
-a good cup of Chai tea
-cozy warm boots (fake uggs)
-so many assorted parks and playgrounds within walking distance
-the chance to spend all day, every day with Noah, and to visit these fun parks
-a slower pace of life now that the holidays are over
-some slow time, not watching any other kids, and being able to devote my full attention to Noah and enjoying this age and stage of his life
-nap times, and the chance to use that time this week to create some gifts for loved ones
-the blessing and gift of a newly discovered pregnancy for our friends, and knowing that Noah will have another playmate in 8 months
-paperbackswap.com... receiving several "new to me" books from them recently, especially The Discipline Book, which I am enjoying reading right now
-the way the Lord is teaching and growing Jeremy and I right now, and that He's uniting us through it
-the smells of cumin, paprika, garlic, chili powder, oregano, and bay filling my house in anticipation of spicy chicken enchiladas and Cuban black beans for dinner tonight
-being "neighborly"... being able to pick up groceries from the store for our neighbors, and being able to borrow some salt when I ran out yesterday

1 Thessalonians 5:18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Pecan-Topped Pumpkin Bread

2012-01-12T17:37:00.001-05:00

Made this Pecan-Topped Pumpkin Bread from Cooking Light. I think this has to be my favorite pumpkin bread ever, and the fact that it's light doesn't hurt either. Here are the changes I made;

-used 2 c all purpose flour and 1 1/3 c whole wheat flour for extra nutrition

-left out allspice cause I didn't have it

-used 2 extra eggs instead of the egg substitute

fresh start

2012-01-09T16:34:00.000-05:00

Today I started a new journal... a new journal, for a new year (although a journal doesn't last me nearly a year, probably only a few months). This particular journal happens to be my favorite one I've ever had, as the cover was handmade by my sis-in-law. There's something exciting about starting new and fresh, with this journal... with this year. There's a sense of excitement, and wonder at the unknown. What will this year hold? What will the Lord say to me? How will He change me? What is he going to do in my life, and the lives of those around me? How will He answer the prayers that I've been praying for days, weeks, and years? And if I don't like His answers, will I still hold strong to Him, still believe that He is good, just, and perfect love?

Jesus, I pray that this year will be a year that I grow in You... in my likeness of You, in my understanding of Your love for me and others, in the way that I serve and pour out that love to others, in my faith. That I would be constantly full of the Spirit, characterized by His fruit. That I would be full of Your power, and that Your gifts would manifest in me. That everyone I encounter would experience Your presence and love through me, and that You would be glorified in all I do, say, and think. That each day would be carried out in constant communication with You.

Lamentations 3:22-24 The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!”

Dr. Seuss Baby Shower

2012-01-07T17:00:00.063-05:00

I had the privilege of throwing a baby shower for a friend from our community group. I decided that a Dr. Seuss theme would be super fun, and also perfect for the mom-to-be. Here's a recap of the shower...

I started by designing some invitations that fit the theme.... these are VERY basic, as I'm not good with computers at all. I used MS Word, found some clip art images, came up with a rhyming poem for the details, and printed on plain white cardstock.

For the decorations, I used some onesies that I appliqued, a bunch of Dr. Seuss books doubling as gifts, and I made some bunting banners by copying pages of books onto cardstock, and then cutting into triangles and stringing on yarn.

the only request of the mom-to-be for her shower was to have a pinata... so I made one... I modeled him after the fish from One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish

And for a Dr. Seuss themed shower, I came up with some quick and easy bookmarks (ribbon on large paperclips) for party favors

And of course all of the food was themed after phrases and characters in Dr. Seuss books

Here's a closeup of the onesies that I appliqued as gifts, and doubling as decorations. This is the state of Louisiana, with a heart for New Orleans. I printed a google search image for the state, traced onto fabric backed with wonder under, ironed onto the onesie, and then stitched around the border.

This is Thing 1, from The Cat in the Hat. I printed the logo onto iron on transfer paper, ironed onto white fabric, cut out, and sewed onto the red onesie.

Here are the links for the recipes I used;

Passion Tea Lemonade for "Pink Yink Ink" (I did not add simple syrup)

(Dyed Green) Devilled Eggs and Onion Poppyseed Ham and Cheese Sliders for "Green Eggs and Ham" (from Green Eggs and Ham) (I used less than half the butter that the recipe calls for)

Salted Chocolate Caramel Turtle Cookies for "Yertle the Turtle" (from Yertle the Turtle)

Berry Blue Jello Jigglers for "Blue Goo" (from Fox in Socks)

Assorted Cheese Platter for "Trees Cheese" (from Fox in Socks)

Swedish Fish and Colored Goldfish Crackers for "Red Fish and Blue Fish" (from One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish)

Chocolate Thing 1 and Thing 2 Cupcakes with Vanilla Almond Frosting for "Thing 1 and Thing 2" (from Cat in the Hat)

Curried Chicken Pasta Salad for "Oodles of Poodle Noddles" (from Fox in Socks)

Plus some veggies to round out the nutrition, and some swedish fish and colored goldfish (for One Fish Two Fish...)

It was a great time... so sweet, special and fun! We ate, chatted, played a Dr. Seuss trivia game, prayed over the mom-to-be and baby, swung at the pinata, and opened gifts. And all the decorations, favors, and most of the gifts were all from stuff that I already had on hand, so it was easy to do a fun shower on a small budget.

{this moment}

2012-01-04T14:13:00.000-05:00

I haven't watched Luke in over 3 weeks, and will only have him 1-2 days a month now. So Noah hasn't had much time to play with other kids recently. Fortunately one of our neighbors is looking for someone to watch her little boy, so today he came over for a few hours and did a trial run to see how these two boys play together. I'm happy to say that all went well, and it was fun to have another little guy around for Noah to play with.

Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate

2012-01-03T16:49:00.002-05:00

Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate

My current drink of choice is a Starbucks Non-fat, No whip, Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate. (plus or minus a shot of espresso depending on the time of day). The pairing of salt and caramel seems to be my current flavor obsession, especially when combined with chocolate. I decided that I needed to learn to make this myself so that I can enjoy it more often, and for a fraction of the cost. After some research, it seems that Starbucks adds Toffee Nut syrup to their version (which I don't have). But my local Starbucks tells me they add vanilla. So what I did, was to start with Pioneer Woman's basic hot chocolate recipe (using non-fat milk, and fat-free half and half, and no sugar). I added 2 tsp of vanilla while stirring the chocolate. I poured the hot chocolate into my mug, drizzled each mug with 1 Tbsp caramel sauce (you can use store bought or make your own), and sprinkled each mug with 1/8 tsp sea salt. (Starbucks uses fancy gourmet smoked sea salt, but I don't have that). You could top with whipped cream if you're not watching calories, but I do, and this tastes delicious without the whipped cream! Then curl up and enjoy. This is seriously the best thing I've ever drank!

{this morning}

2012-01-03T12:52:00.000-05:00

In efforts to work on one of my 2012 goals, and to use this online space to do more photo and written journaling, I plan to start doing posts like this {somewhat} regularly. The photos may not be technically correct, or even visually pleasing. The words may not be well thought out, or grammatically correct. But they will be my attempt to cherish moments I want to remember, and to nurture a heart of gratitude in simple pleasures...

This morning I am thankful for a return to routine after the holidays. I'm thankful for a simple, routine life. I'm thankful for a silly new snuggie from a friend, that makes me smile and not take myself too seriously. I'm thankful for a morning cup of coffee... not just any coffee, but the coffee Jeremy makes me in the Turkish style of coffee making (by boiling the grounds in with a little sugar in a small pot). I'm thankful for some quiet time with the Lord, to journal, pray, reflect, and read His Word during Noah's morning nap. I'm thankful for a change to cooler weather, which is refreshing, and giving me more delight in snuggles, blankets, and warm cups of coffee and hot chocolate. I'm thankful for gazing at the beautiful day outside through our window... at the bright blue sky, and the warm sunlight filtering into our home and creating patches on the carpet, patches that Noah likes to play in. I'm ever so thankful for the opportunity to stay home with my little boy, to explore the world with him. To live in such a beautiful and historically rich city. To get to enjoy walks to nearby playgrounds and parks daily. For family. For friends. For community. For those who encourage me, pray for me, and walk through life with me despite my sin, despite my (MANY) flaws. This morning I'm so aware of God's goodness. Of His good gifts. Of the integrity and leadership of my husband, and how well he leads our family, how well he loves me and Noah. I'm so grateful for God's faithfulness, and redemption. This morning... my heart is full and my cup overflows.

BBQ Sauce

2012-01-02T18:00:00.001-05:00

BBQ Sauce

Today Jeremy smoked his first brisket, which was delicious! We have tried several BBQ sauce recipes to enjoy with the meat that he has smoked to date, and we have had a few flops. So I thought I'd record our favorite, and now go to sauce recipe here, to save for the future. The recipe below will usually get us through one large piece of meat, so halve or double the recipe as needed. This sauce will keep in the fridge for 2 weeks.

-1 c ketchup
-2/3 c apple cider vinegar
-6 Tbsp sugar
-2 tsp salt
-2 tsp chili powder
-2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
-2 tsp hot sauce

Whisk together all ingredients. Chill for at least 2 hours prior to serving.

Turkey Noodle Soup

2012-01-01T12:10:00.001-05:00

Turkey Noodle Soup

Chicken could easily be used here to make this Chicken Noodle Soup, but this was my way of using up the meat and broth from our Christmas turkey. Jeremy smoked our turkey this year, so my soup has a complex smoke flavor to it. If you don't already have cooked chicken and broth on hand, the easiest and cheapest way to have homemade ingredients for this soup would be to boil a chicken in water for an hour, shred the meat, cool the broth and skim the fat off, then use.

-2 Tbsp olive oil
-1 onion, diced
-4 carrots, diced
-2 ribs celery, diced
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-2 tsp dried thyme
-2 bay leaves
-3 quarts stock
-1 bag whole wheat egg noodles
-1 bag frozen peas
-2 c cooked turkey, shredded or chopped
-salt and pepper to taste (I think I used about 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper, but my broth wasn't already salted)
-(optional) fresh parsley for garnish

Heat oil in large stock pot, over medium heat. Saute onion, carrots, and celery 5 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, and bay, saute 1 additional minute. Add stock, and bring to a boil. Add noodles, and peas. Simmer 6 minutes. Stir in turkey, salt, and pepper, remove from heat. Sprinkle with chopped, fresh parsley and serve.

2012 goals

2011-12-31T15:44:00.003-05:00

I'm not much of a resolution person, probably because I've never made one that I've kept. So instead of making a resolution, I thought I'd set some goals for 2012, and share them so that friends can encourage me and hold me accountable. Here they are, in no particular order...

talk less, listen more... REALLY listen... not the kind of listening where I'm planning in my head what I'm going to say next, but completely present in the moment listening (this is not a strong suit for me, especially when my busy little boy is running around me, but I really want to get better at this!).
try new things... I'm such a creature of habit and routine. I do the same activities week in and week out, eat the same foods, go to the same places, and so on. I want to try foods that I've never had, visit new places, and be more open to being spontaneous.
take more pictures. I tend not to lug around our fancy Nikon much, and therefore don't document as many fun memories as I'd like to. I acquired a small, inexpensive hand me down camera that I can keep in my purse, and want to get better at documenting my life, and creating a photo journal here to look back upon.
pray more. pray without ceasing. be in constant communication with my Heavenly Father. making all tasks/ activities an act of worship. constantly giving thanks, and constantly walking in the Spirit.
take a family vacay... just me, Jeremy, and Noah. even if it's only 1 night. even if we just stay in the French Quarter.
conquer my tendency to gossip. use my words to encourage others and spur them on, rather than leaving idle (or worse) words.
reduce my inbox. remove myself from email lists rather than just hitting delete.
catalog and backup all of our family pictures and videos that are stored on our computer.
become more like Christ and grow in my ability to love others in action and in truth.

Did you make any New Year's Resolutions?

Happy New Year!!!!!

crafting with noah

2011-12-29T08:49:00.000-05:00

today Noah and I made up some quick thank you cards to send out for the gifts that we received. he seemed to love the feel of the paint on his hands, and seeing his hands covered in red and green.

Christmas Gifts

2011-12-28T17:42:00.003-05:00

The last couple of years we haven't bought any Christmas gifts, and have given a few small handmade items to our friends and family. These are the gifts that I came up with this year...

peppermint bark... I did this for our neighbor gifts this year. It seemed easier than my usual baking of multiple different kinds of cookies.

homemade playdough

a few homemade signs

assorted embroidered ornaments

Hope your Christmas was merry!!!!

14 months

2011-12-27T07:00:00.035-05:00

Here is what is going on with Noah this month according to babycenter.com;

At 14 months, your toddler understands many more words than she can say. Her spoken vocabulary likely consists of about three to five words, typically "Mama," "Dada," and one other simple word such as "ball" or "dog," but she learns the meanings of new words every day. As she starts to add words to her vocabulary, you'll notice that she looks for opportunities to practice them. Once she can say "dog," for instance, she'll look for dogs everywhere — in books, outside, on videos — just so she can point and say the word over and over again.

Rhymes, jingles, and silly songs are big hits with toddlers. If your 14-month-old is already speaking several words, encourage her willingness to repeat after you by singing silly or repetitive songs, such as "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." As she becomes familiar with the refrains she'll chime in one word at a time and before you know it she'll be singing the whole song right along with you.

If your 14-month-old isn't speaking many words at this point, you can help her with the other two elements of language acquisition. When talking to your child, vary your tone, facial expressions, and hand gestures, all of which will help her understand the meanings of your words. Maintain eye contact when you talk to her so she learns to listen to you. And don't rush her when she is trying to use words — listen patiently and look her in the eye.

Now that your toddler can indicate her needs with actions and some words, expect her to use "tools" to help her communicate. She'll bring you her jacket to let you know she wants to go outside. Or she'll point to a CD that she would like to hear. She is trying hard to make you understand what she wants. And you can expect her to repeat many words she hears even though she doesn't know their meaning (so starting now you need to watch what you say, lest your little parrot repeat any swear words!).

Her ability to remember people, places, and events gets stronger every day. This month she may even be able to respond to two-part requests, such as to go to her room and fetch her shoes or a toy, or retrieve a lost pacifier.

Hide-and-seek is still very entertaining, especially if your 14-month-old gets to do the seeking. Here's a variation that's sure to evoke lots of laughter: Show your toddler a toy and then stash it in your pocket and ask her where it went. She has the cognitive power to realize that just because the toy is out of sight doesn't mean it's gone. She'll giggle as she searches your pocket, purse, or backpack to see where you've hidden the toy. You can also hide little toys in her own pockets and see how much fun she has trying to get them out.

Noah is doing great. His vocabularly is increasing each week. I think he is up to about 20 (or so) words right now. Most often mama, dada, eat, walk, dog, light, go, bird, home, yellow, belly button, Noah, car, night night, poop, grandma, paw-paw, and a few others. Most of them he knows what they mean... for example, he'll point at a light, dog, or car and correctly identify them. But yellow is the one word that he says very frequently, that I don't think he has grasped the meaning of yet. Luke says it all the time, so Noah is just copying him. Noah frequently pulls up his shirt and points to his belly and says belly button. Now he also tells us when he has pooped. And when he starts getting tired and ready for a nap or bedtime he will say night night. At least once (but up to hundreds of times) every hour he will say eat.

Our kid is a bottomless pit, he eats most foods that we give him, and anything that he does eat, he'll eat as much of it as we are willing to give him. This month he had his first taste of chocolate (against our wishes) and grabbed a big hunk of chocolate cake off of the table at community group when we weren't looking. Now that he knows that stuff (dessert) that we haven't been giving him is good, I'm sure he'll beg even more. This month he also learned how to open the fridge (to my dismay), and how to help himself to food in there.

He knows where his ears, nose, and belly are and can point to them if you ask him. He tries to count to 5, usually leaving out a number or two, and with the numbers sounding a little bit mumbled.

He still doesn't/ won't pay any attention to tv shows or movies, but when I was burning some videos of him onto cds for Christmas presents, he was fully engaged and getting a kick out of watching videos of his much younger self.

Whole Wheat Artisan Bread

2011-12-16T18:03:00.000-05:00

I made this whole wheat bread to dip into a big pot of soup for our dinner. Prior to today, I have always been intimidated by yeast breads. This was my first time using yeast, and my first time using the dough hook for my mixer. This bread really was super easy, and came out so well! Not bad for my first attempt. I see MUCH more of this bread in our future. And since the dough keeps in the fridge for 14 days, you could make it a while in advance and have a fresh baked loaf any day. I can't wait to try some fun flavors by adding in rosemary, garlic, and more.

Black Bean, Corn, and Feta Dip

2011-12-10T14:00:00.001-05:00

Black Bean, Corn, and Feta Dip

We recently had something similar to this at a friend's house. She said it was a Pampered Chef recipe, which she verbally told me the ingredients of. I liked it so much that I went home and tried to re-make it. Based on my memory this may, or may not be the same as the Pampered Chef version. In hindsight, I think hers may have had some colored bell pepper in it, but I'm not quite sure. Serve this at room temperature, with your favorite tortilla chips (I like Baked or Multigrain Scoops).

-1 (15 oz) can white corn, drained

-1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

-1/4 c sugar

-1/4 c apple cider vinegar

-1/4 c olive oil

-1 clove garlic, minced

-1/2 tsp salt

-1/4 tsp pepper

-4 scallions, chopped

-1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

In medium bowl, whisk together sugar, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Toss with remaining ingredients. Chill at least 2 hours prior to serving.

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Enchiladas

2011-12-09T20:02:00.000-05:00

I made this Black Bean and Sweet Potato Enchilada recipe. Noah and I really liked them, but Jeremy didn't seem to care for the idea of sweet potatoes in his enchiladas. The few changes that I made were to use flour instead of arrowroot starch, use whole wheat tortillas (and omit the frying step), I mixed the sweet potato mixture with the black bean mixture (rather than doing them separate), I added 1/4 tsp cayenne to the filling, and used cheddar cheese instead of jack (but pepper jack would be GREAT!). Next time I think I'd try to spice them up a bit more by adding hot sauce and more cayenne to the filling and sauce.

Roasted Cabbage

2011-12-08T18:38:00.000-05:00

Although I'm a cabbage lover, I never would have thought of the idea of roasting this particular vegetable. I have so many ways that I already enjoy cabbage, that I wasn't searching for any new recipes... until... I came across this Martha Stewart Roasted Cabbage on Pinterest. I was intrigued. And since cabbage is on sale right now for 54 cents a pound, I figured I didn't have anything to loose. I made one tray with the fennel seeds, and one tray with the caraway seeds. Much to my surprise, I think I enjoyed the fennel seeds a touch more, but they were both delicious. This is such a simple and delicious way to enjoy cabbage!

Black Beans, Corn, and Rice Casserole

2011-12-05T20:16:00.000-05:00

Black Beans, Corn, and Rice Casserole

This is the perfect side dish for a Mexican or Southwestern meal. Or you could make it a main dish by adding cooked chicken into the mix. This is a crowd pleaser, Noah, Jeremy, and I all really liked it! You can assemble this casserole early in the day and keep in the fridge until you are ready to pop it in the oven.

-4 c cooked brown rice
-2 c frozen corn, thawed
-1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
-1 cup light sour cream
-1 (4 oz) can green chiles
-1 c salsa
-1 1/4 c shredded cheddar cheese, divided
-1 tsp salt
-1/2 tsp pepper
-1 tsp cumin
-1/4 tsp cayenne
-2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
Combine all ingredients except cilantro and 1/4 c cheddar in a large bowl. Mix well. Spread into a greased 13x9 dish. Top with remaining 1/4 c cheddar. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and serve.

Mushroom Brown Rice Casserole

2011-12-03T20:00:00.009-05:00

I made this Mushroom Brown Rice Casserole. (That tastes WAY better than it photographs, I promise). The only things that I did differently were to double the salt, add 1/2 tsp pepper, add 1 tsp dried thyme, and used reduced-fat cottage cheese and sour cream.

Indonesian Green Beans

2011-12-01T20:18:00.000-05:00

I made these Indonesian Green Beans. They were good, but not quite as amazing as I had hoped for. Still, they were a nice change from plain old steamed or roasted beans. The few things I changed were to eliminate the coconut (I couldn't bring myself to buy a bag for only 1 tsp), and used red pepper flakes instead of sambal. In the future, I think I would double or triple the sauce ingredients, because there really wasn't much sauce at all, and maybe add a tsp or two of sugar to the sauce.

Sweet Potato Pancakes

2011-11-29T18:52:00.006-05:00

Sweet Potato Pancakes

These were good, not my favorite pancakes ever, but solidly good. I will confess, that that is probably my fault for being lazy. Out of laziness I mashed the sweet potatoes by hand, rather than with an electric mixer. This resulted in some sweet potato chunks in the finished pancakes. I would have much preferred a more smooth puree, mixed throughout the pancake. So learn from my mistakes, don't take short cuts, and fully puree your sweet potato. Serve with maple syrup and chopped pecans.

-1 large sweet potato, cooked until tender and mashed

-1 c whole wheat flour

-1 c all-purpose flour

-2 tsp baking powder

-1 tsp cinnamon

-1/4 tsp nutmeg

-1/4 tsp salt

-1/4 c brown sugar

-1 tsp vanilla

-2 eggs

-2 1/4 c fat-free milk

In medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour by 1/4 c increments into a greased skillet, over medium heat. Once bubbles form, flip and cook an additional 3-4 minutes.

Butter Bean Salad: FAIL

2011-11-28T18:42:00.001-05:00

In efforts to be transparent, encourage novice cooks, and to show that not everything I make turns out well, I thought I'd post this despite the fact that I wasn't impressed with it.

I made this Butter Bean Salad. I wanted this to be good, I really did. I LOVE all of the ingredients. I love bean salads. I was sure this dish was made for me... Unfortunately, this dish just didn't do it for me. Maybe it was the butter beans that I used, but they were so soft that once mixed, they turned into brown mush... there's nothing appealing about that. Perhaps it's also my fault, for substituting my own dressing, almost the same as that in my chickpea salad (that I LOVE). I was completely shocked that something with so many flavorful ingredients (feta, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, herbs) tasted so bland... I just don't get it. I did end up eating all of it, it was edible, just not delicious. If anyone makes this recipe completely as is and enjoys it please let me know, because I'd like to try it again, but I just don't have the heart for it right now.

Jeremy cooks

2011-11-27T18:31:00.014-05:00

As a treat to celebrate his recent promotion Jeremy bought an electric smoker. He has been wanting to dabble in some cooking lately, and this is his way of being able to cook for, and serve others. Last week he smoked some chicken breasts, served with BBQ sauce that he made. This week he took a crack at brisket. Everything that he has done so far has been delicious! I'm a big fan of his new hobby and getting to enjoy the delicious-ness he creates!

I will say that it has been a little hard for me to sit back and be hands off as he prepares our meal. Apparently, I'm a bit of a control freak about the kitchen and things in it. I guess this will be a learning and growing experience for us both. Who would have thought that the Lord would have used an electric smoker to continue to reveal my sin, refine me, and make me more like Himself!

That husband of mine is pretty awesome. He makes the best cup of coffee that I've ever had (he simmers freshly ground coffee in a small pot), and now he makes some pretty mean pieces of meat. I am a lucky girl!!!!!

Balsamic Roasted Green Beans and Mushrooms

2011-11-27T14:40:00.000-05:00

I made this recipe for roasted green beans and mushrooms. They were great, Jeremy said that we defintely need to have them again. The few changes that I made were to add 1/2 tsp garlic powder and 1/2 tsp dried thyme to the oil/ vinegar mixture. Some fresh garlic would have been great also.

13 months

2011-11-27T07:00:00.036-05:00

Here is what is going on with Noah this month according to babycenter.com;

The range of ages when it's considered normal to begin walking is broader with this gross motor skill than with any other. Almost all infants are able to lift their head, for instance, between 2 and 4 months. But a child who walks as early as 9 months or as late as 18 months is right on schedule.

Don't be surprised this week if your child's budding mobility — whether she's crawling, cruising, or walking — means she's suddenly reluctant to be held or carried. Once your baby has had a taste of freedom, it will be hard to hold her back. (Outings to the grocery store or shopping mall, and traveling, may be particularly trying for you right now!) Try not to get too upset when she falls, and resist the urge to rush to her aid unless she's really hurt. Falling is an inevitable part of learning to walk. Cruising and walking on uneven surfaces, even subtle ones such as wrinkled carpet or a sand-filled play area, will likely trip her up for a time, but it's great practice. Just be patient and give your child safe places to test her new independence.

Your baby will likely find it hilarious if you can play at having more trouble with walking than she does: Try developing a little comic routine in which you are walking along where she can see you and then — whoops! — you trip and almost fall. It builds children's confidence to see a big person having their difficulty in a theatrical fashion that lets them laugh about it. As long as it keeps getting a laugh, keep doing it, and your child will become a more and more confident walker.

If you haven't already, be sure to install a safety gate on any staircase with more than a step or two. A hardware-mounted gate is the best choice for stairs since a determined toddler can dislodge many pressure-mounted gates.

You don't need to rush out and buy shoes right away. Walking barefoot, on grass or sand, is actually good for a toddler because it helps build muscles in the lower legs while developing a sense of balance. Once your child is able and wants to walk in places where she might injure her feet, however, you'll need to put shoes on her. But you don't need to invest in a pair of shoes that costs as much as yours do. Since her shoes probably won't fit for very long, buying pricey pairs is a waste of money. Instead, look for canvas sneakers or soft leather shoes with flexible rubber soles. Never buy shoes that are a couple of sizes too big so your toddler can grow into them; she'll have trouble keeping her balance in them and she may trip. She should have about a half-inch of space between her big toe and the end of the shoe; if you can't feel her big toe, the shoe is too hard.

Noah is 13 months old today.

His vocabulary is continuing to grow. He says "do" for dog, "at" for eat, monkey, car, light, duck, truck, up, mama, dada, walk, "ado" for all done, "mine" (usually while clutching something to his chest, an awful habit he learned from the other little boy that I watch), and a few other words. He can also make animal sounds for dogs, ducks, monkeys, and sheep.

Noah is growing up to be quite an independent little boy. He loves to play with Luke (the boy I watch), and he loves to play with adults, but he also will often take a book or toy and go tuck himself in a corner so that he can play alone.

He continues to be a very open minded eater. I have yet to ever see this kid get full and stop eating. He will eat everything we give him, and then beg for our food when he is done. His favorites are still cheese, bananas, and pasta. He loves cooked carrots and sweet potatoes. He doesn't seem to mind spicy food at all. Recently I was eating spicy curried cabbage, and he was constantly begging for bite after bite until it was gone.

Noah is a very observant little boy. He hears every single little sound. I hardly ever notice the sound of planes, but Noah always hears them and points to the sky. Same with dogs barking. He picks up on it all.

He meets the desires of my heart

2011-11-26T10:01:00.000-05:00

this week I am humbled by God's provision, not only for my needs, but for my desires...

I keep an ongoing wish list in my journal, of things that I want for me, and of things that we could use for our home/ family etc. It's just a good reminder of things that we don't "need", but that I would like to hunt for at yard sales and thrift stores in case I can find a good deal on them. we have some close friends that are getting ready to move to Pakistan, and are getting rid of the items that they can't take with them. we had the opportunity to go "raid" through these items, and bring a bounty of "new to us" items home. after getting everything put away and settled I sat and reflected, and looked at my wish list, and was amazed at how many items that had been on my wish list for a year (or more) were included in our new loot. things like white towels (because our colored towels always seem to fade in spots, so I wanted to change to white), a microwave (because ours has been fading out for years), a dutch oven (because that is just a dream luxury item for me!), a 6 person kitchen/ dining table (ours only sat 4), a larger food processor (because I often have to do batches in my smaller one), and more. these were all items that I really wanted, and knew that I would use endlessly, but I just couldn't justify paying retail prices for. and so I'm reminded once again, and in awe, about how the Lord not only provides for my needs, but loves to give good gifts to us as well.

Matthew 7:11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

Thank you, Lord! For always providing for my needs, and often bestowing me with the extras that I desire as well. Help me to be faithful with all that you've entrusted for me, and to use it all to bless others for your glory!

overflowing with gratitude

2011-11-25T11:00:00.000-05:00

We had such a great Thanksgiving, I wish I had taken some pictures, but I was too busy enjoying the day. We spent it with Jeremy's parents, some close friends, and their 3 kiddos. It was perfect. Great people, great food, and great weather.

I read this quote that one of my friends posted on facebook and wanted to document it here, as an ongoing reminder to come back to...

"The heart that gives thanks is a happy one, for we cannot feel thankful and unhappy at the same time. The more we say thanks, the more we find to be thankful for. And the more we find to be thankful for, the happier we become. We don't give thanks because we're happy. We are happy because we give thanks."

Love this, and agree wholeheartedly!

Today I am overflowing with gratitude at the Lord's kindness to me, at the amazing people that surround me, and at the abundant provisions I'm blessed with. I just pray that I would remain this thankful even when things are tough, and that I would seize hold of the spiritual act of giving thanks in all circumstances.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

When we are thankful, it encourages thankfulness in those around us, what are you thankful for today?

(Not Your Mama's) Green Bean Casserole

2011-11-24T23:21:00.000-05:00

Green Bean Casserole

This was the best green bean casserole that I've ever had (if I do say so myself). SO much better than the questionable cream of... soup, mushy caned green beans, and fat laden fried onions. And it's really not that much more difficult to throw together than the processed version, but it has much more flavor, and much less calories. I was inspired by Alton Brown's version, but I lightened it up a bit, added some herbs, and completely changed out the topping. I wanted to capture the crunch and flavor of the fried onions, without the grease and fat. I think that the crunch of the bread crumbs paired with the flavor of the caramelized onions does that quite nicely... in fact, I think it has more flavor than the fried onions, without the heavy feeling in your stomach from the grease.

For the topping:

-2 slices whole wheat sandwich bread toasted and chopped into crumbs (a food processor makes quick work of this)
-2 Tbsp butter, melted

For the caramelized onions:
-1 Tbsp butter
-2 onions, thinly sliced
-1/2 tsp salt

For beans and sauce:
-1 Tbsp plus 1/2 tsp salt, divided
-2 lbs green beans (fresh or frozen), rinsed, trimmed and halved
-1 Tbsp butter
-12 oz mushrooms, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
-1/2 tsp black pepper
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-1 tsp thyme
-1/4 tsp nutmeg
-2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
-1 c chicken broth
-1 c fat-free half-and-half

Melt 1 Tbsp butter in skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced onions, saute 10, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium-low, add 1/2 tsp salt, cook an additional 30 minutes (or until golden brown), stirring often.

While the onions are cooking, prepare the beans. Bring a gallon of water and 1 Tbsp of salt to a boil in medium pot. Add the beans and blanch for 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and immediately plunge the beans into a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.

Melt 1 Tbsp butter in a skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, 1/2 tsp salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to give up some of their liquid, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, and nutmeg, and continue to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute. Add the broth and simmer for 1 minute. Decrease the heat to medium-low, and add the fat-free half-and-half. Cook until the mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the green beans. Spread the green bean mixture into a greased, medium sized baking dish. Top with the caramelized onions. Top with the whole wheat bread crumbs, and then sprinkle with the melted butter. Place into the oven and bake until bubbly, approximately 15 minutes. Remove and serve immediately.

thankful

2011-11-24T08:16:00.043-05:00

In honor of Thanksgiving, here's a list of things that I'm thankful for, one for each of the 30 days in November.

for Jesus Christ, who died so that I could be redeemed. for His perfect love for me, and all others. for His Spirit inside me, who guides me.
for my husband. he loves the Lord, me, and our son so well.
for Noah, the happiest, sweetest, most fun little boy, ever.
for family. although we may not get to see each other that often, they have and will always be there.
for friends. we are amazingly blessed with friends who are like family to us.
for our church body and community group, who spur us on to love and good deeds.
for freedom. as much as I don't like so much about this country, I am grateful to be free.
for health.
for abundant provision. food. home. clothes. financially. God has provided.
for technology. cell phones. internet. facebook. blogs. pinterest. although if abused these can all be bad things, I am so thankful for the ways they allow me to keep in touch with others and be inspired.
for New Orleans... I love this city. she is beautiful, rich in history, diverse, and full of passion and good food. sure, she has humidity, crime, and government corruption, but don't we all have our own faults?
for my job. to get to stay-at-home with my little boy. to have the time to nurture my family. to have the privilege of shaping other children as well.
for coffee. for the way a good cup energizes and soothes me.
for a beautiful park within walking distance of my home, that Noah and I visit almost daily.
for loving and free childcare for Noah almost any time I could ever want it.
for the blessing of lots of new to us household goods from some friends who are moving out of the area.
for Jeremy's new smoker, and all of the delicious brisket we are bound to enjoy from it.
for books, and the ongoing opportunity to learn and be inspired.
for indoor plumbing, washing machines, and dishwashers.
for heat and air conditioning.
for yard sales, and the endless items I have scored from them at almost no cost.
for cars and roads, that make it possible to regularly visit places outside of my neighborhood.
for lots of fun and delicious local restaurants in our city.
for sushi, my favorite food.
for Starbucks, and their chai tea lattes. but more importantly, for all of the meaningful conversations that I've had with friends while sitting in their establishment and sipping a warm beverage.
for jogging strollers, and the opportunity to still exercise and stay in shape with my little one in tow.
for Fall, my favorite time of year.
for Netflix online, and the chance to unwind and watch a show in bed with my hubby each evening. and for our current favorite, Parenthood.
for date nights. I love date nights.
for pesticides that help keep all of the roaches in New Orleans at bay.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

2011-11-22T17:00:00.000-05:00

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

This is a nice quick and easy side dish perfect for an every day dinner. You could also use orange juice, half and half, or apple juice instead of the milk. You could also add ginger or nutmeg to suit your tastes. Garnish with chopped nuts if desired.

-4 medium to large sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into chunks, and boiled until tender

-1/2 c fat-free milk

-6 Tbsp brown sugar

-1 tsp vanilla

-2 Tbsp butter

-1/2 tsp salt

-1 tsp cinnamon

Combine all ingredients, and mash to achieve desired consistency (chunky or smooth). Serve immediately.

Spinach Balls

2011-11-19T17:00:00.021-05:00

Spinach Balls

These are a great appetizer. There are a lot of versions of this recipe out there. I like the flavor the thyme and cayenne add in this mixture, plus I reduced the butter and cheese over most traditional recipes. You could use bread crumbs (even whole wheat) in place of the stuffing if you prefer. Noah (and all of our guests) loved them, so I think it's a great way to get picky eater kids to eat some green veggies. They also freeze wonderfully. I made the balls 3 days before I needed to serve them, and then just defrosted for 30 minutes prior to baking. This could also be a great vegetarian option for meatballs served in a pasta sauce, as long as the vegetarian eats eggs.

-1 (16 oz) package frozen spinach, defrosted, and squeezed of excess moisture

-2 c herb stuffing mix

-1 yellow onion, finely diced

-5 eggs

-3/4 c melted butter

-1/2 c parmesan cheese

-2 cloves garlic, minced

-1 1/2 tsp thyme

-1/4 tsp salt

-1/4 tsp cayenne

-1/2 tsp pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Roll the mixture into balls, using about 1 Tbsp of the mixture per ball. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, serve immediately.

Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies

2011-11-18T11:15:00.003-05:00

I made these Pumpkin Gingersnap cookies, that are now one of my all time favorite cookies. They are soft, spicy, and delicious. For once, I actually followed the recipe exactly as written, and I wouldn't change a thing in the future!

daily list

2011-11-16T15:09:00.000-05:00

I'm a list maker. for each week I have a "to do" list. a grocery list. a prayer list. a "to read" list. a "to blog" list. a "to create" list. a wish list. a "to cook" list, and more. I thrive on organization, time management, planning, etc. I've been wanting to come up with a daily list, of things that I need to do daily for my overall emotional/ spiritual/ physical health and well being. here's what I have so far. I'm thinking I might find a way to word this list nicely or make it decorative and place it on my night stand, as a reminder of my top priorities for each day.

each day I will...

read: my Bible, books/ blogs/ devotionals that inspire me... just read something
create: write, cook, craft, order in my home... just create something
pray: over my prayer list, and constantly communicating with my Father throughout my day
play: not take my lists or myself so seriously that I neglect to cherish the moments with those around me... I will give myself the freedom to laugh, to enjoy the small things, to make doing so a priority rather than treat it as an addendum to my day, after I've finished all of the "important" things
go outside: take in God's creatures and creation, let the sun light energize me, exercise and allow the endorphins to stimulate me, and use this all as a time of prayer for where I am, and praise for God's creativity and the beauty He has made. this can be walking, running, checking the mail, or even just sitting on our stoop for a few minutes

of course not all of these happen every single day. but I feel much more balanced when they do, and therefore desire to make a conscious effort to do each one of these every day.

What do you need to do each day to feel healthy/ balanced?

Sweet and Spicy Nuts

2011-11-16T13:59:00.000-05:00

Sweet and Spicy Nuts

I was inspired by the combination of flavors in Ellie Krieger's spiced nuts. I tweaked her recipe a bit to best suit my tastes, but I think her use of maple syrup instead of the sugar would add a great dimension of flavor. I wasn't completely satisfied with my first batch, so I have tweaked the recipe for how I would do these in the future. This would be great to serve as a snack or appetizer, or to give as a gift in a decorative jar.

-1 egg white

-1 Tbsp water

-4 c assorted nuts, raw and unsalted (I used a combination of almonds and pecans)

-1/2 c sugar

-1/4 c brown sugar

-2 tsp curry powder

-2 tsp dried rosemary

-1 tsp salt

-3/4 tsp cayenne

In medium bowl, whisk together water and egg white until frothy. Toss egg mixture with nuts. In a separate bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients. Toss nuts with spice mixture. Place on greased cookie sheet, and bake at 300, for thirty minutes, stirring half way through cooking. Use spatula to loosen nuts from cookie sheet while cooling (I didn't do this, and had a hard time scraping some of my nuts off of the cookie sheet.

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Custard

2011-11-15T20:00:00.000-05:00

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Custard

This does not photograph well, but it tastes delicious... like pumpkin pie filling. It was ok warm, but I liked it much better after being chilled. A dollop of whipped cream on top would be delicious, and add a bit to the visual presentation.

-1 (15 oz) can solid pack pumpkin
-1 (12 oz) can fat-free evaporated milk
-3/4 cup sugar
-1/2 cup whole wheat flour
-3/4 tsp baking powder
-1/8 tsp salt
-2 eggs, beaten
-2 Tbsp butter, melted
-1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
-2 tsp vanilla

In a large bowl mix together the ingredients. Transfer to greased slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 6-7 hours. Serve in bowls with whipped cream, if desired.

African Sweet Potato Peanut Soup

2011-11-14T16:42:00.001-05:00

I made this African Sweet Potato Peanut Soup that was similar to (but not quite as good as) the chicken pavlava that I made a few months ago. I've never done much African cooking, but Jeremy and I have really been enjoying the few dishes that I've been trying recently, so I think I will continue to experiment. Since I like things spicy, I left the seeds in the jalapeno, but then realized that between that and the curry paste there was a lot of heat to the dish, so I eliminated the red pepper flakes. So unless you like things very spicy, I suggest either seeding the jalapeno, or leaving out the red pepper flakes. I also used a red bell pepper instead of the yellow pepper due to personal preference. Other than that I followed the recipe, and served the soup ladled over brown rice.

Pumpkin & Ricotta Pasta

2011-11-08T18:57:00.000-05:00

I made this Pumpkin and Ricotta Pasta Casserole. It was warm, hearty, and everything good Fall food should be. The changes I made were to use part-skim ricotta, nonfat yogurt, 1 tsp dried thyme instead of the fresh sage, add 1 Tbsp brown sugar, add 1/4 tsp cayenne, and add 1/4 tsp cinnamon. The final product was a tad too salty for me, so I think in the future I will reduce the salt by 1/2-1 tsp. I think you could also substitute fat-free half and half, or broth for the yogurt with great results. I love the crunch that the nuts add to the texture of the dish. This dish was great as is, but I would even like a little more pumpkin and/ or moisture in the finished dish, so next time I might add a little more pumpkin, or 1/2 c of broth prior to baking. To make this a main dish for meat eaters, you could easily stir in cooked and crumbled sausage, which would compliment the flavors quite nicely. Noah highly approved of this casserole, as he does most pasta dishes. This will definitely be present for some of our winter holiday meals.

Black Eyed Pea and Spinach Salad

2011-11-07T14:24:00.000-05:00

I made this Black Eyed Pea and Spinach Salad by Ellie Krieger (LOVE her!). I didn't have buttermilk on hand so I used 1/2 c nonfat plain yogurt, and 1/4 c milk instead. I also added 2 tsp of sugar to the dressing, and doubled both the pepper and the hot sauce. It produced a tangy dressing, which was a nice contrast to the red onion, black eyed peas, and spinach. Next time I think I'll add a clove of garlic to the dressing also. I really didn't have high hopes for this salad, because it sounded rather plain, but I had all of the ingredients on hand and gave it a try. It was a pleasant surprise of flavor.

Spicy Pumpkin and Black Bean Soup

2011-11-07T13:21:00.000-05:00

Spicy Pumpkin and Black Bean Soup

This is a nice combination of creamy, spicy, and sweet flavors. My soup was pretty spicy, so reduce or eliminate the cayenne if you don't like so much heat. This same recipe would be great with carrots or butternut squash instead of the pumpkin. This would also be great, and a little more traditional by eliminating the curry and cumin, and adding cinnamon and nutmeg, and maybe increasing the thyme.

-1 Tbsp olive oil
-1 onion, diced
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-3 c chicken or veggie stock
-1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
-1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed
-1 (29 oz) can pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
-3 Tbsp brown sugar
-1 Tbsp curry powder
-1 tsp cumin
-1/2 tsp thyme
-1/4 tsp cayenne
-1.5 tsp salt
-1/2 tsp pepper
-1 c fat-free half and half

In large pot, over medium heat, saute the onion in olive oil until soft (about 5 minutes). Add garlic, cook 1 additional minute. Add remaining ingredients except half and half. Reduce heat and simmer (at least) 20 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in half and half and serve.

Soft Pumpkin Cookies

2011-11-04T15:11:00.000-04:00

These have been my favorite cookies for a long time! I have topped them with the glaze on the recipe, and with cream cheese frosting. Both are great, but the glaze is a lot easier to manage because you can stack them once it hardens, not so much with the frosting. They produce a soft, pillowy, cakelike cookie, so if you don't dig soft cookies, this recipe is not for you.

Cilantro, Chili, Lime Corn

2011-11-04T13:01:00.000-04:00

Cilantro, Chili, Lime Corn

I love the combination of corn, chili, and lime flavors. This dish is super versatile, you could add a diced jalapeno, some chili powder, a green pepper, or tomatoes. Olive oil or butter would also add great flavor here, but I was going for a low-fat side.

-4 c corn (either fresh, or thawed frozen)

-1 onion, diced

-4 cloves garlic, minced

-3/4 tsp salt

-1/2 tsp pepper

-1 tsp cumin

-1/4 tsp cayenne

-1/4 bunch cilantro, chopped

-2 Tbsp light sour cream

-2 Tbsp lime juice

Coat a skillet with cooking spray. Saute onion in skillet, over medium heat, until tender (about 5 minutes). Add garlic, cook 1 minute. Add corn, salt, pepper, cumin, and cayenne. Saute an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in cilantro, sour cream, and lime, serve immediately.

Meatloaf

2011-11-04T12:50:00.000-04:00

Meatloaf

This is comfort food at its best. And by including vegetables, using lean ground beef, and using oats, it's quite nutritious also. Feel free to use whole wheat bread crumbs in place of the oats. Cheese could also be included in the mixture, but it would up the fat. Shredded carrots, diced bell pepper, chopped spinach, or fresh garlic would also be great ways to sneak extra nutrition in.

-1 lb ground beef (I recommend 93/7)
-1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
-1/2 c oats
-1 tsp salt
-1/2 tsp pepper
-1 onion, finely diced
-1/2 tsp garlic powder
-2 tsp Italian seasoning
-1 egg

Topping
-2/3 c ketchup
-4 Tbsp brown sugar
-2 Tbsp yellow mustard

In medium bowl, combine meatloaf ingredients until well mixed. Place in a baking dish and shape into a loaf. Whisk together topping ingredients and spread over meatloaf. Bake at 375 for 1 hour.

Loaded Potato Casserole

2011-11-03T18:43:00.001-04:00

Loaded Potato Casserole

This was my attempt at the flavors of a twice baked potato, but with less fuss. I used dried chives because that's all that I had on hand, but sliced green onions, or fresh chives would both be great here. I used red potatoes because I'm lazy, and didn't want to peel anything. Use cooked, peeled russets if you prefer. Garlic would also be a great add in here.

-2 lbs red potatoes, diced, and boiled until tender

-1 c light sour cream

-2 Tbsp butter

-2 c shredded cheddar cheese, divided

-1/2 c cooked and crumbled bacon, divided

-1/2 c nonfat milk

-1/2 tsp salt

-1/2 tsp pepper

-3 tsp dried chives, divided

Mash potatoes with sour cream, butter, 1.5 c cheddar, 1/4 c bacon, milk, salt, pepper, 2 tsp chives. Spread potatoes into a greased 13x9 dish. Top with remaining cheese, bacon, and chives. Baked at 350 for 30 minutes.

Burgundy Mushrooms

2011-11-03T18:33:00.000-04:00

I made these burgundy mushrooms, which turned out delicious! But really, can you go wrong with anything simmered in wine all day? The few changes I made were to decrease the butter by half, use the cheapest Merlot I could find ($2.74), and substituted rosemary and thyme for the dill. These are a super easy, no fuss side that will keep warm well until you are ready to serve them.

Spicy Chicken Enchiladas

2011-11-02T15:14:00.001-04:00

Spicy Chicken Enchiladas

This is my (slightly modified) version of my friend Crystin's chicken enchiladas. I think they are my new all time favorite enchilada recipe!

-1 Whole Chicken, boiled, deboned, keep stock
-1 onion, chopped
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-1 (28 oz) can tomato sauce
-1 (8 oz) light cream cheese, softened
-¼ c chicken stock*
-2 t paprika
-1 t cayenne pepper
-2 t cumin
-1 T chili powder
-1 t salt
-1 t blk pepper
-2 c pepperjack cheese, shredded
-10 whole wheat tortillas (I like Aztec)
-chopped green onions and cilantro for garnish

1. Boil chicken. When cooled, pull off all meat, remove fat/skin. Save ¼-1/2 c stock.
2. For sauce: Heat a couple drizzles of olive oil in large pan or shallow wide pot. Add onion, saute. After softened, add garlic. Lower heat, add cream cheese and mash and stir. Stir vigorously until it melts- don't burn. Raise heat back to medium, whisk in tomato sauce. *Whisk in stock if desired for richer/thinner sauce. Add all dry spices. Lightly simmer about 10min. Place ~2 ½ c sauce in bowl. Set aside.
3. Add chicken to sauce on stove. Simmer another 5 minutes.
4. Heat oven to 375. Grease 2 13x9 pans. Start assembly line: Hold tortilla and fill with about 1/3 C chicken mixture, fold and place in pan seam down. Repeat until all of chicken mixture is used.
5. Pour sauce sitting aside over enchiladas. Cover with pepperjack cheese. Bake for about 20-25min on 375 until cheese is bubbly. Sprinkle with green onions and cilantro and serve.

Spinach and Black Bean Enchiladas

2011-11-02T15:13:00.001-04:00

Spinach and Black Bean Enchiladas

It's not often that I make a vegetarian meal that Jeremy likes more than a meat laden meal, but this just happens to be one of his favorite dinners. I always make the sauce according to this beef enchilada recipe, but you could use stuff straight from the can if you prefer.

-1 (28 oz) can enchilada sauce (or "homemade" sauce from the link above), divided

-10 tortillas (I like the Aztec whole wheat, as they aren't grainy like other whole wheat tortillas)
-2 cups frozen corn, thawed
-1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
-1 (16 oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
-2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-1 (4 oz.) can diced green chiles
-1 tsp. ground cumin
-½ tsp. chili powder
-1 tsp. salt
-½ tsp. pepper
-¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
-chopped green onions and cilantro for garnish

In a large bowl, combine everything but 1/2 c of the cheese, the enchilada sauce, and tortillas. Mix well to blend. Place 1/2 c of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 13x9 pan. Place 1/4 c of the filling in the tortilla, roll up, and place in the pan, seam side down. Repeat with the remaining filling/ tortillas. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the pan. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Top with green onions and cilantro, and serve with salsa, guacamole, and sour cream.

Spinach Gratin

2011-11-01T14:52:00.008-04:00

I made this Spinach Gratin. It was delicious, so delicious that I ate the entire dish in one evening, aside from the few spoonfuls that I gave Noah (Jeremy isn't as much as a spinach lover as I am). The few changes that I made were to cut the butter in half, use fat-free half and half instead of the cream or stock (although I think I'll try stock next time), used whole wheat breadcrumbs, and used a combination of part-skim mozzarella and parmesan cheese (because that is what I had on hand). I think a few cloves of sauteed garlic would also be a great addition.

Pesto Tomato Soup and Pesto Grilled Cheese

2011-11-01T11:41:00.000-04:00

This was classic comfort food, with a sophisticated twist. The soup and the sandwich were both super delicious, I think I have found my fave grilled cheese and tomato soup combo now. I made this tomato soup, eliminating the crouton toppers, using my spinach pesto in place of the jarred stuff, adding 1 tsp of black pepper, and changing the heavy cream to fat-free half and half. I won't insult your intelligence by telling you how to make a grilled cheese, but for ingredients I used plain whole wheat sandwich bread, spread on each side with my spinach pesto, and accompanied by sliced part-skim mozzarella, and slices of fresh tomato.

Caprese Pasta Salad

2011-10-30T14:13:00.000-04:00

Caprese Pasta Salad

The balsamic vinegar will add a brown tint to the salad, so for a more pretty presentation use white balsamic vinegar.

-1 lb whole wheat rotini, cooked al dente

-1/2 c olive oil

-1/4 c balsamic vinegar

-1 clove garlic, minced

-1 tsp sugar

-1 tsp salt

-1/2 tsp pepper

-1 large tomato, diced

-1/2 c mozzarella cheese, diced

-1/2 c basil, chopped

In medium bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper. Toss dressing with pasta, cheese, tomatoes, and basil. Chill at least 2 hours prior to serving.

Caprese Baked Eggs

2011-10-28T16:30:00.000-04:00

I made this Caprese Baked Eggs for a light lunch, but it would be a great breakfast dish also. It was delicious! The only thing I did differently than the recipe was I used two whole eggs, plus two egg whites to fill my dish, and then had to bake a lot longer due to the added volume.

Baked Panzanella Caprese

2011-10-27T16:12:00.011-04:00

A friend was generous to share a ton of her fresh basil with me, so you will be seeing several new recipes including basil over the next week. Today I started with Baked Panzanella Caprese for a light lunch. It was great! The only thing that I changed was that I used whole wheat sandwich bread for the bread, and it worked great in my opion. This dish is perfect for a light lunch or dinner, and I think it would make a great breakfast or brunch dish also.

1 year old

2011-10-27T07:00:00.019-04:00

Here's what is going on with Noah this week, according to babycenter.com;

That major rite of passage is almost here, if it hasn't happened already — some time this month, your baby may take his first steps alone. (If he doesn't, don't worry — it takes some children several more weeks or months to start toddling.) If he's like most children, your little one will take those early strides on tiptoe with his feet turned outward. Keep the camera ready to capture the moment!

Your baby's play probably will start shifting from mastering his fine motor skills — he's got that thumb-and-forefinger grasp down pat — to exercising larger muscles. Some children this age have an attention span of two to five minutes for quiet activities, although your child's favorite games may not be all that quiet.

Your child probably thinks it's fun to push, throw, and knock everything down. He'll give you a toy as well as take one, and he likes games where he can put things in containers and dump them out again. This works well with blocks in buckets or boxes and with pots and pans, which he can nest inside one another. He'll thrill to the loud sounds of those pots and pans banging together, too.

Our little boy isn't a baby anymore. Wow, how time flies! This has been a great year, so much more exciting and special than we ever could have imagined. This little boy has captured our hearts, and taught us about a completely different kind of love than we had already known.

Noah is full of laughter. He loves to be the center of attention and will carry on with growls and other goofy noises until he has everyone in the room staring at him. He loves to play with his toy cars and make fun car sounds as he pushes them around. He LOVES to be outside. He is constantly busy. When we kneel down he runs at us and throws himself into our open arms for a great big hug. That is about all of the cuddling and snuggling we can get out of him though, before he's on to the next thing. He loves to sit on our laps while we read him books. He loves dogs and cats, but doesn't understand to stroke them softly, rather than wildly bat at their heads. He LOVES to eat, and wants to do it constantly.

We've successfully cut out the nursing before his morning nap and it was SO much easier than I expected. Once our bodies adjust, I'll work on cutting out the nursing before his afternoon nap, and he'll be down to just two a day.

Sweet and Spicy Sugar Snap Peas

2011-10-25T21:55:00.000-04:00

Sweet and Spicy Sugar Snap Peas

A local restaurant serves a delicious side dish of Thai Sugar Snap peas, but they are also swimming in butter. This is my healthy knock off of their dish.

-1 lb sugar snap peas
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-2 Tbsp soy sauce
-2 Tbsp brown sugar
-2 tsp sesame oil
-1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
-1 Tbsp sesame seeds

Coat a stir-fry pan with cooking spray and heat over medium high heat. Add garlic and sugar snap peas. Cook, stirring often, until sugar snap peas turn bright green (about 5 minutes). In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes. Pour sauce into the pan with the peas, and cook an additional minute. Turn off heat, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and serve immediately.

Noah's birthday party

2011-10-22T11:43:00.017-04:00

We had a birthday party for Noah at Jeremy's parents house. It was perfect! I think that all of the adults, and kids had a great time, and the birthday boy loved it.

we had all of Noah's favorites... vegetables, cheese, fruit, pasta salad, and more

we spent the entire 2 hours outdoors, which is Noah's favorite place to be!

the backyard was set up with plenty of chairs for the adults, and tables, tunnels, a swing, and a sand box for the kiddos

Noah got to have his first dessert ever, a banana bread cup cake with cream cheese frosting

at first he was timid and just licking the icing

and then he went for it and shoved 1/2 the cup cake in his mouth

he licked up every last crumb and bit of icing... I think he liked it!

Greek Pasta Salad

2011-10-21T10:44:00.016-04:00

Greek Pasta Salad

Artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, chopped onion or bell pepper, and/ or roasted red peppers would all be great in here also. For an Italian pasta salad substitute pepperoni, salami, mozzarella, or your vegetables of choice for the spinach, feta, and zucchini.

-1 lb whole wheat rotini, cooked to al dente
-4 cloves garlic, minced
-1/2 c olive oil
-1/2 c red wine vinegar
-2 Tbsp lemon juice
-1.5 tsp dried oregano
-1.5 tsp dried basil
-3/4 tsp sugar
-1 tsp salt
-1/2 tsp pepper
-1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
-1/2 c feta cheese
-1 (4 oz) can sliced black olives, drained
-1 zucchini, diced
-1 c cherry, roma, or grape tomatoes, diced
-a few handfuls of baby spinach

Whisk together garlic- red pepper flakes. Toss with remaining ingredients. Allow to sit at least 4 hours (but overnight for best flavor) prior to serving. Serve at room temperature, rather than cold straight from the fridge.

birthday hat

2011-10-20T10:38:00.004-04:00

I made this fun birthday hat for Noah loosely based on this tutorial, but with my addition of the pom pom on top, and I used scrapbook paper instead of fabric. I love that it was constructed from a cereal box!

51 weeks

2011-10-19T07:00:00.007-04:00

Here is what is going on with Noah this week according to ivillage.com;

Baby not walking yet? No big deal! Sure, it's great fun to watch a baby toddle around at his birthday party, but many babies don't walk until sometime in the second year—some not until 17 or 18 months! There's not much you can do to hurry up the process; babies' physical development occurs on their timetables, not yours. Holding his arms and walking with him won’t help, unless he's the one initiating the activity. Just give your baby plenty of space and time to explore. He'll figure it out Some babies pick up some, uh, undesirable habits around now. Biting, hitting and toy throwing all are common on the toddler social scene. That's because babies lack verbal skills and self-control. Your baby doesn't know how to say to another toddler, "Excuse me, can I please play with that toy when you're done?" All your baby knows is that someone else has a neat toy—and he wants it! Now! Twelve-month old babies tend to bite, hit or throw things when they're frustrated. If the other child refuses to hand over the boy, your baby may haul off and hit (or bite) him. As horrified as you may be, try to remember that your baby's actions aren't motivated by malice. He simply doesn't have another way of expressing himself. That doesn't mean you should excuse his behavior. Help him see the results of his actions ("See? That baby is crying. He's sad because you hit him.") Apologize to the other baby and parent and encourage your child to apologize as well. (He might not be able to say "sorry," but he may hang his head or give the offended child a hug.) Expect to repeat these steps over and over and over again in the coming months. Teaching proper behavior is definitely a work in progress! Temper tantrums may also appear around this time. If your baby throws himself on the floor, screaming and kicking 'til his face turns red, when you deny his request for a cookie 10 minutes before supper, ignore him. Make sure he's safe—pull back the chair he's about to bump his head on, for instance—and keep a discrete eye on him, but refuse to interact until he calms down. When he does, give him plenty of hugs and reassurance. Tantrums are scary for little ones too! As your baby's language skills develop, the number of hitting and biting episodes (and temper tantrums!) will decrease.

Noah's 1 year birthday party is this coming weekend. My how time flies! I think next week will be my last weekly update on Noah, and I may change to once a month, on his actual birthday day (27th). Now that he's about to be a toddler he won't be changing at quite as aggressive of a rate as he did as a baby, so I'm not thinking that weekly updates will be quite necessary.

Noah has been practicing giving hugs and kisses and it melts my heart!!!!

The last week he has definitely been testing his boundaries. He has been going to the things that are "no nos" more often and testing us. I think that behavior is mainly my fault, because I slacked off (again) in consistency of consequences, and after he figured that out he took advantage of it. So now Jeremy and I are working hard to be consistent, and Noah seems to be responding well. (This parenting thing is hard work!). Noah is developing a little bit of an attitude also. Within the last week he hit me after I stopped him from grabbing some items that he wanted off of our table. I was so shocked I didn't even respond, because I couldn't believe it just happened, and that my sweet boy's sin nature was starting to show through. (Stinkin' Adam & Eve!). Noah is also starting to get territorial. In the past Luke could grab toys from him and Noah would just move on and play with something else. But now when Luke tries to touch something Noah is playing with Noah growls at him, defending his territory.

Noah has also figured out how to take his velcro diapers off. Twice this week I went in to get him up from a nap to find him naked from the waist down. (No, I didn't learn the first time, but now I know to put some type of good shorts over his diapers for naps). So with future children, I think I will refrain from using the velcro cloth diapers and will stick to snaps.

I don't want all of the updates from this week to sound negative or like Noah is a bad kid. He is still the sweetest, most fun kid that I know, of course I am biased.

Button Earrings

2011-10-17T11:06:00.000-04:00

I made these super quick and easy earrings by covering buttons with a few fabrics and then using hot glue to attach the earring post to the back. Quick. Easy. Cute. and the possibilities are endless!

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Muffins

2011-10-16T22:01:00.000-04:00

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Muffins

This is my friend Crystin's recipe, that I'm sure she got from somewhere else, but I try to document all of the recipes that I love here, so that I can easily find them again for future use. I LOVE it when I find a good baked good recipe that calls for 100% whole wheat flour and still ends up moist and tasty. I didn't use the walnuts or raisins, but I'm sure they would be great with them, or with chocolate chips or dried cranberries.

-2 c sugar
-½ c canola oil
-3 eggs
-1 ½ c pumpkin (100%, not pie mix)
-½ c water
-3 c whole wheat flour
-1 ½ t baking powder
-1 t baking soda
-1 t salt
-½ t cloves
-¾ t cinnamon
-1 t nutmeg
-1 c raisins (optional)
-1 c walnuts

1. Oven to 400.
2. In Lg bowl: mix sugar, oil, eggs, pumpkin and water.
3. In Sm bowl: mix flour, baking powder and soda, salt and spices.
4. Add dry to wet and blend w/ mixer.
5. Add nuts/raisins.
6. Let stand 1hr at room temp. (I didn't do this and they were fine; mine might have sat 15min)
7. Grease muffin tins or line w/ paper cups.
8. Bake 15min or when toothpick comes out clean. Don't over bake- this will dry them!

Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal

2011-10-12T08:47:00.000-04:00

Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal

This is my favorite baked oatmeal yet! (But I do still love my blueberry baked oatmeal and my pumpkin pie baked oatmeal). Baked oatmeal is such a healthy, easy meal that tends to be a crowd pleaser. We have it as a breakfast for dinner often. The chocolate chips and nuts are optional, but that's how Jeremy and I like our banana bread so that's how I made our oatmeal. As always, if you're not concerned with calories, a few tablespoons of melted butter stirred into the batter would add even more flavor, but it's still really good without so I don't worry about adding it. I think my next experiment might be stirring some peanut butter in and making a peanut butter and banana baked oatmeal. For this (and banana bread) I always use bananas that got super ripe that I stuck in the freezer and then defrosted on the counter the day I am baking with them. I've heard it makes the texture more moist, plus it's a great way to save those over ripe bananas until you are ready to use them.

-3 c oats (whole or quick)
-1/2 c sugar
-1 c skim milk
-2 eggs
-5 mashed bananas (I mashed the defrosted frozen bananas with a fork)
-1 Tbsp baking powder
-1/2 tsp salt
-2 tsp vanilla
-optional: 1/2 c chocolate chips and/ or 1/2 c chopped nuts
-2 Tbsp brown sugar

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, milk, eggs, mashed bananas, and vanilla. Stir in the baking powder, salt, and optional ingredients (if using). Spread into a greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle the top with the brown sugar. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

50 weeks

2011-10-12T07:00:00.023-04:00

Here is what is going on with Noah this week according to ivillage.com;

Have you noticed your baby taking care of a doll or stuffed animal? If so, congratulate yourself! Babies learn nurturing behavior from their caregivers, so if your baby gently pats her stuffed dog on the back to reassure him after he falls to the floor, you can be sure she learned from you. Babies this age are excellent mimics, and they're also developing a sense of empathy. Ever notice the distressed look that crosses your baby's face when she hears another baby cry? That’s because she recognizes a cry as a plea for help. Now, she may even toddle over and attempt to comfort the other baby. Sweet, huh? After months of constant, steady weight gain, your little one may begin thinning out. Some of it is simple growth and development. Now that she’s getting older, you baby is taking on the shape of a toddler, not an infant. She’s developing her leg muscles; those pudgy baby thighs are a thing of the past! Some babies even lose a little weight around the 12-month mark. That's because almost-one-year-olds are so incredibly busy! They're constantly moving (do you know any sedentary toddlers?) and reluctant to sit and eat. Give your child plenty of chances to graze during the day—experts say up to six small, nutritious meals a day may be healthier than three large ones anyway—but don’t stress out if the scales show a slight dip this month. She’ll regain it soon enough. If your baby is still nursing, feel free to continue. Breastmilk remains an excellent source of nutrition6 for your baby. (And a good thing for moms as well. Did you know that extended breastfeeding decreases your risk of breast cancer?) When the time comes, drop just one breastfeeding at a time and give your baby and body plenty of time to adjust before dropping another feeding. Most physicians don’t recommend cow's milk until after the first year, but if you're this close, talk to your doctor, who may give you the green light to offer whole milk in a sippy cup.

Noah is definitely one chunky little guy right now. I blame it all on breastmilk, because cheese and yogurt are about the only fat he eats, most of his food intake comes from fruits and vegetables (which wouldn't put the pounds on). Over the course of the next month I'm going to be working on getting him from 4 nursings a day, down to 2. I've been DREADING this, because although the books said not to, I took the easy way out and have easily nursed him to sleep for both naps, and at night. Now will begin the task of putting him down for a nap without a nursing prior to it. This will mean new freedom for me, in that I won't need to be present for a nursing before each nap, but I'm not looking forward to listening to him cry in his crib as he fights his way to sleep over the next few weeks.

From the minute Noah wakes up each morning, before we've even gotten him out of his crib, we can already hear him in there saying "walk" to himself. We go for at least two walks a day, every day, but whenever he is inside he will continuously repeat "walk". He says duck, and do (dog) now, and also knows to baa for sheep. The cutest thing is that when he eats he goes "mmmmm, mmmmm". He definitely says Noah, and walk more than any other word, but mom and dad are repeated frequently as well.

This kid is going to be a year old in two weeks! Where did the time go? What happened to that little baby who couldn't move around or talk? As much as I miss the beginning stages, Noah is at such a fun age right now. I love watching him learn, explore, and observe!

Broccoli Cheese Soup

2011-10-06T17:00:00.001-04:00

Skinny Broccoli Cheese Soup

I don't know if something with 2 cups of cheese can be called skinny, but it's definitely skinny compared to most versions!

-3 Tbsp butter
-1 onion, diced
-1/4 c flour
-2 c fat-free half and half
-3 c chicken or veggie broth
-2 bay leaves
-1/4 tsp nutmeg
-1 tsp salt
-1/2 tsp pepper
-1/8 tsp cayenne
-5 c broccoli, cut into bite size chunks
-2 carrots, diced
-2 c cheddar cheese

Melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Saute onion until tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle in flour. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour in broth and half and half, stirring constantly. Add bay, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Simmer 20 minutes. Add broccoli and carrot, cover and simmer an additional 20 minutes. Remove bay leaves and puree soup (using an immersion blender, blender, or food processor. Return soup to low heat, stir in cheese until melted. Serve.

Curry Tofu Scramble

2011-10-05T15:57:00.000-04:00

Curry Tofu Scramble

This meal is super quick, easy, and nutritious. It would be great for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The tofu takes on the texture and color of eggs, making it appropriate for breakfast, but being packed with veggies and protein makes this a great balanced meal for any time of day. I used the vegetables that I had on hand, but tomatoes, cilantro, jalapeno, and/ or mushrooms would also be great in here. Serve scramble inside a tortilla for a vegetarian breakfast burrito, or serve on it's own with toast or potatoes.

-1 Tbsp olive oil

-1/2 red pepper, diced

-1 zucchini, diced

-1 onion, diced

-3 cloves garlic, minced

-1 block firm or extra firm tofu, crumbled using a fork or your hands

-1/2 Tbsp curry powder

-1/2 tsp turmeric

-1/2 tsp cumin

-1 tsp salt

-1/2 tsp pepper

-1/8 tsp cayenne

-several handfuls spinach

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Saute pepper, zucchini, and onion until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute an additional minute. Add tofu and spice, stirring well to combine. Cook an additional 5 minutes, until tofu is heated through. Add spinach, continue to cook, stirring often, until spinach is wilted. Remove from heat, serve immediately.

49 weeks

2011-10-05T07:00:00.003-04:00

Here is what is going on with Noah this week according to ivillage.com;

Your baby’s memory may surprise you. For months now, he’s been cataloging information. He knows that his toys are stashed in the toy box (most of the time!), that the remote makes the TV light up and that grandma gives him cookies. He may even know where grandma stashes the cookies. So don’t be surprised if he smiles and holds out his hand when you visit grandma; past experience has taught him that she usually hands him a cookie! If she’s slow on the draw, he may even make his way over to the cookie jar. Of course, it still takes many repetitions for baby to fully understand something. He didn’t learn that grandma = cookies overnight; it took many visits before your baby realized that grandma is the Cookie Lady! That’s why you still have to tell him to stay away from the TV. He’s heard it before, but he’ll need to hear it -- and experience the consequence of being pulled away -- over and over again before he finally learns to leave the screen alone.

Physically, your baby is on the verge of walking. Don’t worry about his posture; it’s completely normal for new walkers to stick out their bellies and butts and waddle with a wide stance. Right now, your baby is still working on his balance. As he becomes more proficient, he’ll pull his feet in and walk a little straighter. Push toys are among your baby’s favorites right now. Push carts, doll strollers, ride-on toys with high backs – even kitchen chairs that glide across the floor – allow your baby to “walk” without letting go. He might enjoy a big empty box as well. Watch him fill it up with toys and push it across the living room floor!

Your baby’s speech is beginning to sound more like real language, complete with inflections and pauses. Some babies can already say a few words (“mama” or “dada” are early favorites) but most will wait until some time after their first birthday.

First of all, the hat in all of these pictures isn't because it's so cold outside that Noah needs a hat. It's his "helmet". This week he got up to such a high speed walking/ running down the side walk that he fell face first, and his forehead slammed into the concrete leaving him some road rash on his head. Jeremy and I, both being mentally scared by seeing Noah take that tumble, have started adding an extra barrier of protection just in case it happens again. Plus, he looks so stinkin' cute in this hat anyway!

This week Noah has started saying some rendition of truck, appropriately with his toy trucks. He has also started pointing to the door and saying walk. And going to his high chair and saying eat. His favorite toys right now tend to be his plastic wagon that he can push or ride in, his books, and toy cars and trucks.

I can't believe how fast this little boy is growing up, and how big he is getting. He will be 1 year old in less than a month!!!!

Middle Eastern Red Lentil Soup

2011-10-04T23:07:00.000-04:00

Middle Eastern Red Lentil Soup

I won a bag of red lentils at a Turkish cooking class I attended last week, so I whipped this up to enjoy them. In the Turkish cooking class they instructed us to puree the soup prior to serving, but I think that by cooking the lentils until they become mush it ends up with a good, thick, stew-like consistency of the lentil soup served at our local Middle Eastern restaurant. Garnish with yogurt, and cilantro or parsley, if desired. Jeremy, Noah, and I all loved this soup. If I wasn't serving it to Noah I would have added even more cayenne, because I like things spicy, but I try to keep everything mild to medium that we will all be enjoying. You may need to add more salt, depending on the saltiness of your broth. I also think I added an extra 1 or 2 cups of water while the lentils were cooking, adjust depending on how soupy or stew-like you would like the final product.

-2 Tbsp olive oil

-1 onion, diced

-4 cloves garlic, minced

-6 c chicken or vegetable broth

-1 lb red lentils, rinsed

-1 Tbsp cumin

-1/2 tsp curry powder

-1 tsp salt

-3/4 c lemon juice

In large pot, saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic, cook an additional 1 minute. Add broth, lentils, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover. Simmer 20 minutes, stirring often. If the lentils absorb all of the liquid, stir in an extra cup or two of water. Turn off heat, stir in lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired.

Pea Pesto

2011-10-03T16:12:00.025-04:00

Pea Pesto

Jeremy thought this was just ok, but Noah and I loved it! It's a great way to sneak some vegetables in for kids who are picky eaters. I intended on adding 1/2 c parmesan cheese in here, not realizing I was out, but it tasted delicious without the cheese, so I'm not sure that I'd add the cheese {calories} next time when it's great without it. If desired, reserve 1/2 c of peas prior to pureeing, to stir into the dish at the end. Fresh basil would also add great flavor here, but I didn't have any of that on hand either. Toss the pesto with your favorite pasta, or spread on crostini.

-16 oz frozen peas

-2 cloves garlic

-1/2 c walnuts, toasted

-4 Tbsp lemon juice

-1/4 c olive oil

-1/2 tsp salt

-1/4 tsp pepper

-1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

Bring 5 c water to boil in saucepan. Stir in frozen peas, reduce heat, simmer 2 minutes. Drain peas and rinse with cool water. Place peas and remaining ingredients in food processor, process until smooth. Serve warm or cold depending on your preference.

California Chicken Marinade

2011-10-02T18:00:00.007-04:00

California Chicken Marinade

This is our favorite chicken marinade. Jeremy's mom makes it all the time, the recipe comes out of a Navigators Cookbook that she has. It's great on chicken that is grilled, broiled, or cooked in a pan. It's even better with fresh herbs, but all I had was dried.

-1/2 c olive oil

-1/4 c soy sauce

-1/4 c lemon juice
-1/8 c Worcestershire sauce
-1/8 c prepared mustard
-1 tsp salt
-1 Tbsp pepper
-1 clove garlic, minced
-1/2 tsp paprika
-1/2 tsp onion powder
-1/2 tsp dried basil
-1/2 tsp dried thyme

Combine ingredients. Allow chicken to marinate for at least 1 hours, and up to 8 hours prior to cooking.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

2011-09-30T16:00:00.026-04:00

Buffalo Chicken Dip

This was my attempt to lighten up this crowd pleasing dish. I will never call anything nutritious that consists entirely of processed ingredients, but at least it's a little less fattening than most versions. This would be perfect for a football party. The dip turned out a little more spicy and soupy than I tend to care for, so I've adjusted the recipe accordingly for cooking in the future. This would be much more delicious using a shredded chicken from a boiled or roasted chicken, but I couldn't bring myself to do the extra work to end up in such a processed dip anyway. Although, next time I might buy a $4.99 rotisserie chicken from Sam's Club, since that's about the same price as two cans of chicken, and would yield a much more chunky and delicious dip!

-2 (10-12 oz) cans of chicken, drained

-8 oz reduced fat cream cheese

-1/2 c light ranch dressing

-1/2 c hot sauce

-1 c shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese

Combine all ingredients until well mixed. Either pop in a small crock pot to heat and keep warm for a party, or bake in a dish at 350 for 20 minutes. Serve with your favorite crackers, veggies, or chips.

Quick & easy party decorations

2011-09-30T10:03:00.000-04:00

I made these super simple decorations from yarn that I had on hand to decorate our home for Jeremy's birthday party. (Sorry for anyone local who wasn't invited, our home is fairly small, so we stuck mostly to our community group for the guest list and still had a little over 20 people, which had us bursting at the seams). There are tutorials all over the internet for these pom poms, so I'll spare you the details, except that I wound yarn 60 times, around 2 fingers, and then cut the loops to make the poof. Simple, easy, and free (by using supplies that were gifted to me), plus I love instant gratification crafting... when projects take shape in an hour or less. I think I may even do a repeat of using these for Noah's birthday, and a baby shower that I'm throwing in January. You could also easily vary the colors to match any holiday... purple, yellow and green for Mardis Gras, red, green, and white for Christmas, and so on.

Pumpkin Pie Baked Oatmeal

2011-09-28T08:00:00.020-04:00

Pumpkin Pie Baked Oatmeal

We love my blueberry baked oatmeal so much that I thought I'd give it a fun fall twist. Most recipes on the internet for baked oatmeal call for oil or butter, but my versions come out so great without it that I just don't see a need for the added fat, although I'm sure it adds some great flavor and moisture. You could also add chopped nuts, raisins, dried cranberries, or chopped apple to this dish.

-3 cups oats (whole or quick, NOT instant)

-3/4 c sugar

-1 1/2 cups milk

-2 eggs

-1 Tbsp baking powder

-1 tsp salt

-2 tsp vanilla

-2 tsp cinnamon

-1/2 tsp ginger

-1/4 tsp nutmeg

-1/4 tsp cloves

-1 c canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

-2 Tbsp brown sugar

In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, milk, vanilla, eggs, and pumpkin. Stir in oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Spread into a greased 13x9 dish. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

48 weeks

2011-09-28T07:00:00.042-04:00

Here is what is going on with Noah this week according to ivillage.com;

Your baby is a custom-made, 100% original – even if he happens to be a triplet! That means that your baby is going to do things in his own way, on his own time. Your baby might be perfectly content to sit on the floor, playing with toys. He might have little to no interest in pulling up. That’s OK. Some babies are more physical, more daring. Others prefer to watch the action and learn from the example of others. Don’t worry if your baby is “behind.” The ages listed for various developmental milestones represent the timeframe when most babies achieve those particular skills. There will always be some babies – some perfectly fine babies – who fall outside of the norm. Besides, it’s not uncommon for babies to focus on one area of development at a time. If your baby isn’t standing yet, there’s a good chance that he’s talking more than your neighbor’s baby, the one who’s already walking. It’s almost as if babies have only so much attention; when they focus on one skill, others lag temporarily. That’s also why some babies appear to “forget” a skill. If your baby has recently stopped waving – after waving at everyone from the mailman to the preacher last month – it’s probably because she’s moved on to another skill. In time, the waving will return. But what if you really think something is wrong? If your gut is telling you something just isn’t right, call your doctor. Parents’ intuition is often right on! You should also consult your doctor if your child isn’t vocalizing, interacting or moving independently.

A few short months ago, your baby used his mouth to explore everything. Now, he’s much more likely to use his hands. Before, he crammed everything in his mouth, testing it for size, texture and shape. Now he can hold and manipulate objects – and discover valuable info about an object’s size, shape, weight, texture and intended usage. He can even toss or throw the object to see how it moves through space. Of course, that doesn’t mean that your baby will never chew on anything again. Many kids eat dirt well into their third year!

Noah is getting more and more verbal. He talks all of the time, and now he's starting to put together more words than just sounds. Now he says mom/mama, dad/ dad, yes, yeah, Noah, that , beep, bye bye, duck, and no no. He also knows what sounds lions and sheep make, and can roar and say ba ba when we see them in books.

Whenever we hear music Noah bounces/ dances and claps his hands. When he does something he likes with a toy he'll stop and clap his hands to celebrate also. All day long Noah points at things and says "that" over and over again. He still loves to play in the tub, or to be outside, and to read. Now when Jeremy gets home and walks in the door Noah says dad.

We're still continuing to give Noah tastes of the foods that we eat. This week he really loved the avocado pasta, spinach artichoke casserole (his first time eating spinach, mushrooms, and pasta), and the pumpkin oatmeal that I made. He also tried black eyed peas, black beans, and corn for the first time.

Brussels Sprouts with Sriracha, Lime, and Honey

2011-09-27T20:51:00.000-04:00

I made these brussels sprouts with sriracha, lime, and honey. They were really yummy! Even Jeremy, who claims to not like brussels sprouts, really liked them and said he would eat them again. The few things that I did differently were to use canola oil instead of peanut (because that's what I had), I added 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp garlic powder when I tossed the brussels sprouts with the oil, and I chopped the peanuts before sprinkling them over top.

Avocado Pasta

2011-09-26T18:36:00.000-04:00

Avocado Pasta

This was an experiment, because I ended up with several extra avocados this week. It actually turned out really well. I thought it was a great healthy and delicious summer dinner (yes, while the rest of the country is experiencing Fall weather it still feels like Summer here in New Orleans). My pantry is running low (tomorrow is my grocery shopping day), so I didn't have much extra on hand to throw in here, but if I was planning this I think I'd definitely add some black beans and chopped fresh tomatoes. This serves 2, because I didn't want to make too much and have the avocado brown and ruin it, so increase your portions as necessary.

-1/2 lb pasta, cooked al dente and rinsed with cool water

-1 avocado

-1 clove garlic

-3 Tbsp mayo

-2 Tbsp lime juice

-1/2 tsp salt

-1/2 tsp pepper

-1/4 tsp cayenne

-1/2 bunch cilantro

-couple of handfuls of spinach leaves

Combine avocado through spinach in a blender or food processor, and puree until smooth. Toss with pasta, and chill at least 1 hour prior to serving.

Avocado Ranch Salad Dressing

2011-09-23T14:14:00.000-04:00

Avocado Ranch Salad Dressing

This may now be my favorite salad dressing! I served it over spinach with red onion and orange slices, but I think it would be great over a Southwestern salad with corn and black beans, or a taco salad. This dressing makes a smaller portion than most of my dressing recipes, because it needs to be eaten within a few days (before the avocado browns). Double the recipe if you're serving more than four people side salad portions, or more than two people large dinner salads. The avocado flavor here is subtle, next time I might be inclined to use a whole avocado, keeping the rest of the proportions the same. Cilantro would also be a great addition to this dressing, but I was out.

-1/2 avocado
-1/4 c light mayo
-1/4 c nonfat yogurt or sour cream
-1 Tbsp milk
-2 tsp white vinegar
-1/4 tsp salt
-1/8 tsp dried parsley
-1/8 tsp dried dill
-1/8 tsp black pepper
-1/8 tsp cayenne
-1/8 tsp cumin
-1/8 tsp garlic powder
-1/8 tsp onion powder
-1 clove garlic
-1/2 tsp sugar
-2 tsp lime juice

Combine and mix all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Chill at least two hours prior to serving.

Cilantro Lime Salad Dressing

2011-09-21T13:05:00.001-04:00

Cilantro Lime Salad Dressing

This may be my new favorite salad dressing. I served it over greens with corn, avocado, black beans, and red onion, but I think it would be great on a traditional taco salad.

-2/3 c light mayo

-1/3 c nonfat yogurt or sour cream

-2 Tbsp milk

-2 Tbsp cilantro

-2 Tbsp lime juice

-2 tsp white vinegar

-2 tsp sugar

-1 clove garlic, minced

-1/2 tsp salt

-1/8 tsp cayenne

-1/8 tsp pepper

-1/4 tsp cumin

Combine all ingredients. Chill at least 2 hours prior to serving.

47 weeks

2011-09-21T07:00:00.001-04:00

Here is what is going on with Noah this week according to ivillage.com;

Your baby’s needs are pretty simple. He needs food, clothing, space to explore and someone to watch over him. That’s it. No expensive gadgets required. Sure, there are plenty of gizmos out there that promise to turn your child into the next whiz kid, but the truth is that most babies do just fine with the basics. You don’t need a fancy baby food steamer; at this age, your baby is more than capable of handling finely chopped table food. You don’t need an elaborate activity center for your baby; most babies much prefer to explore the kitchen cupboards anyway. Low-tech parenting can feel a bit strange – after all, we live in a more-is-more culture -- but you and your child can have lots of fun with empty boxes, books and spoons. Your little scientist will be particularly fascinated with toys and objects that allow him to sort, compare and categorize. Try giving him an assortment of different-sized boxes, and show him how they fit into one another. Hand him some measuring cups and a bucket in the bathtub and let him learn about volume. Attach yarn to an empty box and show him how to haul toys from one room to another. (Better yet – let him figure it out on his own!) He’ll improve his eye-hand coordination, refine gross motor skills and develop an understanding of size, shape and the physical properties of matter. (And you thought your baby just played all day!)

Although it will be awhile before your baby is ready for charm school, it’s not too early to instill some manners. Your baby won’t be able to say, “please” and “thank you” for some time, but good manners are never a waste of time. If you treat your baby (and others) with respect, your baby will learn to treat others with respect. So the next time your baby offers you a bite of his half-chewed cookie, smile and say, “Thank you.” Then pretend to take a bite!

Noah is doing well. Now that he's close to being a toddler, he isn't changing at such an aggressive rate as he was in the beginning.

All day long he points at things and says "that", over and over again. He has also seemed to take an interest in sharing, and brings whatever he is playing with to us and hands it to us, but then waits for us to hand it back, and goes along his way.

He is getting closer and closer to eating the same foods as us now. He eats most food chunks that we give him, but does not seem to like chunks of eggs (no matter how they are cooked). This week he had some chunks of our baked penne, guacamole, pinto beans, chicken, and more. So he is starting to eat bits of what we eat, mixed in with his favorites of cheese cubes, tofu cubes, toast, cheerios, fruit, and veggies.

If you've ever wondered why all of the pictures that I take of him always tend to be in his high chair, it's because I can't get him to stay still long enough for a picture unless he is restrained. He is a busy little boy, but super sweet, and lots of fun!

Roasted Corn with Lime, Chili, and Parmesan

2011-09-20T20:21:00.000-04:00

I made this roasted corn with lime, chili, and parmesan. It was good. I followed the recipe exactly, but next time I think I would substitute fat-free half and half for the sour cream, mayo, and milk. It was a nice combination of sweet, salty, spicy, and tangy flavors, perfect for summertime.

Ginger Salad Dressing

2011-09-20T17:16:00.000-04:00

Ginger Dressing

This was my attempt at making a ginger dressing comparable to Japanese steakhouses. And while that was not the end result, this dressing did end up quite tasty. I will make this again, but will keep searching for a steakhouse knock-off. It would be great over greens with carrots, tomatoes, cucumber, and avocados.

-3 cloves garlic, peeled

-1 4 inch piece ginger, peeled

-1/4 cup olive oil

-1/4 cup sesame oil

-1/4 cup soy sauce

-1/3 cup rice vinegar

-2 Tbsp sugar

-1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

Combine ingredients in blender or food processor. Mix until smooth. Serve.

Chicken Pavlava

2011-09-19T17:00:00.001-04:00

I made this chicken pavlava (African Peanut Stew), and it was delicious! Jeremy said it was one of the best things that I have ever made, and he doesn't even really like spinach. We will definitely be enjoying this again. The few changes that I made were;

-used 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes in place of the 2 fresh

-reduced the peanut oil to 2 Tbsp

-added 1/4 tsp cayenne because my chili powder isn't hot

-added an extra 1/4 tsp ginger, 1/2 tsp thyme, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, and 1 Tbsp brown sugar at the end

Sweet Corn Cake & Horchata

2011-09-17T14:42:00.001-04:00

I made this Sweet Corn Cake as a dessert for a Mexican feast that we had with friends. From what I've read this can be served as a traditional side dish or dessert. I thought it was delicious, like a sweet, moist version of corn cake. I think it would make a great side with a warm bowl of chili. The only things that I changed from the recipe were that I used fat-free half and half instead of the heavy cream, and I used all-purpose flour instead of masa harina.

I also made this Horchata for our beverage. I've never had Horchata before, so I can't speak as to whether or not this is a great recipe for it, but it turned out tasty. The two things I did differently were to let it sit overnight (rather than just 3 hours), and per recommendations from some of the commenter's I strained the entire mixture after sitting overnight to strain out the floating cinnamon.

Curried Kenyan Cabbage

2011-09-16T13:17:00.000-04:00

I made this curried Kenyan cabbage for lunch (because I'm not allowed to cook cabbage when Jeremy is home because he HATES the smell). It was delicious! I will definitely be making this again. The only things that I did differently were to use 1 Tbsp (instead of 1 tsp) of the curry powder, and I used fat-free half and half instead of the milk.