Sweet Potato Pancakes

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.

Balsamic Roasted Green Beans and Mushrooms

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

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.

overflowing with gratitude

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

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.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

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

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.