I had heard of Quinoa but never paid any attention to it until recently. I came across something about how complete of a food it is and I became interested. So I grabbed some at the grocery the other day and it's on the menu for tonight. I hope everyone likes it. Supposedly you can can make it in a rice cooker, so it's easy and fast.
There are millions of recipes on Allrecipes. Anybody ever made it and have a favorite way of preparing it?
The verdict...Yum! The kids loved it, the hubbs loved it, I loved it. It is indeed very similar to brown rice. The kids called it money rice because, "it looks like little pennies". It's going into the weekly line-up.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Happy Girl
Do you ever have a moment where you just feel total happiness? Some part of you knows that you will always remember this exact moment, like a snapshot that your brain takes and files away forever.
Last Friday the ladies and I went to the mall for the day to play, shop, and meet Daddy for lunch. While we were shopping Lily fell in love with this cute little khaki hat and I fell in love with some wire rimmed aviator glasses that looked absolutely adorable on her. We found a few other things too and officially started our vacation shopping.
Later that night Lily was showing Daddy the things I bought her as I was finding new music on itunes. Somehow it turned into Friday night dance party at our house, the volume was up and we were all dancing. At some point Martina McBride "Happy Girl" was playing and Lily and I were dancing, Ava and Daddy had taken a break. Lil was wearing her new hat and sunglasses, an undershirt, and her jeans, along with a big smile.
I have a feeling that song will always make me think of that moment and I'll never forget my little girl at five years old dancing her little booty off.
Last Friday the ladies and I went to the mall for the day to play, shop, and meet Daddy for lunch. While we were shopping Lily fell in love with this cute little khaki hat and I fell in love with some wire rimmed aviator glasses that looked absolutely adorable on her. We found a few other things too and officially started our vacation shopping.
Later that night Lily was showing Daddy the things I bought her as I was finding new music on itunes. Somehow it turned into Friday night dance party at our house, the volume was up and we were all dancing. At some point Martina McBride "Happy Girl" was playing and Lily and I were dancing, Ava and Daddy had taken a break. Lil was wearing her new hat and sunglasses, an undershirt, and her jeans, along with a big smile.
I have a feeling that song will always make me think of that moment and I'll never forget my little girl at five years old dancing her little booty off.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Coincidence
I baked a bean cake the other day and took it over to my elderly neighbor to check on her during the ice storm and visit for a few minutes.
I penguin walked over there, rang the bell. She thanked me profusely for baking for her because she was out of sweets and she invited me in. I stood in her dining room as she took the cake and bowl of chili I had made her into her kitchen. She had old pictures and newspapers all over her dining table, including her wedding photo from 1944 and a photo of her husband circa 1950.
She joined me in the dining room and said it was so nice that I stopped by and she was just reminiscing, as it was the anniversary of her husbands death. She teared up and then reminded me that last year on this day I brought her baked goods as well. Of course I had completely forgotten that but when she brought it up I remembered. She showed me some pictures and got emotional when she told me about how they had been married just three months before he went off to WWII. We talked about the war and she told me that her husband was in the battle of the bulge, my grandpa was too I said. She told me what her husband did, that he went ahead as a scout... that's what my grandpa did I said.
It was the weirdest feeling. Kind of heeby jeeby but more like ...wow. what if they knew each other? I realize that's a long shot but you just never know. I never knew my grandpa, he passed before I was born and I need to find out more information on his unit. And how weird that I've unknowingly come over to her house every year since meeting her on the anniversary of her husbands death.
I penguin walked over there, rang the bell. She thanked me profusely for baking for her because she was out of sweets and she invited me in. I stood in her dining room as she took the cake and bowl of chili I had made her into her kitchen. She had old pictures and newspapers all over her dining table, including her wedding photo from 1944 and a photo of her husband circa 1950.
She joined me in the dining room and said it was so nice that I stopped by and she was just reminiscing, as it was the anniversary of her husbands death. She teared up and then reminded me that last year on this day I brought her baked goods as well. Of course I had completely forgotten that but when she brought it up I remembered. She showed me some pictures and got emotional when she told me about how they had been married just three months before he went off to WWII. We talked about the war and she told me that her husband was in the battle of the bulge, my grandpa was too I said. She told me what her husband did, that he went ahead as a scout... that's what my grandpa did I said.
It was the weirdest feeling. Kind of heeby jeeby but more like ...wow. what if they knew each other? I realize that's a long shot but you just never know. I never knew my grandpa, he passed before I was born and I need to find out more information on his unit. And how weird that I've unknowingly come over to her house every year since meeting her on the anniversary of her husbands death.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Snow Days
The girls were off school Monday for MLK day, Wednesday for ice, and today for cold (I guess).
That is just too much time off for us. Yesterday we did workbooks in the morning, built satellites, erupted volcanoes, and learned about the layers of the earth. We had a picnic in the foyer for lunch and did the dishes. We used Google Earth to visit all of our friends and families houses and practiced writing our first and last names. We shoveled and had a snow fight after dinner and then the girls each read a book with Daddy.
I need to think about how we will fill our time today and my God these children better be back to school on Monday or else.
That is just too much time off for us. Yesterday we did workbooks in the morning, built satellites, erupted volcanoes, and learned about the layers of the earth. We had a picnic in the foyer for lunch and did the dishes. We used Google Earth to visit all of our friends and families houses and practiced writing our first and last names. We shoveled and had a snow fight after dinner and then the girls each read a book with Daddy.
I need to think about how we will fill our time today and my God these children better be back to school on Monday or else.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Ava's new favorite food
When we were at Grandma and Grandpa's after Christmas I happened upon a package of plain gnocchi in their cupboard and made them for dinner one night to go with a pork roast my mom was making. The ready made ones found in the pasta aisle are lightning fast to make. Boil water, add, cook until they float (about three minutes). I served the gnocchi with sauteed mushrooms, melted butter and Parmesan cheese. Everyone liked them but Ava went nuts for them.
I shouldn't have been surprised, she loves these http://steamykitchen.com/6515-pan-fried-pumpkin-gnocchi-browned-butter-sage.html but I only make them in the fall when I have fresh pumpkins from the patch and sage from the garden to work with.
The bummer about buying prepackaged convenience food is that a pack of gnocchi from the pasta aisle is about $3.50. If you know my husband and how much he consumes during the course of a meal you'd now that we need two packs per meal. Ouch. Needless to say, gnocchi has become a treat around here. Last night I decided to make some myself using this recipe. http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Sweet-Potato-Gnocchi/Detail.aspx The recipe is imperfect but it's a good jumping off point. I almost tripled the recipe and flash froze a small serving for later use when Daddy isn't around.
I served them with a knock off recipe of OG's Alfredo Sauce and they were delicious. The sweet potato flavor was barely noticeable, I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. I will be making them again soon.
Here's the recipe for the knock off Alfredo sauce. I use this recipe in my creamed spinach also.
8oz cream cheese (softened)
1/2 c butter
Heavy cream and milk
1 Tsp garlic powder
3/4 c parm cheese
Cut cream cheese and butter into cubes and melt over medium heat in a saucepan, whisking often. When melted, add cheese and garlic along with combo of milk/cream to achieve desired thickness. Serve when warmed through.
I shouldn't have been surprised, she loves these http://steamykitchen.com/6515-pan-fried-pumpkin-gnocchi-browned-butter-sage.html but I only make them in the fall when I have fresh pumpkins from the patch and sage from the garden to work with.
The bummer about buying prepackaged convenience food is that a pack of gnocchi from the pasta aisle is about $3.50. If you know my husband and how much he consumes during the course of a meal you'd now that we need two packs per meal. Ouch. Needless to say, gnocchi has become a treat around here. Last night I decided to make some myself using this recipe. http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Sweet-Potato-Gnocchi/Detail.aspx The recipe is imperfect but it's a good jumping off point. I almost tripled the recipe and flash froze a small serving for later use when Daddy isn't around.
I served them with a knock off recipe of OG's Alfredo Sauce and they were delicious. The sweet potato flavor was barely noticeable, I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. I will be making them again soon.
Here's the recipe for the knock off Alfredo sauce. I use this recipe in my creamed spinach also.
8oz cream cheese (softened)
1/2 c butter
Heavy cream and milk
1 Tsp garlic powder
3/4 c parm cheese
Cut cream cheese and butter into cubes and melt over medium heat in a saucepan, whisking often. When melted, add cheese and garlic along with combo of milk/cream to achieve desired thickness. Serve when warmed through.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Toothless
Ava came home from school on Friday with a loose tooth. She was so excited I thought she would want to call Daddy at work right away, instead she wanted to surprise him when he got home.
All weekend we checked the progress of the tooth. On Monday I made her a tooth fairy pillow (along with ten Barbie pillows for the girls doll houses). Right before bed I told her to twist the tooth a little. She gave it a good twist and it got stuck in a weird position. There were some tears and Daddy was entrusted to put the tooth back in it's spot. Well, what do you know, the tooth fell out in his hand.
She was beaming with pride and insisted on calling all of her grandparents immediately. Grandpa asked her if the tooth fairy was a boy or a girl, I was consulted and we agreed it's a she. Ava told me that the tooth fairy is about the same size as Tinker Bell.
At tuck-in, after songs she panicked and asked if I would leave the window open so the tooth fairy could get in. I assured her that the tooth fairy can get in through the lock on her door. Luckily that was acceptable.
In the morning Lily had to remind her to check her pillow. Turns out the tooth fairy leaves a dollar bill for every tooth. Score.
All weekend we checked the progress of the tooth. On Monday I made her a tooth fairy pillow (along with ten Barbie pillows for the girls doll houses). Right before bed I told her to twist the tooth a little. She gave it a good twist and it got stuck in a weird position. There were some tears and Daddy was entrusted to put the tooth back in it's spot. Well, what do you know, the tooth fell out in his hand.
She was beaming with pride and insisted on calling all of her grandparents immediately. Grandpa asked her if the tooth fairy was a boy or a girl, I was consulted and we agreed it's a she. Ava told me that the tooth fairy is about the same size as Tinker Bell.
At tuck-in, after songs she panicked and asked if I would leave the window open so the tooth fairy could get in. I assured her that the tooth fairy can get in through the lock on her door. Luckily that was acceptable.
In the morning Lily had to remind her to check her pillow. Turns out the tooth fairy leaves a dollar bill for every tooth. Score.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Oxtails and Chestnuts
Odd, I know, but read the post a few down and you'll understand.
The verdict is...drum roll please...don't waste your time with chestnuts, and oxtails are nasty. Seriously, for the $12 I spent on a package of oxtails, the $30 I spent on the roast, and the $10 or so I spent on other ingredients in the recipe it was not that good. We preferred the salt encrusted prime rib I had made another time. Oxtails are a slimy, smelly, and gross. Dealing with them at all turned my stomach.
There you have it people, you win some you lose some.
The verdict is...drum roll please...don't waste your time with chestnuts, and oxtails are nasty. Seriously, for the $12 I spent on a package of oxtails, the $30 I spent on the roast, and the $10 or so I spent on other ingredients in the recipe it was not that good. We preferred the salt encrusted prime rib I had made another time. Oxtails are a slimy, smelly, and gross. Dealing with them at all turned my stomach.
There you have it people, you win some you lose some.
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