- Why won't Keebler make graham crackers without using corn syrup and cottonseed oil?
- Why do people who should NOT be wearing skinny jeans wear skinny jeans?
- Do people think skinny jeans are flattering?
- Why do people drive 5 miles under the speed limit when the roads are clear?
- Why when I leave 5 minutes early to take/pick up my kids from school does the drive take half the time?
- Why are the traffic lights in my town not synchronized correctly, like they are in the city just adjacent to us, but instead timed so that I will hit every red light, no matter what speed I'm driving?
- Why do some guys wear knit caps in the desert heat of Arizona?
- Why do some people wear those disturbing ear guages?
- Do people think ear guages are attractive?
- Does anyone else wonder these same things?
I REALLY WANT TO KNOW!
March 30, 2012
March 29, 2012
Hitting the Floor
I chaperoned Mary's 5th grade class field trip to the Halle Heart Center last week. We all rode the school bus there, about 25 minutes away. Our group (all girls) settled in the theater for an introduction and a short film about heart attack symptoms and how to respond in an emergency, especially if someone is having a heart attack. The video was well done..... good acting and very realistic. It was quite a traumatic scene, with a girl about the same age as Mary responding to her uncle having a heart attack. Flashing lights and images were involved, along with dramatic music. The "paramedics" (actually, they were played by real local paramedics) arrive and take care of the man, wheeling him off to the ambulance. It was all quite effective.... maybe a little too much. I found myself getting a little bit choked up. The room was also a little warm and Mary had her sweater one.
The film ended and the tour guide got up and began talking again. Suddenly there was Mary tumbling forward out of her seat onto the floor. She was convulsing for a moment, and naturally we were all pretty freaked out. After a moment she came to, but she was incredibly pale and not really responding to our questions. It took a while for her to regain her color and start responding normally, and by then the real paramedics had arrived and checked her out. She was fine, but it was rather alarming. I was SO grateful that I was on that field trip... it would have been much harder (for both of us!) if I hadn't been there.
I think Mary was grateful that our group was all girls (we had to be divided up into groups anyway to fit, and at that age it's much better if they are separated), though she didn't seem to be the slightest bit embarrassed. In fact, everyone was pretty impressed.
Mary has a tendency to be a little squeamish sometimes, but I never imagined anything like this would happen, especially since we hadn't seen anything gory (though there was some talk of "blood"). But I think it was just a "perfect storm" for fainting.... warm room, wearing a sweater, dramatic scenes, flashing lights and images, etc. As it turns out, a few of the paramedics said this was their third call to the same place for the same reason in the last 2 weeks. The museum director confirmed that, yes, it does happen on a pretty regular basis. I think they need some better air conditioning in that room.
So, there we were.... miles away from home and my car was back at the school. Mary was OK, but she needed to go home and take it easy, and it certainly wouldn't have been a good idea to have her stay there and view the rest of the tour, which was infinitely more squeamish-worthy than what we had seen so far. I suppose the bus driver would have taken us back, but that would have been weird. I knew that Jay was in a conference all day at a location about 45 minutes away but I called him anyway. Then I called my mom.... no answer. Then my sister.... she was at least 30 minutes away. Then a paramedic mentioned that the department had a non-emergency van a few minutes away that could take us. That worked.
Mary spent the rest of the day resting, knowing she wasn't missing anything (no work anyway) at school, which was good because she tends to stress out about things like that. All her friends called to check up on her later that afternoon, and she was the talk of the class the next day. It's a good thing she enjoys attention (unlike Jack; he hates it!).
The film ended and the tour guide got up and began talking again. Suddenly there was Mary tumbling forward out of her seat onto the floor. She was convulsing for a moment, and naturally we were all pretty freaked out. After a moment she came to, but she was incredibly pale and not really responding to our questions. It took a while for her to regain her color and start responding normally, and by then the real paramedics had arrived and checked her out. She was fine, but it was rather alarming. I was SO grateful that I was on that field trip... it would have been much harder (for both of us!) if I hadn't been there.
I think Mary was grateful that our group was all girls (we had to be divided up into groups anyway to fit, and at that age it's much better if they are separated), though she didn't seem to be the slightest bit embarrassed. In fact, everyone was pretty impressed.
Mary has a tendency to be a little squeamish sometimes, but I never imagined anything like this would happen, especially since we hadn't seen anything gory (though there was some talk of "blood"). But I think it was just a "perfect storm" for fainting.... warm room, wearing a sweater, dramatic scenes, flashing lights and images, etc. As it turns out, a few of the paramedics said this was their third call to the same place for the same reason in the last 2 weeks. The museum director confirmed that, yes, it does happen on a pretty regular basis. I think they need some better air conditioning in that room.
So, there we were.... miles away from home and my car was back at the school. Mary was OK, but she needed to go home and take it easy, and it certainly wouldn't have been a good idea to have her stay there and view the rest of the tour, which was infinitely more squeamish-worthy than what we had seen so far. I suppose the bus driver would have taken us back, but that would have been weird. I knew that Jay was in a conference all day at a location about 45 minutes away but I called him anyway. Then I called my mom.... no answer. Then my sister.... she was at least 30 minutes away. Then a paramedic mentioned that the department had a non-emergency van a few minutes away that could take us. That worked.
Mary spent the rest of the day resting, knowing she wasn't missing anything (no work anyway) at school, which was good because she tends to stress out about things like that. All her friends called to check up on her later that afternoon, and she was the talk of the class the next day. It's a good thing she enjoys attention (unlike Jack; he hates it!).
Random Questions I've Been Asking Myself Today
- Why does the bird outside my window chirp (more like squeak) all day long, non-stop, at the same pitch and pace, with no variation whatsoever, in a super-annoying, boring, monotonous way?
- Why do weird scientific experiments or anomalies change "good guys" into villains (e.g. Doctor Octopus, Green Goblin) even though one turned Peter Parker into a noble super hero?
- Why do men tend to leave cupboard doors/drawers open?
- Why do characters in scary movies enter darkened rooms without turning on the lights?
- Why do movie villains always admit their evil plans and explain their motivations to the hero when he is captured?
- Why do people post stupid things on Facebook, like what they are eating/going to eat later/cooking, or that they are tired/going to bed, etc.?
- Why do people I hardly know request to be my friend on Facebook?
- Why was the movie Footloose remade?
- How is an e-book better than a "real" book that doesn't require batteries or charging, can be easily bookmarked/set down/picked up again, can be easily lent to a friend, never loses power or crashes, lasts hundreds of years, is very durable, and doesn't require an expensive device in order to be read?
- Do any of these questions have answers?
Oh, and...
- Is this post really obnoxious?
- Why do weird scientific experiments or anomalies change "good guys" into villains (e.g. Doctor Octopus, Green Goblin) even though one turned Peter Parker into a noble super hero?
- Why do men tend to leave cupboard doors/drawers open?
- Why do characters in scary movies enter darkened rooms without turning on the lights?
- Why do movie villains always admit their evil plans and explain their motivations to the hero when he is captured?
- Why do people post stupid things on Facebook, like what they are eating/going to eat later/cooking, or that they are tired/going to bed, etc.?
- Why do people I hardly know request to be my friend on Facebook?
- Why was the movie Footloose remade?
- How is an e-book better than a "real" book that doesn't require batteries or charging, can be easily bookmarked/set down/picked up again, can be easily lent to a friend, never loses power or crashes, lasts hundreds of years, is very durable, and doesn't require an expensive device in order to be read?
- Do any of these questions have answers?
Oh, and...
- Is this post really obnoxious?
March 28, 2012
EASY DINNER #8 - Korean Beef
Yes, we eat a lot of Asian food. This one is super easy, and super tasty. Did you get a rice cooker yet?
KOREAN BEEF
1 lb. ground beef or turkey
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. soy sauce
1 T. sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ginger
pinch of crushed red pepper (more or less, depending on preference)
green onions, chopped (optional)
1 lb. ground beef or turkey
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. soy sauce
1 T. sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ginger
pinch of crushed red pepper (more or less, depending on preference)
green onions, chopped (optional)
snap peas (sometimes I throw these in if I have them; don't overcook them)
Heat oil in large skillet; add garlic and beef and brown. Whisk together remaining ingredients and add to pan (along with peas, if using); simmer a few minutes to blend flavors. Serve over rice.
Spring Break
Spring Break week was sort of a let down this year... not that there wasn't some excitement, at least for Collin.
First, Collin had to have an MRI on his head. I'd better back up.
[WARNING: This post is kind of long because it's also my journal, and because I assume that you are reading this blog because you care about what goes on in our family. If that's not the case, go ahead and skip this post. I won't be offended. I won't even know. I'm just trying to be nice and spare you from getting bored.]
About 6 months ago, while cutting Collin's hair (which I hadn't done in a long time.... Jay had just been "buzzing it off" with the electric clippers, but now that he is in 7th grade he cares what his hair looks like) I noticed a lump on his scalp, about 1.5" diameter, right at the "crown." It is sort of "squishy" and pliable.
Of course I called the pediatrician right away, was told it was suspicious, had an ultrasound, went to see a pediatric surgeon who said it was probably just a cyst and we could decide to "wait and see" or have it removed, and determine the timetable ourselves. He didn't act like it was a big deal so we decided to wait until school was out.
In the meantime, Collin was having some drainage from his right ear (had chronic ear infections as a baby, had an adnoidectomy and tubes in his ears) so I took him to the pediatric ENT (love him) who said he has a perforated ear drum that probably won't heal on it's own. But, since surgery is invasive and it doesn't seem to have effected his hearing, he feels it is better to give it some time (usually a year) to see if it will heal on its own.
So, we happened to mention to him that Collin has a "mass" on his head that will need to be removed. He said he could work with the other surgeon and do them both at the same time to avoid having anesthesia more than absolutely necessary. Then he said, "Just out of curiosity, I would like to see/feel this lump." (It's kind of hard to actually "see" it under all that hair.) After about 10 seconds he asked who the surgeon was, and I told him. He said, "Well, he is a fine general surgeon, but this is on his HEAD! He MUST see a pediatric neurologist," and recommended one.
Off we went to see doctor #4 (love him) who immediately ordered the MRI. So, yeah, MRI's stink. (I've had a couple in my life, and it's pretty miserable.) If you've never had one, just imagine lying perfectly still (you can blink and breathe, but that's it) on a super hard table inside a tube, for 45 minutes, while listening to a jack hammer. Yep, it sucks. But Collin was a trooper and did great.
Second, Collin got braces. I had to snap a photo with my phone.... it was too funny.
Collin is generally very healthy, but this poor kid has so many things wrong "in his head".... teeth, ear, scalp. He is 12, but he never lost most of his baby teeth, other the four in the front, top and bottom. Rather than becoming loose, the baby teeth were receding back into his gums, even though the permanent teeth were fully formed behind them. This was a huge problem.
So, he had to have 10 teeth pulled.... that was last summer, and they still aren't in. Most of them have at least "budded" so that's good, but 2 have still not made an appearance. This has been the hold up with the braces (he should have had them about a year ago). They finally put the braces on, and then he will eventually have to have oral surgery to go in an attach to the teeth and pull them down. Bummer.
So, yeah, lots going on with Collin. He is such a good sport about all of this. And to top it off he is getting straight A's, and he has a part-time job.
[His former scout leader was always so impressed with Collin that he asked him to take care of his yard, dog, and pool. He goes over there 2 days a week for a couple of hours. He is earning money for scout camp (he is going to 2 different ones this year), so this is great timing (probably just temporary while this man is particularly busy at work). We are excited for Collin to have the opportunity at such a young age, to earn his own money, learn to make a budget, and keep track of his spending.]
The rest of the week the kids mostly just played Wii (they never get to during a regular school week, so I just let them have at it), and we went and had lunch with Jay one day. And that was spring break.
P.S. Collin had a follow up with the neurologist to discuss the MRI results. The good news; the mass is all outside his skull; his skull is completely intact, normal, and unaffected; and his brain looks normal. It "appears" to be what's called a lipoma, or fatty benign (the word I wanted to hear!) tumor (a word I did NOT want to hear), which are not a big deal.... usually. Lipomas are not unusual, but Collin's happens to be unusually large and in an unusual location. It only "appears" to be a lipoma, and the only way to know for sure is to remove it and do a biopsy. The surgery is fairly simple, it's out-patient, and recovery is generally pretty short. It will probably be this summer.
First, Collin had to have an MRI on his head. I'd better back up.
[WARNING: This post is kind of long because it's also my journal, and because I assume that you are reading this blog because you care about what goes on in our family. If that's not the case, go ahead and skip this post. I won't be offended. I won't even know. I'm just trying to be nice and spare you from getting bored.]
About 6 months ago, while cutting Collin's hair (which I hadn't done in a long time.... Jay had just been "buzzing it off" with the electric clippers, but now that he is in 7th grade he cares what his hair looks like) I noticed a lump on his scalp, about 1.5" diameter, right at the "crown." It is sort of "squishy" and pliable.
Of course I called the pediatrician right away, was told it was suspicious, had an ultrasound, went to see a pediatric surgeon who said it was probably just a cyst and we could decide to "wait and see" or have it removed, and determine the timetable ourselves. He didn't act like it was a big deal so we decided to wait until school was out.
In the meantime, Collin was having some drainage from his right ear (had chronic ear infections as a baby, had an adnoidectomy and tubes in his ears) so I took him to the pediatric ENT (love him) who said he has a perforated ear drum that probably won't heal on it's own. But, since surgery is invasive and it doesn't seem to have effected his hearing, he feels it is better to give it some time (usually a year) to see if it will heal on its own.
So, we happened to mention to him that Collin has a "mass" on his head that will need to be removed. He said he could work with the other surgeon and do them both at the same time to avoid having anesthesia more than absolutely necessary. Then he said, "Just out of curiosity, I would like to see/feel this lump." (It's kind of hard to actually "see" it under all that hair.) After about 10 seconds he asked who the surgeon was, and I told him. He said, "Well, he is a fine general surgeon, but this is on his HEAD! He MUST see a pediatric neurologist," and recommended one.
Off we went to see doctor #4 (love him) who immediately ordered the MRI. So, yeah, MRI's stink. (I've had a couple in my life, and it's pretty miserable.) If you've never had one, just imagine lying perfectly still (you can blink and breathe, but that's it) on a super hard table inside a tube, for 45 minutes, while listening to a jack hammer. Yep, it sucks. But Collin was a trooper and did great.
Second, Collin got braces. I had to snap a photo with my phone.... it was too funny.
 | |
| Remember how I said he cares about his hair now? Well, I totally screwed up this hair cut. Oops. |
So, he had to have 10 teeth pulled.... that was last summer, and they still aren't in. Most of them have at least "budded" so that's good, but 2 have still not made an appearance. This has been the hold up with the braces (he should have had them about a year ago). They finally put the braces on, and then he will eventually have to have oral surgery to go in an attach to the teeth and pull them down. Bummer.
So, yeah, lots going on with Collin. He is such a good sport about all of this. And to top it off he is getting straight A's, and he has a part-time job.
[His former scout leader was always so impressed with Collin that he asked him to take care of his yard, dog, and pool. He goes over there 2 days a week for a couple of hours. He is earning money for scout camp (he is going to 2 different ones this year), so this is great timing (probably just temporary while this man is particularly busy at work). We are excited for Collin to have the opportunity at such a young age, to earn his own money, learn to make a budget, and keep track of his spending.]
The rest of the week the kids mostly just played Wii (they never get to during a regular school week, so I just let them have at it), and we went and had lunch with Jay one day. And that was spring break.
P.S. Collin had a follow up with the neurologist to discuss the MRI results. The good news; the mass is all outside his skull; his skull is completely intact, normal, and unaffected; and his brain looks normal. It "appears" to be what's called a lipoma, or fatty benign (the word I wanted to hear!) tumor (a word I did NOT want to hear), which are not a big deal.... usually. Lipomas are not unusual, but Collin's happens to be unusually large and in an unusual location. It only "appears" to be a lipoma, and the only way to know for sure is to remove it and do a biopsy. The surgery is fairly simple, it's out-patient, and recovery is generally pretty short. It will probably be this summer.
March 27, 2012
EASY DINNER #7 - Super Easy Clam Chowder
This is one of my favorite "pantry recipes." I always keep a good stock of these items in my pantry because my family loves this soup, and you can put it together in just a few minutes. The "non-pantry" items are pretty much "optional," though they make it quite tasty. :) But this makes for a good "food storage" recipe.
SUPER EASY CLAM CHOWDER
(4-6 servings)
2 (15 oz.) cans diced potatoes (I get these at Wal-Mart), drained*
1 can corn, drained*
1 can cream of celery soup
1 (6.5 oz.) can minced or chopped clams, UNdrained**
2 T. butter (optional)
2 T. heavy cream (optional)
pepper, to taste
Combine ingredients in a medium pot and heat through over medium heat. If desired, serve with toppings like crumbled bacon*** (yum!), croutons, or oyster crackers (bleh, but my husband likes them), or serve with crusty bread on the side, and salad or veggies.
* If you want your soup thinner, don't drain the potatoes or corn.
** Sometimes I use 2 cans when I'm feeling generous. :)
*** I buy the large bags of "Real Crumbled Bacon" from Sam's Club, separate it into small zipper bags and freeze it. Then I pull one out to keep in my fridge for things like this.
SUPER EASY CLAM CHOWDER
(4-6 servings)
2 (15 oz.) cans diced potatoes (I get these at Wal-Mart), drained*
1 can corn, drained*
1 can cream of celery soup
1 (6.5 oz.) can minced or chopped clams, UNdrained**
2 T. butter (optional)
2 T. heavy cream (optional)
pepper, to taste
Combine ingredients in a medium pot and heat through over medium heat. If desired, serve with toppings like crumbled bacon*** (yum!), croutons, or oyster crackers (bleh, but my husband likes them), or serve with crusty bread on the side, and salad or veggies.
* If you want your soup thinner, don't drain the potatoes or corn.
** Sometimes I use 2 cans when I'm feeling generous. :)
*** I buy the large bags of "Real Crumbled Bacon" from Sam's Club, separate it into small zipper bags and freeze it. Then I pull one out to keep in my fridge for things like this.
March 26, 2012
Glasses
March 22, 2012
EASY DINNER #6 - Easy Creamy Pasta
From a series of easy dinner recipes, explained in this post.
This is great as a quick and simple side dish, or a main dish if you add in some extras. You can go simple and light, or hearty and filling.
Optional add-ins:
This is great as a quick and simple side dish, or a main dish if you add in some extras. You can go simple and light, or hearty and filling.
EASY CREAMY PASTA
16 oz. pasta, any shape (we like Rigatoni)
2 T. butter
1/3 - 1/2 c. parmesan cheese, grated (fresh, not from a can!)
1/4 c. cream (or milk), optional
coarse garlic salt, to taste
parsley, dry or fresh (chopped)
Cook and drain pasta; return to pot. Toss with remaining ingredients and return to warm burner to melt cheese. Serve as a simple side dish, or add optional ingredients as desired.
Optional add-ins:
1-2 T. pesto
other fresh herbs or Italian seasoning
sliced/diced cooked chicken or sausage
sautéed mushrooms and/or zucchini, etc.
a can of diced tomatoes
March 21, 2012
Mary Gets Published
Mary loves reading The Friend magazine. She typically reads it cover-to-cover on the day it arrives in the mail. She has always especially liked the little stories sent in by kids and always wished she could "be in print."
More than two years ago, when she was 8, Mary had an experience that she wanted to write about and send to The Friend, so I helped her and we sent it in. For months afterward she searched the magazine eagerly, hoping to find her little story and photo. I assured her that IF it was ever actually published it would take a long time because they plan their layouts months and months in advance.
She eventually gave up hope and forgot about it. Well, yesterday the April 2012 addition of The Friend arrived in the mail. I heard Mary and Jack arguing over who would get to read it first. Fortunately, Mary won. You can imagine her surprise and delight when she turned to page 19 and saw her photo (now outdated) and story printed at the bottom! She could not be more pleased. It made her day.... probably her whole year. Don't be surprised if the next time you talk to Mary she tells you all about it.
See the story HERE.
EASY DINNER #5 - Hawaiian Chicken
From a series of easy dinner recipes, explained in this post.
This is one of the easiest recipes I have ever made, and I've been making it since college. It's a simple dish that is great combined with a salad or veggies on the side.
HAWAIIAN CHICKEN
1 c. water
1 c. soy sauce
1 c. brown sugar
6-8 boneless skinless chicken thighs (or leftover chicken)
Combine in a large pot, bring to a boil; cook until chicken is cooked through. Serve over rice. (You can also do this in a crock pot but reduce water to 1/2 c.)
This is one of the easiest recipes I have ever made, and I've been making it since college. It's a simple dish that is great combined with a salad or veggies on the side.
HAWAIIAN CHICKEN
1 c. water
1 c. soy sauce
1 c. brown sugar
6-8 boneless skinless chicken thighs (or leftover chicken)
Combine in a large pot, bring to a boil; cook until chicken is cooked through. Serve over rice. (You can also do this in a crock pot but reduce water to 1/2 c.)
March 20, 2012
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAY!
Today is Jay's 40th birthday. I made his favorite Eggs Benedict this morning for breakfast, as usual, and this evening we went to Liberty Market for dinner (one of our favorite restaurants, and you get $10 off on your birthday) and had a delicious meal.
The kids and I wrote a song for Jay and the kids sang it to him tonight. (I will post video and lyrics later.) Then we had cake, of course. He requested Tres Leches, another favorite, but not pretty, so no photos. But it's very scrumptious, especially with strawberries on top. Yum! (Too bad I couldn't have any. I've lost 25 pounds in the last 10 weeks, so I'm not complaining! Woo hoo!)
I gave Jay a new hard case for his guitar.... the one he had was junk. And the kids gave him a couple of other small gifts.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAY! You are the greatest husband, and I'm so grateful that you are such a wonderful father too. I love you!
The kids and I wrote a song for Jay and the kids sang it to him tonight. (I will post video and lyrics later.) Then we had cake, of course. He requested Tres Leches, another favorite, but not pretty, so no photos. But it's very scrumptious, especially with strawberries on top. Yum! (Too bad I couldn't have any. I've lost 25 pounds in the last 10 weeks, so I'm not complaining! Woo hoo!)
I gave Jay a new hard case for his guitar.... the one he had was junk. And the kids gave him a couple of other small gifts.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAY! You are the greatest husband, and I'm so grateful that you are such a wonderful father too. I love you!
EASY DINNER #4 - Southwestern Chicken Crock Pot
From a series of easy dinner recipes, explained in this post.
There aren't that many things I use a crock pot for; mostly cooking meat. This is one of the few actual meals that I like cooked in a one. It's super easy for a day when you will be gone a lot, and most of the ingredients are things you probably keep on hand anyway. If you want to doctor it up by adding more seasonings, go for it.
SOUTHWESTERN CHICKEN CROCK POT
1 bag frozen corn
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 large boneless/skinless chicken breasts
16 oz. salsa or picante sauce (homemade or from a jar, whatever)
In a large crock pot layer corn, then chicken, then beans, and top with salsa. Cook on low 4-6 hours (longer if your chicken is frozen, or cook on high). Shred chicken and serve with fresh cilantro, sour cream, tortilla chips and cheese, if desired.
There aren't that many things I use a crock pot for; mostly cooking meat. This is one of the few actual meals that I like cooked in a one. It's super easy for a day when you will be gone a lot, and most of the ingredients are things you probably keep on hand anyway. If you want to doctor it up by adding more seasonings, go for it.
SOUTHWESTERN CHICKEN CROCK POT
1 bag frozen corn
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 large boneless/skinless chicken breasts
16 oz. salsa or picante sauce (homemade or from a jar, whatever)
In a large crock pot layer corn, then chicken, then beans, and top with salsa. Cook on low 4-6 hours (longer if your chicken is frozen, or cook on high). Shred chicken and serve with fresh cilantro, sour cream, tortilla chips and cheese, if desired.
March 19, 2012
EASY DINNER # 3 - Frittata
From a series of easy dinner recipes, explained in this post.
FRITTATA (serves 6-8)
2 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c. chopped onion (or I use 1 T. of dehydrated minced onion as a time saver)
Veggies, whatever you have on hand, cut/sliced*
Leftover chicken or sliced sausage (any kind), or ham
8 eggs
Herbs, whatever you like (I like 1 tsp. basil and 1 tsp. thyme) **
Salt & pepper to taste
1 - 1 1/2 c. grated cheese, whatever you have (cheddar, jack, colby, swiss, etc.), or a combination
In an ovenproof skillet saute onion, garlic and veggies in oil (leave spinach until the end); remove from heat and add tomatoes and chicken or sausage. Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, whisk together eggs, herbs, and S&P. Add cheese and pour over veggies in skillet. Bake about 35 minutes, until eggs are set. Serve with salad.
* e.g. mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, zucchini, broccoli, peppers, green onions
** If you want a Mexican flavor instead, leave these out and add about 1 c. of salsa in place of any tomatoes.
FRITTATA (serves 6-8)
2 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c. chopped onion (or I use 1 T. of dehydrated minced onion as a time saver)
Veggies, whatever you have on hand, cut/sliced*
Leftover chicken or sliced sausage (any kind), or ham
8 eggs
Herbs, whatever you like (I like 1 tsp. basil and 1 tsp. thyme) **
Salt & pepper to taste
1 - 1 1/2 c. grated cheese, whatever you have (cheddar, jack, colby, swiss, etc.), or a combination
In an ovenproof skillet saute onion, garlic and veggies in oil (leave spinach until the end); remove from heat and add tomatoes and chicken or sausage. Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, whisk together eggs, herbs, and S&P. Add cheese and pour over veggies in skillet. Bake about 35 minutes, until eggs are set. Serve with salad.
* e.g. mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, zucchini, broccoli, peppers, green onions
** If you want a Mexican flavor instead, leave these out and add about 1 c. of salsa in place of any tomatoes.
March 18, 2012
EASY DINNER # 2 - Asian Beef & Cabbage
From a series of easy dinner recipes, explained in this post.
Saute cole slaw mix and mushrooms in oil; add chicken and sauce (see below) and heat through; serve over rice.
ASIAN BEEF (or chicken) & CABBAGE
(adjust amounts for your family size and preferences)
(adjust amounts for your family size and preferences)
Leftover sliced roast beef, or chicken (whatever amount is right for your family)
16 oz. bag of cole slaw mix (from the produce section; it's sliced cabbage and carrots)
8 oz. sliced mushrooms (fresh or canned)
2 T. canola oil
16 oz. bag of cole slaw mix (from the produce section; it's sliced cabbage and carrots)
8 oz. sliced mushrooms (fresh or canned)
2 T. canola oil
Hot cooked rice
Saute cole slaw mix and mushrooms in oil; add chicken and sauce (see below) and heat through; serve over rice.
Sauce:
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. ginger (ground or fresh)
1/2 tsp. chili sauce (sriracha)
1 tsp. crushed garlic
1 T. sesame oil
1 T. rice vinegar
Whisk together in a small bowl.
March 17, 2012
EASY DINNER #1 - Fajitas
From a series of easy dinner recipes, explained in this post.
Sorry.... I don't do fancy photos of food like real food-bloggers do. Besides, this recipe is too easy to need photo instructions, and you can use your imagination to visualize the end result.
Heat a bit of oil in a wok or large skillet; saute peppers (and onion, if using) until as tender as you like them; add chicken and seasoning, mix well, and heat through. Serve on tortillas with sour cream and fresh tomatoes (optional).
** I love onions but my husband isn't a fan. If you have one or more family who members who refuse to eat onions just remember this.... onions add a lot of flavor, but you can always not serve them to the picky ones (easy to pick out), or just add a few for those who do like them, and still get the flavor.
Sorry.... I don't do fancy photos of food like real food-bloggers do. Besides, this recipe is too easy to need photo instructions, and you can use your imagination to visualize the end result.
FAJITAS
(adjust amounts for your family size and preferences)
Cooked chicken, cut up (from freezer or crockpot), whatever amount is right for your family
1 bag frozen bell pepper strips from Trader Joe's* (or 2-3 fresh bell peppers, any color, sliced)
Cooked chicken, cut up (from freezer or crockpot), whatever amount is right for your family
1 bag frozen bell pepper strips from Trader Joe's* (or 2-3 fresh bell peppers, any color, sliced)
1 onion, sliced (optional**)
1 packet McCormick Fajita seasoning***
1 packet McCormick Fajita seasoning***
Flour tortillas
Heat a bit of oil in a wok or large skillet; saute peppers (and onion, if using) until as tender as you like them; add chicken and seasoning, mix well, and heat through. Serve on tortillas with sour cream and fresh tomatoes (optional).
* Makes this meal especially easy. I always keep these in my freezer, but I often have fresh ones too, which I prefer. But when you are pressed for time the frozen ones are great!
** I love onions but my husband isn't a fan. If you have one or more family who members who refuse to eat onions just remember this.... onions add a lot of flavor, but you can always not serve them to the picky ones (easy to pick out), or just add a few for those who do like them, and still get the flavor.
*** I like this particular brand, but if you prefer a different brand, use that, or make your own.
NOTE: If you have found that bell peppers "don't agree with you" try avoiding green peppers, and just use red, orange and/or yellow. Green ones seem to be the culprit, because they are actually unripe... they turn yellow, then orange, then red when fully ripe. (Did you know that?) Green ones also tend to be bitter, while red are sweet.
NOTE: If you have found that bell peppers "don't agree with you" try avoiding green peppers, and just use red, orange and/or yellow. Green ones seem to be the culprit, because they are actually unripe... they turn yellow, then orange, then red when fully ripe. (Did you know that?) Green ones also tend to be bitter, while red are sweet.
March 16, 2012
Easy Dinner Ideas from a Non-Food-Blogger
I know this isn't a food blog (there are PLENTY of those out there already), but I always like to share recipes, especially if they work for busy moms. You see, I enjoy cooking (and eating), but I'm all about quick and easy when it comes to making regular dinners for my family. A friend of mine mentioned that she loves it when I share dinner tips with her, so I figured I would share them here. Who knows, maybe they will be helpful to someone else.
Just so you know, these are recipes I feed my kids, but they aren't picky eaters.... I don't allow that nonsense! I had a roommate in college who was so incredibly picky (Andrea, if you are reading this, I love you to pieces, but you know this is true!) that she literally lived on frozen pizza, hamburgers, and Special K cereal... with no milk, because she didn't like milk, of course. Oh, and occasionally she would gag down some carrots to assuage her guilt. I'm not exaggerating. She was most definitely the pickiest eater I have EVER encountered in my life. And she freely admitted it was because her mother coddled her. I decided then that I would NEVER do that with my own children. And I haven't.
Now, don't get me wrong... my children aren't perfect eaters, but they will try anything I serve them, and they willingly eat a lot of things that many children (and adults!) turn their noses up at, including spicy ethnic foods, and they like all vegetables, salads, and fruits. So, I'm more than satisfied.
Anyway, over the next several days I will share some of my favorite quick and easy dinners.... just so you know. I wouldn't want anyone to think they didn't come to the right blog or something.... if there is anyone still out there actually reading my blog. (I think my husband does.... he checks occasionally to make sure I haven't revealed anything embarrassing about him.)
BUT FIRST, I have to share an essential tip before all the others. Most of these recipes call for chicken. And, well.... I'm lazy. And I hate handling raw meat of any kind, so I avoid it whenever possible. Here is my solution; cook a whole bunch of it in a large crock pot ahead of time... it makes dinner much faster, and you don't have to, well, you know, handle that disgusting raw meat.
Here's how:
1 large crock pot
A whole bunch of boneless/skinless chicken breasts
1/2 c. water (if your chicken is frozen)
OK, now pay attention because this is kind of tricky. Dump all the chicken in the crock pot. Did you get that? Like, dump a whole bag of frozen chicken breasts from Costco in.... whatever your crock pot will hold. Stuff it in there. And IF, heaven forbid, you have to touch it (ewww!) to make it fit, wash you hands! (At least when it's frozen it's not so gross.)
Now, if your chicken is frozen, PLEASE don't forget to add 1/2 c. water... if you don't, your crock pot will crack in half (so I'm told) and you will be mad... but not at me, because I warned you! So, there is my disclaimer.
In my crock pot, I cook it on high for 3 hours and it's perfectly cooked, tender and juicy. Yours might a little different, but that's a place to start. You will also end up with some broth to use in a recipe, so save it if you want (it freezes well). You can season the chicken before you cook it, but I like to leave it plain and season it later; that way I'm not locked in to any particular "taste" when I use it in a recipe.
So, there you have it. A whole bunch of chicken ready to use in future recipes. (Way cheaper, and tastier, than buying pre-cooked chicken.) If you do this on Monday morning you can have chicken ready for all of your meals for the whole week. If you aren't going to use it all in one week, freeze what you won't use. Here are a few ways to do it:
1) Cut into bite-size pieces and put individual portions in plastic zip bags. Then put them all in large zip bag (so you can keep them all together and find them easier, and so they won't "get lost" in your freezer, or freezer-burned) and put that in the freezer. Then, just pull one out in the morning to defrost in the fridge, and use to make a salad for your lunch.
2) Or freeze full-meal-size portions you can pull out for a recipe.
3) Freeze frozen cooked breasts to cut up later and use. Just remember full breasts won't thaw as fast as cut up pieces.
So, there is your first step. Tomorrow I will post a recipe you can use some of this chicken with. Or you can just dip it in BBQ sauce and eat it. Well, duh... you can make BBQ sandwiches with it!
Just so you know, these are recipes I feed my kids, but they aren't picky eaters.... I don't allow that nonsense! I had a roommate in college who was so incredibly picky (Andrea, if you are reading this, I love you to pieces, but you know this is true!) that she literally lived on frozen pizza, hamburgers, and Special K cereal... with no milk, because she didn't like milk, of course. Oh, and occasionally she would gag down some carrots to assuage her guilt. I'm not exaggerating. She was most definitely the pickiest eater I have EVER encountered in my life. And she freely admitted it was because her mother coddled her. I decided then that I would NEVER do that with my own children. And I haven't.
Now, don't get me wrong... my children aren't perfect eaters, but they will try anything I serve them, and they willingly eat a lot of things that many children (and adults!) turn their noses up at, including spicy ethnic foods, and they like all vegetables, salads, and fruits. So, I'm more than satisfied.
Anyway, over the next several days I will share some of my favorite quick and easy dinners.... just so you know. I wouldn't want anyone to think they didn't come to the right blog or something.... if there is anyone still out there actually reading my blog. (I think my husband does.... he checks occasionally to make sure I haven't revealed anything embarrassing about him.)
BUT FIRST, I have to share an essential tip before all the others. Most of these recipes call for chicken. And, well.... I'm lazy. And I hate handling raw meat of any kind, so I avoid it whenever possible. Here is my solution; cook a whole bunch of it in a large crock pot ahead of time... it makes dinner much faster, and you don't have to, well, you know, handle that disgusting raw meat.
Here's how:
1 large crock pot
A whole bunch of boneless/skinless chicken breasts
1/2 c. water (if your chicken is frozen)
OK, now pay attention because this is kind of tricky. Dump all the chicken in the crock pot. Did you get that? Like, dump a whole bag of frozen chicken breasts from Costco in.... whatever your crock pot will hold. Stuff it in there. And IF, heaven forbid, you have to touch it (ewww!) to make it fit, wash you hands! (At least when it's frozen it's not so gross.)
Now, if your chicken is frozen, PLEASE don't forget to add 1/2 c. water... if you don't, your crock pot will crack in half (so I'm told) and you will be mad... but not at me, because I warned you! So, there is my disclaimer.
In my crock pot, I cook it on high for 3 hours and it's perfectly cooked, tender and juicy. Yours might a little different, but that's a place to start. You will also end up with some broth to use in a recipe, so save it if you want (it freezes well). You can season the chicken before you cook it, but I like to leave it plain and season it later; that way I'm not locked in to any particular "taste" when I use it in a recipe.
So, there you have it. A whole bunch of chicken ready to use in future recipes. (Way cheaper, and tastier, than buying pre-cooked chicken.) If you do this on Monday morning you can have chicken ready for all of your meals for the whole week. If you aren't going to use it all in one week, freeze what you won't use. Here are a few ways to do it:
1) Cut into bite-size pieces and put individual portions in plastic zip bags. Then put them all in large zip bag (so you can keep them all together and find them easier, and so they won't "get lost" in your freezer, or freezer-burned) and put that in the freezer. Then, just pull one out in the morning to defrost in the fridge, and use to make a salad for your lunch.
2) Or freeze full-meal-size portions you can pull out for a recipe.
3) Freeze frozen cooked breasts to cut up later and use. Just remember full breasts won't thaw as fast as cut up pieces.
So, there is your first step. Tomorrow I will post a recipe you can use some of this chicken with. Or you can just dip it in BBQ sauce and eat it. Well, duh... you can make BBQ sandwiches with it!
March 14, 2012
"This has been the best weekend!"
I apologize in advance for the poor quality of the photos in this post; I don't know how to get good photos with my iPhone in low-light situations (someone teach me!), and it seems like whenever I am using my phone for photos (as opposed to my DSLR) we are either in a hurry because we don't want to hold up a line of people (we try to be polite), it's dark, or people are crowded around bumping me. So, most of them are blurry and/or dark. Sorry.
In the middle of February, we had a particularly fun weekend. It went like this:
FRIDAY: We took our kids to watch the Harlem Globetrotters "play" at the US Airways Center. We ate dinner downtown before hand, walked around and enjoyed the great weather, had a blast laughing at the "game" (Mary was really concerned that the Globetrotters might not win... it was cute. I assured her they always do!), got our ball autographed afterward, and got ice cream on the way home. It was really fun.
SATURDAY: Jay and I attended a wonderful concert by the Phoenix Symphony. We have had season tickets for years, and we always love it, but this concert was particularly amazing. (We purchased our tickets for next season, the last with our favorite conductor! We are sad he is leaving.) It was a tribute to Arizona during the week of it's centennial, and featured the Grand Canyon Suite (Grofe) combined with a photochoreography presentation by James Westwater, which was commissioned just for this event. It was spectacular. The rest of the concert was fantastic as well, with Dvorak's "New World" Symphony (one of our favorites) and Copland's Lincoln Portrait narrated by Hugh Downs. We were both overcome by how great the concert was.
SUNDAY: Jay said, "This has been such a great weekend!" Thinking of all the great events we had attended I said, "I know!" Then Jay continued, "Yeah, I got a great FREE parking spot right in front of the arena on Friday night, and again right in front of Symphony Hall on Saturday! AND I made the best lemonade on yesterday!" I had to laugh. That is SO Jay. :P I love that he always makes me laugh.
And yes, he also loved all the REAL great things we did. :)
SOME OTHER FUN THINGS IN FEBRUARY:
- I chaperoned Jack's school class field trip to the IMAX to see Deep Sea 3D (fantastic),
- Jay and I attended the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Concert in celebration of Arizona's Centennial Birthday. It was wonderful and so much fun, especially to have them sing "I Love You, Arizona" and see Sandra Day O'Connor conduct a piece.
- Jay and I attended a gardening class, learned a lot, and finally got our spring garden planted!
- Jack finished a season playing on a basketball team.
 |
| Sweaty and tired after his last game. |
- We attended another Phoenix Symphony concert that we weren't that excited about but left saying, "That was fantastic!" We were very pleasantly surprised.
- Mary took a cheerleading class (for fun) with some of her friends and really enjoyed it.
OTHER:
- In January we took Collin with us to the symphony to hear them perform Dvorak's Cello Concerto with soloist Zuill Bailey. It was fantastic (do you see a pattern here?). We got to meet the cellist during intermission, which was fun. He is very funny, and quite the storyteller. It was interesting to see such a different personality in person (funny and casual) than on stage (serious/dramatic and formal).
Collin also plays the cello (and is getting quite good), which is the reason we took him to this particular concert. He loved it! I enjoyed watching Collin mimic some of Bailey's movements during his next Jr. high school orchestra concert a few weeks later. :)
Remember, they are only 7th and 8th graders. :) But they get to play in an awesome venue.... the Mesa Arts Center (Collin thought it was cool they performed there shortly after the presidential debate).
March 11, 2012
100th Day of School
Each January, on the 100th day of the school year, every child who hasn't missed a day gets a certificate and a helium balloon to release at a special ceremony that morning. My kids usually get to participate, and they love it. It always surprises me how something as simple as a helium balloon can really make a child's entire day. They never seem to out-grow it.
 |
| Mary (left) and 2 of her friends |
Dinner in the backyard on a beautiful spring evening
Valentine's Day
I sort of hate Valentine's Day because it's a forced expression of "love" that ends up being meaningless because it's not spontaneous. (I'll spare you my usual rant on the subject.) I usually tell Jay not to buy me flowers or chocolates, but he does anyway (no chocolates this year because he knows I would have killed him since I've been really faithful to my plan and I've lost 24 pounds and 9 inches in the last 9 weeks).
Going to a restaurant on Valentine's Day is usually out of the question because you have to make an advance reservation even at places you could normally walk right in to and get a table within a few minutes. So, I made a special dinner for my family on Valentine's Day; steak, Jay's favorite, and my kids go nuts for it.
I also used my wedding china and crystal, which I love, love, love! My kids were kind of shocked because this is the first time that I have deemed everyone old enough to be careful and not break anything. :) It was really fun. I forgot to take photos of the food, but it was very tasty and looked lovely too, if I may say so myself.
Going to a restaurant on Valentine's Day is usually out of the question because you have to make an advance reservation even at places you could normally walk right in to and get a table within a few minutes. So, I made a special dinner for my family on Valentine's Day; steak, Jay's favorite, and my kids go nuts for it.
I also used my wedding china and crystal, which I love, love, love! My kids were kind of shocked because this is the first time that I have deemed everyone old enough to be careful and not break anything. :) It was really fun. I forgot to take photos of the food, but it was very tasty and looked lovely too, if I may say so myself.
Jack's Baptism
Jack was baptized a member of our church yesterday. It was a very nice service. Jay performed the baptism and confirmation, and gave Jack a beautiful and inspired blessing. There were lots of people there to support Jack. We love him and are so happy for the good choices he makes.
Afterward we had dinner with our two extended families (Nielsons and DeWitts), about 50 people. (I forgot to take any photos of that because it was kind of hectic.) My parents graciously let us hold it at their house/yard, since we don't have that kind of space, and I just brought the food.
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