The Uncensored Mommy

The Hulk

2010-04-17T11:09:00.000-07:00

As embarrassing as this is to admit, the incredible hulk came to visit my house last night and it was dressed just like me. It was a bed time debacle to say the least. I was just trying to get my baby Aria to sleep (her and my 3 year old, Eva share a room). Eva was still awake... perhaps that was my first mistake, but I couldn't keep Aria up any longer. To make a long story short, Eva wanted to talk and then decided to come over to the crib. Big, big, mistake! I reacted, I realize that. I snapped at Eva and directed her to her bed quickly. She tripped over a toy and then the water works started. Now getting Aria to sleep would be impossible in this noise. I lost it. I could feel my sanity leaving and my face transforming into a distorted scowl as I yelled, "Daniel!" He rushed up the stairs and by looking at me I think he thought he would see blood. I told him to get Eva out of the room. Okay, so this was not one of my finer moments. I probably could have done without the yelling and ugly face making. I was able to get Aria to sleep within a few minutes but then I had to go back down stairs and sort out the mess I had aggravated. Eva was whimpering on the couch. My heart was undone. I tried to calmly talk things out with her. She is learning the fine art of blame shifting at a very young age. I apologized for getting so upset, she was hesitant to forgive me. I can't say I blame her much. We finally worked things out and I cuddled her in bed for a while and all was well again.

I hate that I get like that some times, but I love my girls. I realize that they will probably be in therapy one day; I can only do the best that I can right? I'm not perfect, but I try to say I'm sorry and make things right when I'm wrong. Parenting is so tough!

CHANGES COMING SOON

2009-11-25T11:26:00.000-08:00

IF YOU ARE FOLLOWING THIS BLOG FOR RECIPES AND COOKING REASONS THEN YOU WILL WANT TO FOLLOW MY NEW COOKING BLOG:

http://theuncensoredcook.blogspot.com/

THAT BLOG IS DEDICATED TO MEAL PLANNING, COOKING, BAKING AND ALL MANNER OF FOOD FUN!

THIS BLOG WILL ONCE AGAIN BE DEDICATED TO THE REALITIES OF MOMMYHOOD

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THE REALITIES OF BEING A WIFE THEN YOU MAY WANT TO CHECK OUT

http://theuncensoredwife.blogspot.com/

Amazing Pumpkin Pie

2009-11-24T12:45:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

* 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin (or fresh cooked equivalent)
* 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 well beaten eggs
* 6 oz evaporated milk
* 6 oz cup heavy cream
* 1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell

Directions

1. Combine first 8 ingredients in a large bowl, mixing well.
2. Combine the evaporated milk and the heavy cream in a small saucepan.
3. Heat the milks to the scalding point.
4. Add scalded milks to the other ingredients, mixing well.
5. Pour equally into the two UNBAKED pie shells.
6. Bake 350 degrees for about 1 hour.
7. Pie is done when a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean.
8. Top with desired topping.

As with all pumpkin pies, this is even better the next day.

Caramel Apple Pie

2009-11-24T10:37:00.000-08:00

By far the best apple pie I have ever made. It sets perfectly every time and has a caramel like filling.

Ingredients

* 1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
* 1/2 cup unsalted butter
* 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1/4 cup water
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
* 4 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced
* 4 Fuji or other good pie apples - peeled, cored and sliced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer.
2. Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Cover with a lattice work of crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so that it does not run off.
3. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, until apples are soft.

Awesome Gluten Free Bread!!!

2009-10-10T22:24:00.000-07:00

I am not lying when I say that this is far and away the best GF bread I have ever tasted. I LOVE gluten, let me just make that clear, but since a couple of my in-laws have Celiac (and for all I know one of my girls could end up with it), I set out in true to form fashion to find a good GF bread recipe to help my newly diagnosed father-in-law. I made about 6 different recipes and kind of got a feel for all the new and kinda strange flours and additives that are GF. The last one I posted tasted pretty good (kinda like french bread), but it turned into such a flat loaf. I knew there had to be something better. Through trial and error I concocted this beautiful recipe. It tastes much like french bread and rises like a normal loaf of gluten bread. It isn't eggy tasting and it stays pretty moist. My father-in-law nearly cried. Unfortunately, this bread is fairly high in carbs and he is diabetic (perhaps the true reason for his tears). I'm not beat yet, so for him, my search will continue. But for anyone else who is interested, please enjoy and post your comments.

PS I also used a little extra GF flour and turned this into pizza crust so my FIL could have pizza with the rest of us (again, tears).

Ingredients:
1 1/4 C. Cornstarch
1/2 C. Potato starch
1/2 C. Sorghum Flour
1/4 C. Flax meal
2 tsp. Xanthan Gum
2 T. Psyllium husk powder (found in the bulk section of health food store)
2 1/4 tsp. Instant Yeast
1 tsp. salt

2 eggs (or egg substitute)
2 egg whites
1 C. water
2 T. Oil (I used veggie oil)
2 T. Honey
2 tsp. vinegar (I used apple cider)

Instructions:
1- Combine ALL dry ingredients.

2- In the mixer, combine wet ingredients, then add the dry.

3- Scrape the sides, and mix on medium for 4-5 minutes.

4- Pour into 9x5 pan, using oiled fingers, smooth out top of dough.

5- Let rise (took about 80 minutes). I let it rise in a turned off oven.

5- Bake at 350F for about 40 minutes.

6- Remove from pan, cool, and slice. (I didn't wait for it to cool and it turned out fine).

Don't laugh

2009-10-10T21:48:00.000-07:00

Okay, this is a little embarrassing so please don't laugh to hard; I am Somersizing. Yeah, that's right, as in, Suzanne Somers. It all started out 3 years ago when I gave birth to my beautiful daughter Eva. I lost weight initially, but gained it all back while I breastfed. I always have a monstrous appetite while breastfeeding. Anyway, time passed, I couldn't drop the weight, then I was prego again, and now I'm having the same breastfeeding problem. Viscous cycle. I some how heard about "food combining" for people with digestive problems, but I also heard that it can cure chronic fatigue, foggy head, hormonal problems, you name it. And on top of all that, you loose weight. So after locking my keys in the car two days in a row, I realized my head is just not as clear as it used to be. Granted you could call it "babybrain" but I just don't feel like I'm running at my optimum capacity. I don't have any energy, I can't remember things, I'm overweight, I feel like I'm moving in slow motion. All that to say, I knew something had to give. So in the usual "Joy" fashion, I started researching "food combining". I learned lots of great things, but it sounded a little tricky when it comes to cooking for a family (unless I could convert them all). As I was googling, I came across "Somersizing". I had visions of the cheesiness of it all, but her program seams very easy to follow, and lines up pretty well with "food combining" but a little less strict (but apparently the same results). So I thought I'd try it for a week. I found some of her books at the library, so that helped. Her recipes look and sound very gourmet, but I tried one of them and it turned out pretty good so it encourages me to try more. On this program you don't really need her recipes as long as you understand the main concept. Here's the breakdown:

Proteins/Fats & Veggies can be eaten together
Carbs & Veggies can be eaten together
Fruit is eaten seperately

Your body uses different digestive juices to process different foods and if you combine those foods improperly, then your body has a hard time digesting, thereby creating all kinds of problems as it begins to rot in your tummy. But, if you eat foods that are digested the same way, they are processed quickly through your body and don't stick around turning into fat and such.

The downside is trying to kick sugar, caffeine, and white flour. The upside is, I already feel better, and I feel like I'm starting to loose weight. I've switched to Stevia (irritating aftertaste, but I'm getting used to it). I'm eating way more fruit. And I like that I can prepare mostly the same food as usual, only I combine it differently on my plate.

I've committed to trying this for one more week, we'll see how it goes.

Zucchini Noodles Alfredo

2009-10-10T18:19:00.001-07:00

This turned out awesome! Even Danny liked it. He suggested adding grilled chicken to it, which would be incredible. Yes this is high in fat but it is totally legal with food combining (I'll explain in another post). I actually ate 2 zucchini... I don't even usually like zucchini. I would have loved this sauce with sourdough bread, but that would be an indigestible no no.

This makes 2 main dish servings (or 4 side dishes)

Ingredients:

6 Medium zucchini
1 T. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 C. heavy cream
1 T. butter
1/2 C. grated Parmesan
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1-2 T. fresh chives, for garnish (optional)

With sharp veggie peeler, make long noodles by starting at the top of the zucchini and "peeling" ribbons down the length of the zucchini. Continue making ribbons as you turn the zucchini to get all the green part off first. Keep making ribbons until the center portion becomes too thin to peel. Set aside noodles.

Heat a medium saucepan. Add the olive oil and garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add the cream. bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the mixture has a sauce like consistency, about 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet on medium high and add the butter and zucchini noodles. Saute noodles for 2-3 minutes.

Stir the Parmesan cheese into the sauce mixture until melted. Remove from heat. Season with the salt and pepper. Pour over zucchini noodles and toss to coat. Sprinkle with chives if desired.

Gluten Free Bread

2009-09-30T16:34:00.000-07:00

My father and sister-in-law have Celiac desease (they are allergic to gluten). To me this is a tragedy, because I love to bake. Therefore, I have taken it upon myself to figure out a bread recipe that is gluten free. My father in law will be here in a couple of days and I'd really like for him to have something tasty to munch on. My first loaf was ok, but very rice like in texture. I found this recipe that doesn't call for rice flour so I'm going to give it a go. It was written by Dan Lepard (from the UK), so I pretty much got some of the measurements wrong, so I'm going to attempt to convert this to American Standard.

Gluten free white bread
4 tsp soya flour (soy flour)
50g (little under 1/4 cup) potato starch
300g (1 1/3 cup) cornflour (cornstarch?)
1 tsp xanthan gum
25g (little under 2 T.) psyllium husk powder
2 tsp instant yeast
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp caster sugar
2 tsp vinegar
15ml (1 T.) sunflower oil, plus extra for brushing
2 tbsp yogurt
325ml (1 1/4 C. + 1 T.) warm water
30ml (2 T.) milk

Put the dry ingredients in a bowl, whisk the liquid separately, then mix the two really well for a minute, until they come together into a soft dough. Leave for an hour, then, using a lightly oiled worktop and hands, shape into rolls or into a baton for a tin loaf. Cover and leave for an hour and a half, until almost doubled.

Gluten-free dough doesn't have spring, so a very hot oven helps - 245C (220C fan-assisted)/475F/gas mark 9. Brush the top of the dough with oil and bake for 25 minutes (rolls) or 50 minutes (large tin loaf). Remove from the oven, and from the tin or tray, and leave to cool on a wire rack, covered with a cloth - this helps keep the bread soft.

Pizza dough

2009-09-13T15:08:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

Makes four 12-inch pizzas

* 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (one 1/4-ounce envelope)
* 2 cups warm water (105 degrees to 115 degrees)
* 5 to 5 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
* 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
* Extra-virgin olive oil, for bowl

Directions

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large bowl and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in 3 cups flour and the salt, stirring until smooth. Stir in an additional 2 cups flour; continue adding flour (up to 1/2 cup), 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring until dough comes away from bowl but is still sticky.
2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, and knead with lightly floured hands. Start by slapping the dough onto the counter, pulling it toward you with one hand and pushing it away from you with the other. Fold the dough back over itself (use a bench scraper or a wide knife to help scrape dough from surface). Repeat until it's easier to handle, about 10 times. Finish kneading normally until dough is smooth, elastic, and soft, but a little tacky, about 10 minutes.
3. Shape dough into a ball and transfer to a lightly oiled bowl; turn to coat. Cover with plastic, and let rise in a warm place until it doubles in volume, 2 hours. Press it with your finger to see if it's done; an indent should remain.
4. Scrape dough out of the bowl onto floured surface, and cut it into 4 pieces. Shape into balls. Dust with flour, and cover with plastic. Transfer to refrigerator, let rise overnight.

Amazing Spicy Grilled Shrimp

2009-09-13T13:30:00.000-07:00

Amazing Spicy Grilled Shrimp
INGREDIENTS

* 1/3 cup olive oil
* 1/4 cup sesame oil
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
* 2 tablespoons hot sauce
* 2 tablespoons minced garlic
* 1 tablespoon ketchup
* 1 tablespoon Asian chile paste
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon black pepper
* 3 tablespoons lemon juice
* 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
* 12 wooden skewers, soaked in water

1. Whisk together the olive oil, sesame oil, parsley, hot sauce, minced garlic, ketchup, chile sauce, salt, pepper, and lemon juice in a mixing bowl. Set aside about 1/3 of this marinade to use while grilling.
2. Place the shrimp in a large, resealable plastic bag. Pour in the remaining marinade and seal the bag. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
3. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat. Thread shrimp onto skewers, piercing once near the tail and once near the head. Discard marinade.
4. Lightly oil grill grate. Cook shrimp for 2 minutes per side until opaque, basting frequently with reserved marinade.

SLOW COOKER ROSEMARY CHICKEN PASTA

2009-09-13T12:45:00.000-07:00

SLOW COOKER ROSEMARY CHICKEN PASTA
Ingredients

* 1 lb. chicken, cooked & diced
* 1 lb. pasta any shape, Uncooked
* ½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
* ½ cup Colby jack cheese, shredded
* ½ cup onion, diced
* ½ Tbsp. Italian seasoning
* 2 cups skim milk
* 1 can cream of chicken soup

Directions

1. Place UNCOOKED pasta in zipper bag.
2. Add diced chicken.
3. Add diced onions.
4. Add Italian seasoning
5. Add cream of chicken soup.
6. Add 2 cups of milk
7. Remove excess air, seal & freeze.
8.
9. Thaw. Place in slow cooker
10. heat on low for 5-6 hours.

***Update*** I finally made this. It was ok. The noodles disintegrated after just 2 hours on low. I did use whole wheat noodles, but I can't imagine it would make that big of a difference. I think I would try this again but I would cook the noodles and then add them in at the end. Not as convenient, but not bad. Perhaps I would also add a veggie too (peas, asparagus, etc...)

Jamaican Barbecue Chicken Thighs

2009-09-13T12:37:00.000-07:00

Jamaican Barbecue Chicken Thighs

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS:
1/3 fresh jalapeno chili pepper, seeded, de-ribbed and chopped—
OPTIONAL
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
2/3 teaspoon rosemary, crumbled
2/3 teaspoon basil
2/3 teaspoon thyme leaves
3 tablespoons chopped green onion
1/3 large clove garlic, pressed
1/2 teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 boneless skinless chicken thighs

DO-AHEAD TIP:
Marinate chicken overnight or for at least 3 hours.

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:
In a blender or food processor, place chopped jalapeno pepper,
mustard, spices, green onion, garlic, salt, pepper and lime juice; whiz
until well blended. Smear about 3/4 of this mixture on one side of each
chicken piece. Place chicken in a large zipper-topped plastic bag. (Save
remaining mixture for later use—make sure it NEVER touched your raw
chicken!). Refrigerate chicken and leftover mixture overnight, or for at
least 3 hours. Preheat oven broiler. Place chicken, coated side up, on
broiler pan (NEVER USE GLASS BAKEWARE TO BROIL!); broil about 5
inches from heat source for about 25 minutes total, turning chicken
halfway through cooking time; baste with remaining sauce and finish
cooking.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS:
Whole wheat couscous and a big salad.

Enchiladas

2009-09-13T12:32:00.000-07:00

Enchiladas
INGREDIENTS
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast meat
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
• 6 (12 inch) flour tortillas
• 1/4 cup milk

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a large baking dish.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and saute the green onion until tender (about 3 to 4 minutes). Add the garlic powder, then stir in the green chiles, cream of mushroom soup and sour cream. Mix well. Reserve 3/4 of this sauce and set aside. To the remaining 1/4 of the sauce in the saucepan, add the chicken and 1/2 cup of shredded Cheddar cheese. Stir together.
3. Fill each flour tortilla with the chicken mixture and roll up. Place seam side down in the prepared baking dish.
4. In a small bowl combine the reserved 3/4 of the sauce with the milk. Spoon this mixture over the rolled tortillas and top with the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded Cheddar cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly.

When I'm feeling lazy I just layer all the ingredients like a lasagna then bake. I've also done these in the crockpot and they turned out pretty good.

September 14-20 menu plan

2009-09-13T12:08:00.000-07:00

I realize that I've been slacking it for a while now. and I spent way more money on food then I needed too. Here is my plan for dinners this week. I'm planning on posting recipes at some point too. I have several friends who are wanting me to help them with healthy menu planning. I'm super excited about this prospect. I, myself am 30 lbs over weight and helping others actually challenges me to stick to it too. Really my main problem is snacking. I'm breastfeeding and it gives me an appetite like nothing else. Being home all day with my girls doesn't help. I just need to get out and walk more. Anyway, here's the plan. Chicken is on sale this week!

Monday - Pizza
Tuesday - Grilled Chicken
Wednesday - Enchiladas
Thursday - Shrimp kabobs
Friday - Crockpot rosemary chicken
Saturday - Steak
Sunday - Popcorn, cheese, fruit

Syrup Flavoring

2009-07-10T16:08:00.000-07:00

Up till now I have absolutely been unable to drink coffee without CoffeeMate creamer or all dolled up from a coffee shop (peppermint mocha, etc). However, in an effort to drop a few pounds I've decided to lay off the totally hydrogenated creamers. All the homemade creamer recipes I've tried were not so great. But then I had the thought, what about making Vanilla syrup (like they use at Starbucks) and then just adding half and half. The syrup at $8 a pop is a little to pricey for my taste because I use a lot! Here is the recipe I found for the syrup:

Ingredients

* 2 cups water
* 2 cups sugar
* 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. In medium saucepan over medium high heat, bring water and sugar to a boil.
2. Cook until mixture thickens slightly, about three minutes.
3. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and let cool to room temperature.
4. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

I would highly recommend using a high quality pure vanilla (without alcohol), or boil a vanilla bean in the mix. Theoretically, you could also create several different flavors by swapping out the vanilla for a different extract (peppermint, hazelnut, coconut, almond, etc).

In a separate bottle I combined half and half and the syrup and there it is! Just remember to shake before using. I think we would save about $18 a month on creamer (Danny makes really strong coffee so the amount of creamer I have to use is ridiculous). Tell me what you think if you try this.

Homemade disinfectant wipes

2009-07-07T13:47:00.000-07:00

So I'm kind of addicted to cleaning wipes. I use them for just about everything. The only problem is that they are so freaking expensive. I found a recipe for making my own out of paper towels, water, vinegar, and tea tree oil (this is the disinfectant agent). This recipe may be fine but it was a lot of work and the paper towels didn't hold up very well unless I bought the expensive ones, but that kind of defeated the point for me. I kind of gave up on making my own for a while. Eva was potty training and needless to say, we went through tons of cleaning wipes. In fact, we ran out. This was bad news for me. On top of that, we were almost out of paper towels, so I had to get creative. I realized that I had a ton of baby wipes that had kind of dried out, so I thought, "why can't I use these?". I kept them in the wipe container and added the following:

1/3 cup boiling water
1/2 teaspoon tea tree oil
1/2 teaspoon lemon oil (I like the smell better then tea tree)

I just tried to dampen the wipes all throughout and bam! If you buy the wipes in bulk like I do, then the cost per wipe is considerably less then commercial cleaning wipes. I found that Huggies wipes are nice and thick and not very damp to begin with so they work perfect. The final product I think is AWESOME! Not to mention, this is an all natural cleaning product so I don't have to worry about it making my girls sick if they get into it.

Coconut Risotto

2009-06-30T11:27:00.000-07:00

Risotto always seamed like something that was just way to gourmet for me to make, but au contrare. Risotto does take a good 30 minutes of active cooking but it's sooo worth it. I found this recipe and just added a few garnishes that I had laying around that I think really set it off.

Creamy Coconut Risotto
* 3 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
* 1 1/2 cups coconut milk
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 3 tablespoons chopped shallot or red onion
* 1/4 cup coconut flakes
* 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
* 1/4 cup dry white wine
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
* shredded mint and cilantro leaves for garnish

In a large pot over high heat, combine chicken stock and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to low and keep warm.

Place olive oil in a Dutch oven or deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add shallots and stir until soft, about 3 minutes. Add coconut and rice and continue stirring 1 minute. Carefully pour in wine and stir until almost absorbed. Add warm stock 1 ladle at a time; stir until almost absorbed before adding more. Continue until rice is tender and most of stock is used, about 35 minutes. Remove risotto from heat; add butter, salt and pepper.

No money = creative menu

2009-06-29T22:43:00.000-07:00

Well, this was one of those weeks where there was no fantastic sale on meat and we didn't have much money anyway. So the plan is that I will use what I already have on hand (frozen chicken breasts, some ground beef and fish). Here is the plan:

- Chicken with coconut and lime w/ Creamy Coconut Risotto
- Beef enchilada pie
- Tilapia w/brown rice
- Santa Fe Chicken w/tortillas
- Tex-Mex lasagna
- Pizza
- Coconut Cream Pie

I escaped the grocery store, only spending $48 for this weeks meals.

Ground beef Week menu plan

2009-06-19T09:59:00.000-07:00

Ground beef is on sale this week at Safeway for $1.69/lb, so here is the plan for next week.

- Burgers w/chips and salsa

- Tacos w/chips and salsa

- Spaghetti w/garlic bread and salad (mom’s Tex-Mex version)

- Mexican lasagna w/veggies roasted

- Stroganoff sandwiches w/salad

- Pizza

- French toast

MISSING 1 female sex drive

2009-06-19T09:18:00.000-07:00

I think I may have lost it somewhere in the pile of laundry, the sink full of dishes, diaper pail, the floor covered with kid’s toys, or amongst to little sleep. I really never thought it would happen to me. I thought my libido was such a part of me that I could never loose it. Now I feel kind of like Peter Pan when he lost his shadow. I was kind of proud of the fact that wanted sex even more often then Danny. I didn’t have this problem when I had Eva, or even while I was pregnant with her. However, I feel like my hormones really got screwed up with the last pregnancy. Then between healing after childbirth, getting my wisdom teeth removed, and all of us getting the stomach flu, I’ve lost all interest or satisfaction in sex. LAME! Danny is so sweet and understanding. He keeps telling me that it won’t last forever and I’ll get back to normal when life settles down a little. I’m scared I won’t get back to normal. The lines between mommy and wife are so screwed up right now it’s hard to turn wife mode on. I’m seriously considering herbal supplements or something. I just don’t know what to do, I’ve never experienced anything like this before. I don’t feel like myself at all.

Dear God, I feel like I’ve lost part of myself. I want to enjoy this beautiful gift that you’ve given me. I want to be able to please Danny and let him feel like he can please me again too. You are my healer and redeemer. You gave me the best husband and two beautiful girls; please teach me how to juggle both parts of myself. I feel stretched to thin and you alone can hold me together.

Favorite "lighter" Biscotti

2009-06-17T11:32:00.000-07:00

This recipe is for chocolate cranberry biscotti, but I didn't have any cocoa powder on hand so I just turned it into my favorite flavor: vanilla almond. I just added some extra coarsely chopped almonds at the end. On a taste test with Danny (who has an excellent pallet) he said that the difference between the two was so slight considering that this recipe is so much healthier. So we decided to opt for this one from now on. Oh, and for the ground almonds, I just put whole raw almonds into my little food processor and grind them (it's so much cheaper that way).

Chocolate and Cranberry Biscotti
Make this "Cook Yourself Thin" recipe.
Makes about 1 1/2 dozen
Calories per biscotti: 76

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup finely ground almonds
3 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/3 cup dried cranberries
Melted chocolate for drizzling

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and arrange a rack in the center of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Whisk together flour, ground almonds, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.

3. Beat egg and sugar with a handheld or standing mixer on medium-high speed until pale and thick, about 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla and almond extracts. Hand fold in flour mixture until just combined. Stir in cranberries. The dough will be very wet and sticky.

4. Scrape the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, forming a thick line in the center. Wet your hands and pat dough into a 9-x-3-inch rectangle. Bake until puffed and dry to the touch, about 25 minutes. Cool on pan for 15 minutes; keep oven on. Peel off parchment and carefully transfer rectangle to a cutting board. Cut crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices.

5. Lay slices flat on unlined baking sheet, and bake until dry, about 10 minutes. Flip slices and bake for 10 minutes more. Let cool completely. Cookies will crisp as they cool.

6. Drizzle with melted chocolate if desired.

***Update*** I finally tried this as the recipe states, except I substituted almonds for the cranberries. I definitely prefer it without the chocolate! Just be sure to substitute 3 Tablespoons of flour for the chocolate powder.

Beef week shopping list

2009-06-11T11:19:00.000-07:00

Beef Week Shopping List

- Lg. Tri tip roast
- Potatoes
- Salad
- Corn tortillas
- Mozzarella cheese
- Monterey Jack cheese
- Salsa (tomatoes, peppers, cilantro, limes, garlic)
- Chips
- Hoagie rolls (2)
- Pizza dough
- Pizza sauce
- Canadian bacon
- Pineapple
- Maple syrup
- Milk
- Vanilla extract
- Eggs
- Baking powder
- Flour

I left out some of the staples that I have on hand (salt, yeast, seasonings etc)

Beef, it's what's for dinner.

2009-06-11T10:49:00.000-07:00

Well, tri tip is on sale this week for $2.77/lb, so when I go shopping on Friday for next week that is what I'll pick up. What I do is buy one really big roast and cut it in half. One half I BBQ and the other half I crock pot. I'm going to make a shopping list soon and I'll post that too, but for now here is the menu plan for next week.

Beef Week Menu and Recipes

Monday:
Queso tacos w/salsa or guacamole

Tuesday:
Tri tip BBQ with potatoes and salad

Wednesday:
Tri Tip sandwiches w/salad

Thursday:
Pizza

Friday:
Waffles

Queso Tacos

- ½ Tri Tip roast
- 2 Tablespoons Pappy’s Original seasoning (or your favorite beef seasoning)
- 2-4 Tablespoons water

- Corn tortillas
- Cheese

Put all the ingredients into crock pot and cook on low for about 6-8 hours, or until meat can be shredded with a fork.

In a sauté pan put a tortilla, cheese and some shredded beef and fold in half like a taco. Cook on both sides till cheese is melted.

Tri tip BBQ

- Tri Tip
- Marinade or BBQ sauce

Put tri tip in a zip bag with marinade on Monday… or just toss in on the BBQ with your favorite sauce. Don’t forget to save leftovers for sandwiches on Wednesday… or for a lighter option cut up the steak and put on salad and skip the bread.

Pizza

- Pizza dough
- Sauce (I just buy premade stuff)
- Cheese (I like a mozzarella / Monterey jack mix)
- Toppings

I like to make my own pizza dough to save a little extra $. With the recipe from Good Eats (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/pizza-pizzas-recipe4/index.html) you can make the dough up to a week early and keep it in the fridge till you are ready for it. As for toppings, we just like Hawaiian so that’s pretty straight forward.

For a lighter option I have been known to cut up almost any veggies that I have on hand (broccoli, spinach, asparagus, zucchini, peppers, garlic and onions), and then you just grate up some fresh Parmesan cheese over the top and that’s that!

Waffles
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat waffle iron. Beat eggs in large bowl with hand beater until fluffy. Beat in flour, milk, vegetable oil, sugar, baking powder, salt and vanilla, just until smooth. You can also toss in any fruit you like.

I have a very healthy blueberry, whole grain waffle recipe that I love, but Danny prefers these; if you’re interested in the recipe let me know and I’ll post it.

My favorite accessory!

2009-06-06T08:09:00.000-07:00

I just realized that I haven't mentioned how much I love my Kitchen Aid! I never thought I would have enough money to get one of these... it was just one of those luxuries that I couldn't imagine ever having. When we got our tax refund, most of it went to pay off some debt and getting ready for the baby. It was Danny's idea though that we take some of that money and invest in something that would be helpful to me, since I would have so much less time in the future (he is a wise man). He wanted to get me a kitchen aid. I had never even used one before. I couldn't bring myself to pay full price, so I kept my eyes open for one on craigslist. Sure enough, I found one for a third of the price, in excellent condition... Thank you Jesus! It was a miracle, because I'd been looking for a used one for the past year and can't ever find one. It has saved so much work on making bread and pizza dough, I think it's paid for itself already. I can load ingredients into it with one hand while I hold Aria with the other, it's great!

Ready for some irony? Danny prefers the texture of my chocolate chip cookies when I make them by hand!

Real Italian Calzones

2009-06-06T07:59:00.000-07:00

Here is a list of ingredients, but I just put anything I have on hand in there. Ham, Turkey, Chicken, asparagus, spinach or whatever other toppings you like. Danny prefers when I put sauce in it rather then to dip in. I basically make it like I would do a pizza. These are good to bake part way through and then freeze and re-bake when you're ready to eat them. The dough can be made ahead and do a slow rise in the fridge for 18-24 hours, and then punch it down and it's good for about a week, or you can buy pre-made dough.

INGREDIENTS

* 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
* 1 cup warm water
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 teaspoon white sugar
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
* 1 teaspoon olive oil
* 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
* 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese or Mozzarella
* 1/2 cup diced pepperoni
* 1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
* 1 tablespoon dried basil leaves
* 1 egg, beaten

DIRECTIONS

1. To Make Dough: In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add the oil, sugar and salt; mix in 1 cup of the flour until smooth. Gradually stir in the rest of the flour, until dough is smooth and workable. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes, or until it is elastic. Lay dough in a bowl containing 1 teaspoon olive oil, then flip the dough, cover and let rise for 40 minutes, or until almost doubled.
2. To Make Filling: While dough is rising, combine the ricotta cheese, Cheddar cheese, pepperoni, mushrooms and basil leaves in a large bowl. Mix well, cover bowl and refrigerate to chill.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
4. When dough is ready, punch it down and separate it into 2 equal parts. Roll parts out into thin circles on a lightly floured surface. Fill each circle with 1/2 of the cheese/meat filling and fold over, securing edges by folding in and pressing with a fork. Brush the top of each calzone with egg and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet.
5. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Chile Lime Chicken (www.freezersmarts.com)

2009-06-05T17:47:00.000-07:00

Chile Lime Chicken
1.5 lbs chicken tenders (or breasts)
1/3 cup lime juice
½ cup Italian salad dressing
½ tsp. hot pepper sauce
1 tsp black pepper
1 gallon freezer zipper storage bag

Put all the ingredients in the zip bag and freeze

Thaw. Grill approx. 5 min/side or until done. OR cook over med-hi heat in a skillet for 3 min/side. Reduce to med & cook approx 10 min or until chicken is done.

This seams like a good option for a quick and easy meal to go with rice or salad or something that I can just toss together real quick.

I haven't been able to try this one yet, so if you make it first, let me know what you think.

From my purse...to the store.... to my tummy

2009-06-05T10:43:00.000-07:00

So, I've been working on menu planning to try and save us some money. I've also been trying to cook healthier to try and help us loose weight. And the most difficult thing I've been trying to do is figure out healthy, cheep meals that I can cook days ahead of time and keep in the fridge or freezer and that will still taste good once I cook it. The biggest challenge is that Danny is a pretty picky eater... or should I say, he'll try anything but it does not mean he'll like it. I've given up trying to make food that Eva will like, Peanut butter is the default. After a lot of work, I think I've found the answer to my dilemma. I've noticed that each week there is a sale on a different type of meat and it's on a monthly cycle. Tri Tip roast $2.99/lb, whole chicken ($0.79/lb) or chicken breast ($0.99/lb), ground beef $1.49/lb, etc... Granted we will probably get a little sick of mostly chicken in one week, but then it'll be another month before we have it again so it shouldn't be to bad. Also, Fridays will be our breakfast for dinner night, and a weekend meals will consist of sandwiches and homemade pizza and leftovers. So here is what the month would look like:

Menu plans

Chicken week ideas

- Roast chicken w/ potatoes, carrots, and onion

- Encheladas w/ sour cream and salsa or guacamole (can be made ahead with chicken leftovers)

- Pot pie w/salad (can be made ahead with chicken leftovers and frozen or refridgerated)

- Chicken vegi roll w/salad (made with leftovers and pizza dough or biscuit dough)

- Pizza (homemade pizza dough made ahead)

- Chicken soup w/ bread for dipping (made with chicken leftovers)

- Green chili chicken w/ tortillas and sour cream

- Waffles

Beef

- Tri tip BBQ w/ potato and bread

- Tri tip shredded for Quesa tacos w/ guac or salsa (cooked in crockpot)

- Tri tip sandwiches w/salad (leftover meat)

- Fajitas w/peppers,onion, salsa and sour cream (leftover meat)

- Pizza

- Breakfast burritos (can use leftover meat too)

Ground Beef

- Burgers w/chips and salsa

- Tacos w/chips and salsa

- Spaghetti w/garlic bread and salad (mom’s tex mex version)

- Mex lasagna w/veggies roasted

- Stroganoff sandwiches w/salad

- Pizza

- French toast

Turkey

- Roast turkey w/cranberry sauce, stovetop, gravy, and mashed potatoes

- Turkey soup w/salad

- Pie w/ cornmeal crust w/salad

- Turkey sandwiches

- Stovetop turkey casserole

- Calzones

- Biscuits and gravy

7 meals in 2 hours (curtesy of www.freezersmarts.com)

- Almond Crusted Mahi Mahi w/risotto

- Boy Scout Fajitas w/peppers, onions and sour cream

- Garlic Rubbed Roast

- Sesame Ginger Chicken

- Chili Lime Chicken

- Slow Cooker Rosemary Pasta

- Cowboy Grillers:

- Pancakes

I'll keep you posted on how this works out for us. If any of these meals sound good to you just let me know and I'll post recipes.

BISCOTTI oh how I love thee!

2009-04-29T10:31:00.000-07:00

After having tried several biscotti recipes I have narrowed it down to two recipes. My favorite recipe is one of my own devise; a buttery cookie like vanilla almond biscotti, very similar to the mini almond biscotti from Trader Joes. The other recipe, is a low fat egg based recipe (like what you often find in coffee shops). Biscotti are pretty easy to make once you get the hang of it. The first time I made them, I used my kitchen aid (my awesome craigslist find). That batch turned out so sticky I had to trash it. I found out later that I could have salvaged it if only I had put it in the fridge for a bit. Lesson learned, tough stuff! I've also used cold butter verses room temp butter, and the cold butter made a better cookie, but it takes a lot of mixing to combine it properly (not a problem if you have a mixer). The next tip I learned is to just barely fold in the flour till it is combined (or it will be to sticky to work with). So without further ado....

Joy's Biscotti

Whip butter and sugar until well combined, then add in eggs and extracts mix well

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted cold butter cut and beaten
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 - 1 teaspoon almond extract (depending on your taste)

sift in flour, baking powder and salt

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup toasted almond pieces

Fold in dry ingredients until just barely combined then add nuts. turn dough out onto well floured surface (handle as little as possible). For large biscotti, roll one large log. For smaller biscotti make two logs 11-13 inches long. Place in pam sprayed baking sheet, flatten rolls to about 1/2 inch high and bake in preheated oven (300 degrees) for 30-40 minutes (depending on size). Cool for 30 minutes. Place the log on the cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut the log on a diagonal into 1/2 to 3/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the biscotti, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Turn oven to 270 degrees and bake the biscotti 10 minutes on both sides. Transfer the biscotti to a rack and cool completely.

Vanilla Almond Biscotti

Ingredients

2 cups plain flour (unsifted)

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 toasted slivered almonds

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat the oven to 325F. Place the flour, baking powder, and sugar in a large bowl; stir to mix. Add the eggs and extract; mix well to form a dough, kneading if necessary.

Shape into a log and flatten slightly. Place on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper and bake for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely. Using a sharp knife, cut the log on a diagonal into 1/2 to 3/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the biscotti, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Bake the biscotti 10 minutes on both sides. Transfer the biscotti to a rack and cool completely.

Potty talk

2009-04-25T18:34:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting here with my newborn Aria in one hand as I type with the other. I have to admit that I am pretty proficient at typing with one hand. I believe that this may be just one of the many things that parents (particularly at home moms) have to learn quite quickly. Multitasking is great and all but there is one time and place that I don't like to multitask... the bathroom. Yeah, that's right, I'm talking about potty time. Call me crazy but I like this to be my own personal time. However, you've got to know something is a little wrong when you have company over and you nearly forget to close the door when you go to the bathroom. I'm not kidding! I can't tell you how many times I've had to remind myself. Or there is the other situation that you may be familiar with... your child trying to sit on your lap as you do your business. *Sigh* It's true. Eva (she's 2 years old) just wants to sit on my lap first thing in the morning. This is slightly inconvenient when I have a particular place I need to sit first thing in the morning.

With a newborn in my arms I do not foresee any light on the horizon... such is life I suppose.