Did You Say Rattlesnake?

This awesome slide/pool is our "pool" for the summer.  It's also where we spent the better part of our weekend, officially kicking off summer.  It's a huge pain to put away, but it's so fun, and the kids love it...so it's worth it. Technically, you are supposed to put it away every day.  Since that's a HUGE pain, we left it in the yard all weekend.  What's the big deal, right?  Well, I think I know part of that big deal.  While we did our best to drain it at the end of each day, yesterday when we went to play in it, some disgusting frogs had decided to claim it as their own.

Of course, yesterday was the first day my husband, and our home's official critter wrangler, wasn't around.  This meant that it was up to my niece and I to save the "pool" so that all of us girls could go play.  Problem is, we have huge fears when it comes to frogs.  While I usually try really hard to put on a brave face for my girls, I just couldn't do it.  I did go inside and put on what are now being called, "Mommy's brave boots."  They weren't really "brave" boots, as much as they were "please don't let that frog land on my foot" boots.  I'd like to say I saved the day, but I didn't.  My niece did...without brave boots.  Let's just say, those frogs set the tone of fear for the rest of the day.

At one point the littlest princess of the bunch was done.  I decided to take her in for a bath leaving my niece and the 4 year old princess to play.  Not moments later, they were standing in the bathroom frightened.  My niece was convinced she heard a rattlesnake.  Three times she heard it rattle in fact, so she grabbed my girl and ran.  Terrified as I was, I was grateful everyone was safe.  Yet, somebody still had to go outside and get all of the stuff, and power down the "pool."  Longest story made much shorter, I put my brave boots back on, grabbed a mop to defend myself, and headed back to the yard of danger.  Out there, I ever so carefully grabbed all of our stuff...then I heard it.  Loud and clear...rattling? No.  The chirp of a cicada? Yes.  The yard of danger held us hostage.  Our attackers?  Bugs and frogs.  Needless to say, our "pool" day was over.  Too much drama for me.

How did we unwind after all of that?  With cake pops of course!  When we weren't in the "pool" this weekend, we were cake popping it up!  Below are some of the little cuties...

Believe it or not, one of these little wonders can actually take the edge off, and help one forget about all the fears and anxieties a yard can bring you.  Anyone in the area wanting one of these, let me know.  I've got a fridge full...red velvet and funfetti.

Hope you had a relaxing, stress-free day yesterday!

Sweet Summer

Ah, summer has begun in this household.  While I know summer is a season with specific start and finish dates per my calendar.  I feel it is mostly a state of mind.  When you are a kid, it starts on the last day of school.  That beautiful freedom from order, scheduling, and alarm clocks.  It would conclude then on school's first day.  Summer is a break, a time for freedom and fun.

Growing up in Florida, it felt like summer nearly year round.  So I guess making it a state of mind was the only way to truly know it was actually summer.  Since my daughter's last day of preschool 10 days ago, we've had a constant flow of family and friends visiting.  We've been eating out more, we've been playing outside more, we've just been having more FUN!  It's definitely summer here!

With all of this fun, of course comes food.  Mostly, we've been sticking to easy snacks that can be thrown into a bowl, but sometimes this momma likes to kick it up a notch.  Meet Strawberry Sparkles.

These delicious sweet and refreshing treats are easy enough for my 4 year old to make, and yummy enough for everyone to eat!  Below is the link to the recipe, which is from the Family Fun magazine's website.  I'm just going to keep this short and sweet, because I'm off to enjoy another lovely day with family and friends.

Link to Strawberry Sparkles Recipe

I want take a moment to say THANK YOU to all of the men and women who have served or are serving our country, as well as a thank you to their families.  It's a sacrifice on so many levels, and I appreciate every one of you!  Thank you!  Happy Memorial Day!!

Life Is So Sweet

What sweetens your life?  Two things that sweeten mine are happy times with family & friends, and of course, actual sweets.  Lately, my cup runneth over in both departments.

As I'm sure you may have noticed, I've been on a sweets kick lately.  In searching for new dinner recipes, I often find sweet treats instead.  Well, the few desserts that I have posted on this blog have acted like a beacon calling people from far and wide to my home...and I LOVE it!

My Cali niece just left 2 days ago, and together we made chocolate cake pops.  YUM! Aesthetically, we probably failed, but we didn't mind because they were so delicious.  They were also devoured immediately!

To my surprise, I received a call a few days ago from a very good friend who now lives in Tennessee.  She and her family are heading to Texas this weekend, and they wanted to know if they could come visit us too.   What a wonderful treat to have such a great friend surprise me with a visit!  So tonight is impromptu cookout night!  I think my dessert beacon reached Memphis, so I'm making them those fantastic dark chocolate chip cookies from the post I Am So Not Patient.  I'm on hour 18 for those of you curious.

Right after my Memphis friend said that she's coming to visit, my other niece decided she wanted to visit for Memorial Day weekend.  That's right, my beacon apparently is even drawing people in from as far away as St. Louis.  Another wonderful surprise!  I now get to see my other niece too!  I'm hoping there will be a cookie or 2 left for her, but there will also be cake pops.  She wants them all!  She might have an even sweeter tooth than me!

Well before my company all starts arriving, I am off to cake pop-a-palooza.  After making the cake pops a few weeks ago, from the post A Little Pop of Happiness, a sweet friend wanted to commission me to make 100 for an event she had.  I tried to remind her that I had only made them once.  Guess she really believes in me!  Now she wants more for another event.  So I'm spending the morning with our mutual friend, a cake ball expert.  Together we are going to try and experiment with all aspects of design when it comes to decorating cake pops.  You know I'll bring my camera!  I have a feeling this could be a very tasty day!

To anyone else receiving my dessert beacon, come on over!  I'm off to do what I love to do.  Make some new memories with friends old and new, as well as with family...and eat sweets.  Ah, life is so sweet.   Did I mention I already have scheduled company coming next week?  I think I have a few openings left in June!  Have a sweet weekend everyone!!

Auto Focus

Source: dfw.cbslocal.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Ever have experiences in life, where life becomes so clear, even if it's only for a few moments?  Like the auto focus button of a camera, things are blurry, but in an instant, they become crystal clear?  Last night, my auto focus button was engaged, and life for a little while was so beautifully clear.

Last night for 4 hours, we endured some terrifying weather.  Looking straight up at the sky, you could see the instability of it all.  Tornados popped down all around us, and the threat of them lingered even longer.  I thank God for the talents of my husband, and his ability to guide us, as a whole community, safely through.

Being married to a meteorologist, he will always be working in times of inclement weather.  Last night was no different.  His final words before leaving for work yesterday were "Be safe, I love you."  The "be safe" aspect was new.  I can't recall him saying that part before.  Those 2 tiny words alerted me, this was going to be different and dangerous.

It was indeed both, different and dangerous.  At a time when I should have been coming undone, I had instead a beautiful clarity.  In the midst of what should have been fear, was calm and love.  The beautiful thing about people, is that they love and they care.

My sweet niece has been visiting us, and she has been building a beautiful bond with my girls that was only strengthened through last night's events.  I trusted her fully, and she cared for my babies as if they were her own.  We had been mentally preparing ourselves for last night.  We talked about scenarios, preparations, and plans.  She asked me, how I do this alone.  I said, I'm never alone.  God has always placed someone with me through the worst storms.  I also shared with her, that someone always calls, texts, emails, or finds someway to check on the girls and I, and they make sure we are safe.  In doing that, they also let us know that we are loved and cared for.

Yesterday, love helped auto focus my life.  I know I have been blessed with a strong faith, a loving husband, sweet girls, and a large extended family, but yesterday, the love came from all of the friends I have made here over the past 3 and 1/2 years.

Remember how I told you that someone always checks on me in bad weather?  Last night, the outpouring was constant.  It showed the true depth of people.  It started with my neighbor.  She has a bigger and safer safe room than we have, so we all piled in there.  Those neighbors protected us like family, and they helped us to feel better, stronger, and safer.  I don't know how we would have faired emotionally without them.  The chaos of 4 kids, 4 and under, in a safe room for a LONG time can definitely help take your mind off the sirens, the winds, and the tornados.  Listening to the sweet, hopeful prayers of the 2 older ones was humbling and beautiful.  Thank you friends for your amazing hospitality!

During the time spent hunkered down, I received numerous texts and calls.  Each one expressing their love and care.  Thank you!  Together, we all endured whatever came our way.  Last night was terrifying, yet the outpouring of love was beautiful.

As the sun starts to rise this morning, I think of what is going on in my community.  I'm praying that everyone is ok, that lives were spared, and that homes can be rebuilt and restored quickly.  I'm grateful to all of you who helped to make me feel cared for last night.  It meant the world.  You refocused me to know, that even though my family is spread out far from me here in Texas, that I have a community of people that care so deeply for my family and me.  Thanks and I love you!

It's A Wild World Out There

Does it get better than this?  Saturday, we spent the whole day at a safari park.  It was an incredible day.  We drove through the park, in our own car, and got to feed animals right out of our hands.  Such an amazing thing to do.

I've never been happier to have a sunroof on my car.  Thanks to that fun auto feature, I was able to snap this giraffe photo.  He even greeted us with a sweet smile.  What you don't see here, is that in a moment that sweet little giraffe is going to poke his head through the sunroof and want to be fed.

What an amazing day to get up close and personal with a myriad of animals.  The giraffes were the only ones we actually fed by hand, but we had such fun getting to throw food to all of them.  

It's so surreal to me, that I'm feeding them all from the comforts of my car.  It's truly like escaping to another world.  For me, it was so peaceful, and for the 4 year old princess, it was magic.  For my niece, I think it was both.

There's a halfway point, where you can get out of your car at a beautiful overlook, which we did.  There we enjoyed the lovely weather, a tasty picnic, and time with each other.

After an amazing day, we left drove home and enjoyed an amazing meal.  So amazing actually, we not only had seconds, but thirds and fourths.  What is it?  Well, of course I'll share it with you!  I have no idea what the name is, because it came from my mother.  She was making it one night, and I thought it sounded incredible, so she read me the ingredients over the phone.  I call them "Caribbean Short Ribs."

The beauty of this particular recipe, is that it is fantastic enough to serve to company, yet so easy it cooks in the crocky pot.  I simply prepped it the morning of our big safari day, crocky did all the work at home, and when we returned home, we were ready for dinner.

For being a cooking novice, I have managed to knock this one out of the park.  Originally, we would just serve the Caribbean ribs over some rice, but since the Raw Tropical Sauce from the Magical Moments post, I have been adding a mango salsa inspired by that sauce. 

Without further ado, Caribbean Short Ribs...

Combine the following ingredients in a bowl...

1/4 cup of BBQ sauce

1/4 cup of finely chopped onions

1 tsp. grated orange peel

1 tsp. grated lime peel

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 cup orange juice

2 TBSP. lime juice

Place approximately one pound of boneless short ribs into a crocky pot.  Pour the combined ingredients from above over them.  Cook on LOW for 7-8 hours.  

At least 30 minutes prior to eating, prepare your mango salsa.  Seriously, this salsa takes this recipe to new heights!  To make the salsa, combine small chunks of fresh mango, tomato, and onion, then add cilantro to taste.  I'm very generous with the cilantro, but it's all a matter of taste.  Once your salsa is prepared, keep it in the fridge until ready to use.

Prior to eating, simply prepare your rice.  The way we eat this around here is a base layer of rice, followed by a generous layer of Caribbean ribs, and a mango salsa topper.  This is one of my absolute faves, and I hope it will be one of yours too!  

When I made these this weekend, I just doubled everything to make a larger portion.  I'm so sorry I forgot to take a picture.  We were so ravenous, we just dove right in!  A picture of the Raw Tropical Sauce can be found in the post In A Word...

Fiery Kitchen

Ok, so I made a huge cooking snafu last night.  HUGE!  I made what I thought would be a quick and easy recipe I found online: chicken and pasta with lemon caper sauce.  I know, I know, it sounds fancy, but it seemed easy enough and I had the ingredients on hand...sort of.  I came bearing a chicken breast, a lemon, some spaghetti, and some leftover chardonnay.  It seemed like our last minute, thrown together dinner was going to turn out beautifully.  Then came the grease fire.


Yup, I'm not proud.  I'm honestly just grateful I didn't catch fire or singe anymore eyebrows, I think we all recall the lessons learned in the post, Did You Hear a Scream?  Well, this dinner seemed all well and good. There came a part in the cooking, where I was supposed to remove the chicken, and then pour a 1/4 of a cup of white wine into the olive oil and chicken grease in the skillet, on #8/medium-high on my gas stove.  Well, before I had time to realize it, the skillet was "en flambe."  Otherwise stated, engulfed.  It really resembled this...

                                                               Source: casasugar.com via Ariel on Pinterest

Instead of the cute shell bowl, picture my skillet, and seriously...those were the flames.  In the midst of the fiery mess, I kept a surprisingly calm head.  I turned off the heat, and immediately the flames vanished.  Thank you Lord!  

Here's the thing about this particular cooking situation...I have NO idea why this happened!  Any chefs out there want to clue me in?  The recipe didn't warn of any possible fire action.  The other thing about the fire, it instantaneously reduced the liquid by half, more than half, by like 90%.  This is clearly the moment the meal turned south.  


This is what is was supposed to look like...

                                        Source: allrecipes.com via Lisa on Pinterest

This is what it actually looked like...

My final result, a Blackened Chicken and Pasta with Lemon Caper Sauce.  It wasn't horrible to eat, but I would have preferred the non-blackened version.  Black pasta is not my idea of stellar cooking.  


Well, the kids and the house survived another day of me in the kitchen.  Off to the airport in a few hours to pick up my sweet niece!  She's entering the wild and crazy little kid zone.  She says bring it.  I say, they will!  


The link to the recipe, if you are interested, is below.  Have a great weekend!


Chicken with Lemon Caper Sauce

Literally

I have been known to take people at their word.  I know that's not ideal, and trust me, it's something that I'm working on.  It's either that I don't listen well enough or I don't care to delve deeper into the thought or topic, but I tend to be rather literal.   I do get sarcasm and humor, but for some reason, my first instinct is usually to take something literally.

Most recent case in point, Rachael Ray's Calzone Rolls.  I read the title and the recipe, and then immediately jumped to "yummy, I love calzones!"  Yes, I read the word rolls, but I clearly didn't process it.  I even bought the groceries and prepared it, but still it didn't sink in.  Somehow, I magically thought the bread would seal itself with all the cheese, and POOF, it would come out of the oven 10 minutes later a calzone.  Yeah, it didn't.

Even though, I didn't make calzones last night, I did make a quick and easy meal.  First I cut the rolls and  made the calzone roll filling...

Then I stuffed the bottom of the rolls with the filling, and I piled on the fresh mozzarella, tomato, and basil.  Replaced the roll topper, and I popped 'em into the oven...

Then 10 minutes later a pretty tasty calzone roll came out.

Honestly, I'd call it a sandwich, if we're going to be literal here, and you know I will be!  It was pretty good, not amazing, but good.  The tastiest part for me was the fresh basil, if it were missing, this sandwich might have been a lost cause.  If ricotta is up your alley, you'd probably love it.  For the recipe, see the previous post, The Beginning of the End.

Hope you have a great day today, literally.

The Beginning of the End

This week has been in fast forward at our house.  It's the beginning of the end, the end of preschool.  For people with kids in "big kid" school, this might not seem like much.  For me, it's the beginning of a summer entertaining 2 very high energy girls, and basically the end of order and a semblance of tidiness in our home.  

As you can see, the tides are already turning.  I'm succumbing to the chaos.  Instead of removing her per usual, what do I do?  Grab my camera and snap a photo.  Yup, the beginning of the end.

Tomorrow is the last day of preschool.  It's coming so quickly.  In response to this, I haven't been in the kitchen enough.  It's been mostly grilled cheese sandwiches and salads around here.  Quick and easy.  Tonight, I'm staying with that philosophy, but I'm going to cook something from Rach.  Tonight, I'll be making Rachael Ray's Calzone Rolls with Salami, Tomato, and Basil.  

Link to Calzone Rolls With Salami, Tomato, and Basil

Source: foodnetwork.com via Lisa on Pinterest

They look easy, fast, and delicious, and this week, that's about all I can handle.  The recipe says that the total kitchen time on this one is 15 minutes...sounds perfect!  

Well, here's to the inevitable, the end of the school year.  The silver lining to the commencement of the summer chaos in this house?  My sweet, newly graduated niece flies in from Cali in 2 days to experience all the fun!

I Owe You Something

I owe you a cookie review!!  On Friday, in the blog post I Am SO Not Patient, I gave you the recipe for New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies.  They went on a quest for the best chocolate chip cookie, and this was their pick. 

The quest for a delicious chocolate chip cookie is serious business.  I can see why such a respected paper embarked upon the search.  I can remember watching the show "Friends," and Monica was on the quest for the perfect chocolate chip cookie.  She was obsessed, as Monica often was.  She felt that her ability to create the most perfect chocolate chip cookie would define her as a mother.  A tad crazy, but not entirely.  What's our American picture of a mom include?  Having freshly baked chocolate chip cookies available to our children.  While I get that is not what motherhood is, it sure does feel nice to have landed upon such a great cookie recipe so early into my mothering.

After my impatience, I did wait approximately 28 hours before I baked the cookies.  One thing to note, once cookie dough has been refrigerated that long, it's really hard.  You can see above that my plastic measuring cup was a casualty of the process.

 Then I switched to my ice cream scooper, and things went smoother.  It still was a workout to get the cookie dough, but worth it.  I waited until after the princesses had been put to bed to make them.  Less chaos.  Then after scooping, baking, and cooling...

YUM!  A delicious pile of cookies.  I will absolutely give these my stamp of approval.  I think the trick that makes this cookie stand head and shoulders above others is the sprinkling of sea salt on top prior to baking.  It makes the ideal balance of salty and sweet.  

If you've been on a quest for the perfect chocolate chip cookie, you may have found it.  I have.  Click on the post listed above, and it will take you to the recipe.  Bake some up and enjoy with a tall glass of milk. YUM!

Bliss...

How do you define bliss?  I don't mean a Webster style definition, but what does "bliss" mean for you?  For me, it's freedom and joy blissfully combined.  No responsibilities or anxiety, no to-do lists or chores, no what-ifs or should haves, instead it's peace & joy, relaxation & happiness, pretty much...all things good.

Today was bliss.  Lots of factors went into making today so blissful.  I guess it started with a 10 hour night's sleep.  That in itself is such a rare treat.  I cannot recall the last time it happened.  Then the temps were unseasonably perfect.  It's rare that I can call north Texas weather perfect, but it was today.  Then I opened my door to see a tupperware bin full of really, really delicious gooey butter cake!  Thanks J!  I mean really, how great is that?  Beyond that, it was a day full of family fun.  I can't pinpoint anything too extraordinary, just bliss.

This evening, my husband grilled out some filet mignons I found buried in the back of the freezer.  Gotta love hidden filets!  Together, we enjoyed some nice cold beers and watched the girls have fun in the beautiful weather.  Tell me, what about this isn't wonderful?

Watching that wild, yet tenderhearted little girl play with her absolutely favorite toy on earth, just too cute and sweet.  

Enjoying the two little princesses playing chalk together fairly harmoniously.  Bliss!

Have I fooled you into thinking that today was perfect?  Perfect, no.  If you're looking for perfect, you'll never find it.  It's a fools game to search for perfect.  My idea of bliss is allowing myself to enjoy the happiness I've been gracious given.  While today was totally awesome, it wasn't perfect.  Unpleasant things happened, they do, it's life.  I'm choosing not to focus upon those or let them define this day.  This day was bliss, and I'm so grateful for it.

I Am SO Not Patient

Patience is a virtue.  It's something that I strive towards.  I have always had too much adrenaline to be great at patience.  I'm a fast walker, driver, and talker.  I love efficiency, and I groan at pokiness.  I'm not perfect.

Getting married taught me about being more patient, especially since my husband is one of the most patient people I know.  Having kids taught me even more.  So much patience is required when dealing with kids. SO much.

Yesterday was a solid test of my patience level.  It's basic math really.  1 toddler + 0 nap = INSANITY!  Why did the little princess refuse to nap?  Jury's still out on that one.  Needless to say, it made for a rough day.

So why in the midst of the crazy did I decide to bake?  The decision was one of those bi-products of the insanity.  I thought it would be fun, but it truly tested my patience.  Flour and batter everywhere, water spilled all over the place, and that's just a taste of the chaos.  It took an hour to make chocolate chip cookie batter, that a person in a sane environment could have busted out in 10-15 minutes easy.  Then I read the recipe a little further...it was the words no insane and impatient baker ever wants to read.  To make this particular recipe, the dough must chill in the fridge 24-36 hours!  What?  I was seriously at the end of my patience rope, but what's a girl to do.  I shot a picture of it, plastic wrapped it, and placed it in the fridge, where at this very moment it still sits.

That was yesterday, and today is a new day.  Today I'm hopefully going to make these yummy cookies. This particular chocolate chip cookie recipe attracted me because it's the favorite of a blog I love, www.mybakingaddiction.com.  The recipe is from the New York Times.  It is different than others I've made because it uses both cake flour and bread flour in place of traditional flour.  It also uses dark chocolate instead of semi-sweet.  I have a deep affection for dark chocolate...deep.  

So, here I wait.  I'm on hour 21.  In the blogger's comments about this recipe, she says to definitely wait at least 24 hours.  That when she has not waited, they just weren't as tasty.  So in the hopes of enjoying the MOST fabulous chocolate chip cookie ever, I wait...patiently-ish.

If you want to test your patience and attempt to bake what could be the best chocolate chip cookie ever, click on the link below, wait with me, and chow down!  Have a tasty weekend!

New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe via My Baking Addiction

A Good Day

A good day, that's what yesterday was.  Not incredible, not horrible, just really good.  I got to spend some time with my 4 year old princess and see the world through her eyes.  We explored Rangers ballpark and enjoyed a nice lunch.  We went through the underground tunnels, and then we made our way onto the field.  There she met the mascot, Captain, and we proudly watched her daddy throw out the first pitch. 

After going back through the tunnels, we made a quick stop at the souvenir shop, and then we hustled back to get the car.  That's right.  My little girl and I didn't even see a minute of baseball.  Thankfully we have a weatherman handy, so we knew that the storms were coming.  Although, weatherman or not, the skies were ominous.  I couldn't believe everyone wasn't leaving.  We got stuck in a nasty storm driving home, but I was relieved to be in my car and not in a giant stadium.

Even though we didn't see any baseball yesterday, we still ate Rachael Ray's Chicago Ballpark Burritos for dinner.  I have to admit that the bar was so low on this one, that I could have tripped on it.  With that being said, I actually thought they were good.  I omitted the jalapenos and used mulit-grain tortillas.  It was interesting to make.  First you create a little hot dog salad with the toppings in a yellow mustard dressing, and then you roll it up with the dog and pickle.  Interesting, but good.  A good ending to a really good day.

See you tomorrow, just a forewarning...my sweet tooth is doing the picking again!

Baseball, Burritos, and Fun

Smell that?  It's a combination of buttered popcorn, cheesy nachos, foot-long hot dogs and fresh air.  What else could it be...baseball.  That's right, as fantastic as spring itself, baseball season arrived when I wasn't looking.  Truth be told, I think it is the most painful sport to watch on TV, but to actually sit in a stadium and watch a game...heaven.

Being a good lil' north Texan, I'm a Texas Rangers fan.  Going to their games is something my husband and I love to do.  Today's game is my favorite of the entire season.  Why?  Every year my husband is blessed to have the honor of throwing out the first pitch of the game.  It's an awesome honor and totally surreal.  Assuming the lovely spring storms don't ruin the event, that's the plan for today.

In honor of today's trip to the ballpark, I'm making Rachael Ray's Chicago Ballpark Burritos.  She actually has created 3 ballpark burritos, New York, L.A., and Chi-town.  I'm picking Chi-town because that's where my family's roots are.  Also, don't tell my Texas friends, but I'm really a Cubs fan.  If you ever get the chance to go to Wrigley, you'll be a Cubs fan too.  So in honor of family, baseball, and the good ol' Windy City, Rach and me are serving up some dogs.

Link to Chicago Ballpark Burritos

Source: rachaelray.com via Lisa on Pinterest

If you are in the mood for a hot dog, and the idea of wrapping it a tortilla intrigues you, please join Rach & me for a culinary adventure!  If a hot dog burrito grosses you out, that's ok too.  It's taken me quite awhile to finally decide to try this one.

Happy Wednesday and GO RANGERS!!

Keeping Up With The Crowd

For any of you that have ever spent any amount of time around toddlers and preschoolers, you know that they have an incredible ability to suck every drop of energy from you.  Whether they are your kids or not, you will ultimately be drained of all or most of the energy you had prior to your time spent with them.  Why does this phenomenon occur when these little people already have an overabundance of energy, plus warehouses full with the excess?  You got me.  I haven't a clue.

Since my household consists of a 4 and a 1 year old, and a momma who isn't 25, what's a girl to do?  This is where I let you in on my secret.  Protein.  Yup, that's all.  Sure it's coffee all morning long when I'm most productive, but when afternoon comes...protein keeps me from hitting a slump.  

I only recently discovered this magical trick.  I was finding myself lifeless in the afternoon, and my kids were literally running circles around me.  That's when I discovered the magic of protein, and the further energy suck of carbs.  The glorious internet hooked me up with lots of great foods to eat to keep my energy levels up, and now, I keep up...for the most part...with these little gals.

Today's recipe I'm going to share with you came from the Rachael Ray magazine a few months ago.  It used to have this awesome 5-ingredient section.  That was my fave part because something with only 5 ingredients can't be that intimidating (do note that they don't count olive oil or S&P as part of the 5).  This recipe wasn't an RR creation, but submitted by a reader, Al Hiruma-Martinez.  It's called Quinoa-and-Bean Salad.  

If you haven't tried quinoa yet, it's a magical food.  It packs a protein punch that keeps you going.  The awesome part is, it's rather tasteless.  You can throw it on some cereal, chuck it in an omelet, and really, you just aren't going to taste it...but you will feel it's energy sustaining effects.  The quinoa in this salad and the beans provide awesome energy benefits.  I like to make it on a Monday, much like I did yesterday, and then dish some up all week for lunch.  Eating it as a meal or a side at lunchtime, helps to provide the energy I need to keep up with my crowd.  It also makes a great summer salad to add a healthy, vegetarian option to any cookout, and it's easy to pack up for a picnic.  I hope you love this versatile salad as much as my family does.

Quinoa-and-Bean Salad

• 20 oz. can of kidney beans, drained
• 2 cups cooked and cooled quinoa
• 1 red onion finely chopped
• 2 bunches of fresh basil, stems discarded and leaves chopped
• Juice of 2 lemons

In a large bowl, mix together the kidney beans, quinoa, onion, and basil.  In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and 1/2 cup of extra-virgin olive oil; season with salt and pepper.  Pour the dressing over the quinoa salad and toss to coat evenly.   Serves 4.

That's the recipe as it was published.  A few things to consider: 

• It says it yields 4, that would be 4 elephants.  I think it yields at least 8 eating it as a meal.  As a side, it would yield at least 20.  Sometimes I make just a 1/2 recipe.
• I tend to use 1/2 the amount of onion and lemon, mostly because they are BIG here in the Lone Star State, so take into account their size when making this.
• Lastly, I can never find a 20 oz. can of beans, so I just add the 15.5 oz. and it works fine.

Long winded today, but I was excited to let you in on my little secret to boost your energy levels...and who here couldn't use an energy boost?

I Heart Mom

There she is, my attempt at Paula Deen's Double Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake.  My guilt free gift to myself.  So, how'd it turn out?  By the above picture, you might say glorious!  You can see the layers, the gooey goodness, but unfortunately, this momma overcooked it.  Boo hoo!  I cooked it in a 10x14 pan that I always thought was a 9x13.  I got the tape measurer out and measured it after the tragic loss of my cake, and I think that is the culprit...math.  Oh well, lesson learned, right?  That pan has always seemed a little off, and now I finally know why.

In the picture, you can see the top layer is indeed gooey, but the bottom is quite dry.  The strawberry topper not only was a great compliment to the chocolate, but also brought some much needed moisture back to the cake.  This cake would probably be best described as a blended marriage of chocolate cake and brownie.  It's not the traditional round and layered cake I was going for in the picture from my last post.  Guess I still get to make another cake...

As I now understand, it's pretty tricky to make a gooey cake perfectly gooey.  It's hard to know when it's cooked or uncooked goo.  I think I will wait a long while before I attempt one again.  I do have a delightful secret weapon though for the next time I crave goo.  Because I love ya, I'll share it with you.  Ready?  His name is Gooey Louie.  As seen on the Food Network, and as shared by my niece in St. Louis, at www.gooeylouiecake.com you can order from a variety of yummy flavors of gooey butter cake AND have it shipped to your door.  Now, doesn't that sound more relaxing than slaving over an overcooked cake?  My next gooey craving will definitely be satisfied by Gooey Louie.

Well, I sincerely hope you all enjoyed a wonderful Mother's Day weekend.  My husband and sweet girls did everything they could think of to make me feel special and loved.  They brought me donuts and coffee in bed along with the paper, they left me alone for a ridiculous Lifetime movie indulgence, and all the while, the 4 year old princess kept making me pictures, and each one was adorned with the sweetest 4 year old inscription...

I heart Mom.  Isn't that all we really want is to be "hearted?"  I definitely felt their love yesterday.  I'm grateful to have them, and I love them dearly too.  Well, my calendar says Monday on it, and that means Mother's Day is over.  I've got laundry to do and toys to put away, and somewhere along the way, these lovely people are going to want food.  Between you and me, I've got no clue what I'm going to feed 'em.  Guess I've got my work cut out for me!  See you tomorrow with a new recipe!

Happy Guilt Free Weekend

As I'm sure we all know, this weekend is Mother's Day.  It's a wonderful day to reflect upon all the wonderful things your mother has done to help make you who you are today.  If you're a mother, it's a great day off.

Motherhood is a gift, but part of the experience includes guilt.  There's guilt if you've been a bit too harsh with discipline, there's guilt if you took too much time for yourself instead of spending it with your kids, there's guilt layered with guilt.  The trick is to try and balance the guilt with all of the great stuff that mothering includes.  I try and keep that in mind.  I don't want them to be grown and only be left with guilt. The happy memories are what I'm really after.

So to celebrate Mother's Day, I'm giving myself a weekend pass on guilt.  Not going to feel guilty, not even a drop.  Oh, and I'm making it a weekend, not just a day...why not, right?  So if I am going to give myself 2 whole days of no guilt, whatever shall I enjoy?  Can you guess??

Source: call-me-cupcake.blogspot.com via Lisa on Pinterest

CHOCOLATE!!!

I'm genetically predisposed to an enormous love of chocolate, so really, I shouldn't feel guilty ever, but sometimes I do.  Since there's no guilt allowed this weekend, why not eat a chocolate cake?  I like my rationale.  Since there's no guilt AND there's going to be cake, I say go big or go home.  I'm doing my cake up right, Paula Deen style.  Yup, 16 delicious tablespoons of butter!  This weekend it isn't "Rach and Me," but "Paula and Me."

Double Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake

The above link is to Paula's "Double Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake."  Told ya I was going big!  Not one  chocolate...nope, double.  What could be better than that?  GOOEY BUTTER CAKE!!

So if you are willing to join me in celebration of mothers and motherhood, or if you just REALLY need a delicious treat this weekend, please join me in making this one...guilt-free.  We can all think cardio on Monday, but this weekend, I'm thinking YUM!

Happy Weekend!

4 or 14

Ah parenting, such the non-stop activity.  It's a job unlike anything I have ever done.  Even now, 4 years into the position, I still marvel at it.  There are many difficult aspects to the job.  Sleep deprivation probably ranks high on my list of difficulties.  Moody & cranky kids aren't that much fun either.  It's amazing to me though, how you can be having a terrible day and a warm hug from your kid, a smile, or a loving word can feel like a million dollar winning lottery ticket.  Parenting is a bond unlike any I've shared, and I'm so proud to be the mommy of my two princesses.

With that being said, yesterday was princess gone wild day.  Of my 2 girls, the 4 year old tends to be my more obedient child, mostly because the little one is 1 and doesn't really understand discipline just yet...or she doesn't care to.  Either way, the 4 year old took a pass on behavior yesterday.  I truly thought to myself, oh know, please don't let this be foreshadowing to the teen years...please no!!  It wasn't pretty, yet somehow, spinach risotto was made, mushrooms were sauteed, and time-outs were officiated.

If I could cook through yesterday's obstacles, I think I could cook through most anything.  In making the spinach risotto, I made it early and tossed it into the fridge to reheat later.  I thought that the risotto could stand alone even, that was of course, until I added the mushrooms.  I know many of you aren't fans of either veg, but if you ever want to try coming on board with them.  They both were scrump together in this recipe and standing alone.  Matter of fact, I think the balsamic mushrooms would make a dreamy burger topper.  My tummy rumbles just thinking about it!  Anyways, as I was saying, I made the spinach risotto early, and then just before dinner, I sauteed the mushrooms and added them on top of the reheated risotto.  It was the only way I could pull off this dinner with our Tuesday schedule.

I know this recipe didn't look appetizing, but if you can move past it's VERY green color, as well as the earthy nature of the mushrooms, it was quite tasty.  The 1 year old gives you her stamp of approval, and she is the one with the pickier palate.  Hope you all are having a great week.  I'm off to a mid-week pancake feast!  YUM!

Don't Judge a Book

Ever been asked to go on a blind date?  Sadly, I have.  Even worse, I went.  Terrible, horrific, weirdo, all of these words are popping into my head remembering it.  Recall your blind dates or even just being asked.  What's the first thing you ask?  Looks, right?  Hate to admit to any level of shallowness, but if it's not the first question, it's certainly in the top 3.

Anyways, in time you learn, that looks aren't everything.  Sure, I think my hubby is a total dreamy catch, but even beyond his fantasticness, looks aren't everything.  He's a great husband, father, son, and friend.

Ok, now that I've rambled on for 2 paragraphs about looks, I'm hoping that I've got you where I want you.  Ready not to judge??  Tonight's Rachael Ray recipe sounded delicious to me in my cookbook, but then I looked up the link online and, well, the picture in the link isn't so appealing.  Go with me here, remember, we aren't going to judge it's unfortunate looks, right?  It has all the potential in the word to be wonderful, just a few cosmetic issues to overlook.

What do you say friends??  Tonight's recipe is Rachael Ray's Popeye Risotto with Beefy Balsamic Mushrooms.  It's got spinach, portobello mushrooms, balsamic vinegar, and best of all, it's risotto!!  For my small but strong vegetarian crowd, this is one you can join us on!  I hope you'll consider it, if these ingredients at all appeal to you.

If you join me on this one, do post.  Either way, you know I'll let you know how this one turns out!

Link to Popeye Risotto with Beefy Balsamic Mushrooms

A Little Pop of Happiness

That's my view.  Those dark, beautiful clouds.  This weekend was quite rainy & cold for north Texas in early May.  Add to that one ill princess, and another real cranky one...what's a queen to do to bring some sunshine back into the weekend?  Only one thing would do...cake pops.

You might be where I was recently...what's a cake pop?  Short answer-a little piece of heaven on earth!  The longer, more clear answer would be the essence of a moist bite of cake on a lollipop stick.  Pure genius, could be another definition.  

I recently saw these cute lil' pops on a much deserved drive thru Starbucks.  I thought, those little guys look tasty, but I wasn't in the mood at 9 a.m. for cake.  Then I saw them in their most wondrous glory on another blog I read, Food to Heart.  The person that writes that blog has cooking down pat.  These little treats looked divine.  Then as I read through more of her blog, she has a section where she shows you how to make them.  It's under Snowball Cake Pops.

As you can see, I decided to make pink cake pops for my girlies.  Experiment was the name of the game.   I used various sources to craft these sweet pops, and there were moments where I almost threw in the towel, but the end reward was worth the struggles.  These were my first attempt ever, and I didn't follow the rules as I should.  Nonetheless, I ended up with a whole bunch of yummy lil' treats.

 As you can see by those sweet little fingers, I made one little princess very happy.  She even agreed to stop eating them for a moment so that I could grab a quick picture.  Strangely enough, she's getting rather used to mommy taking pictures of what we eat.  

If you attempt cake pops, let me know and take pics.  I think the most fun is letting your creative juices flow.  My next attempt will be chocolate cake with chocolate frosting when my niece comes to town in a few weeks.  I'll post pics then too.  You hear that D?  Get your taste buds ready!