Saturday, March 27, 2010

Strawberry Cobbler


4-5 cups of fresh sliced strawberries
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 TBS corn starch
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cup packed light brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
6 TBS cold unsalted butter, cubed
3/4 cup heavy cream
vanilla ice cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch square baking pan or casserole dish; set aside.

In a bowl toss together the strawberries, granulated sugar and corn starch; set aside.
In a second bowl whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder,and salt.  Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Stir in the cream until just combined.

Spread the fruit mixture in the bottom of the prepared pan.  Drop the biscuit batter by spoonfuls on top of the fruit. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until golden brown on top and bubbling.  Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.  I serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top!!

(original cobbler recipe can be found in the Better Homes and Gardens cook book)


Shae really enjoyed helping to make this cobbler.  She loves to help measure the ingrediants, pouring the ingrediants into the bowls and of course helping to stir! I think it is wonderful how much she enjoys cooking already.  My husband and I both love cooking and experimenting with new foods and recipes so this must have rubbed off on her already!


Sullivan prefers to draw :)

Chicken Marsala

My 3 year old daughter Shae just loves to help cook! Last night she helped to make a delicious Chicken Marsala and a Strawberry Cobbler for dessert!


Boneless skinless chicken tenders (I used 7 pieces), or 4 bonless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
dash of onion powder
dash of garlic powder
2 TBS cooking oil
2 cloves of garlic -finely chopped
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup fresh parsley or 1 TBS parsley flakes
1 bottle of Marsala wine (Yes, I use the entire bottle!)


If using chicken breasts: between sheets of plastic wrap flatten to 1/4" thickness.  I do not flatten if using chicken tenders.  In dish mix flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.
In deep skillet heat oil over med-high heat.  Cook garlic and parsley for 3minutes stirring frequently(do not let garlic burn). Coat chicken in flour mixture, shake off excess flour.  Add chicken to skillet cook for approx 6 minutes on each side. Add mushrooms and wine.  Cover skillet and let cook for approx 20 minutes until chicken is no longer pink.  Cooking time is going to depend on the thickness of the chicken,cooking time may need to be increased.  The wine should cook down into a thick marsala sauce.  ENJOY!






Here is Shae helping to chop mushrooms with her wooden knife :)





Friday, March 26, 2010

Still Alice by Lisa Genova



She didn't want to become someone people avoided and feared. She wanted to live to hold Anna's baby and know it was her grandchild. She wanted to see Lydia act in something she was proud of. She wanted to see Tom fall in love. She wanted to read every book she could before she could no longer read.
Alice Howland is proud of the life she has worked so hard to build. A Harvard professor, she has a successful husband and three grown children. When Alice begins to grow forgetful at first she just dismisses it, but when she gets lost in her own neighborhood she realizes that something is terribly wrong. Alice finds herself in the rapid downward spiral of Alzheimer's disease. She is only 50 years old.
While Alice once placed her worth and identity in her celebrated and respected academic life, now she must re-evaluate her relationship with her husband, her expectations of her children and her ideas about herself and her place in the world.
Losing her yesterdays, her short-term memory hanging on by a couple of frayed threads, she is living in the moment, living for each day. But she is still Alice.
Still Alice is as compelling as A Beautiful Mind and as powerful as Ordinary People. You will gain an understanding of those affected by early-onset Alzheimer's and remain moved and inspired long after you have put it down.  (Summary from goodreads.com)

Read from March 24 to 25, 2010


My Review: 5 STARS
Still Alice by Lisa Genova is the story of Alice Howland. Alice is a brilliant psychology professor at Harvard, wife and mother of three grown children who has been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease at the age of 50. I am not going to lie this story is absolutely heartbreaking and I had a hard time reading it through all of my tears. I don't think I have ever in my life cried so much while reading a book! This is the story of Alice's downward spiral into this devastating disease, she is stripped of her career, memories and her sense of self. Still Alice is so heartbreaking but at the same time so beautifully written that I found myself physically unable to set the book down. This story will stay with me for a long time.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Message in a Bottle by Nicholas Sparks

Message in a Bottle launches a remarkable woman on a mysterious voyage of self-discovery and renewal when she finds a deeply-felt love letter hidden in a bottle, a letter that reawakens her belief that star-crossed lovers will find each other across time and space.
(Summary from goodreads.com)

My review: 3 STARS
Almost gave up on this one half-way through. I am glad that I decided to keep reading though because it actually turned out to be pretty good. This is my third Nicholas Sparks novel and my overall impression so far is that his writing is full of emotional pull but is lacking in any real substance. I would recommend his books for a nice beach read or to take with you on vacation.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Best potty seat for toddlers!

Just wanted to recommend this product for all of my friends who are going to be starting potty training soon. This seat is awesome! Shae was having issues with using the traditional "potty chairs" and plus I really wasn't too keen on the idea of having to clean them out anyway YUCK! Very easy set-up (Shae is able to do this herself) and also folds away for easy storage inbetween bathroom visits. Shae also loves the little handles on the sides to hold onto for stability.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

These is my Words by Nancy E. Turner

Inspired by the true story of the author's pioneering great-grandmother, this mesmerizing saga tells of the emotional, intellectual, and romantic awakening of a spirited young woman of the late 19th century in the American West.

My Review: 5 STARS
These is my Words "The Diary of Sarah Agnes Prine, 1881-1901" is seriously one of the BEST books I have read in a long time!! I cannot stop thinking about it...the story and the characters really draw you in and I actually feel like I have been living in the late 1800's along with Sarah Prine and her family. This is hands down the best love story I have read (this is not a cheesy romance novel either it is a real love story.) These is my Words is full of excitement, adventure, love, romance, I laughed and I cried and will soon be reading the next novels in the series. Thank you Nancy E. Turner! Do yourself a favor and read this book!

Friday, March 12, 2010

Sassy Girl!










Thursday, March 11, 2010

Make Your Own Baby Wipes

I can't even remember the last time I bought baby wipes from the store.  It is so easy to make my own and I can't even imagine the money I have saved by doing so! Not only do they work great for diaper changes but for wiping hands and small clean-ups as well.

Here is what you will need to make your own:

 container for storage (red plastic Folgers coffee can is perfect!!)
 1/2 roll of white paper towels (Bounty brand works the best)
1 1/2 cup water
1 TBS baby oil
1 TBS baby wash

Really the most difficult part about making your own baby wipes is cutting the paper towel roll in half.  I use an electric knife...if you do not have an electric knife just use a serrated knife and "saw"in half.

Next remove the cardboard tube from the center of the roll

Place paper towels in container.  Mix 1 TBS baby oil and 1 TBS baby soap into the water and pour over towels.

 You may want to let the water mixture soak into the baby wipes before using (about 10minutes). 
That is it! Easy!!

Monday, March 8, 2010

Toddler Meals

Homemade Baked Chicken Nuggets

I know it is normal for toddlers to be picky eaters but UGH is it ever frustrating! I thought I would share a tasty version of homemade baked chicken nuggets that I made for the kids last night.

About 1 pound on boneless skinless chicken tenders
1 egg
2TBS melted butter
1 Cup Progresso Italian bread crumbs
sprinkle of Parmesan cheese

I pounded all of the chicken tenders between two sheets of wax paper just so they were not so thick and would cook more evenly.  After pounding I cut each tender into thirds. Dip each piece into egg/butter mixture and then dip into bread crumbs/Parmesan cheese mixture.  Place chicken pieces into a greased 9x13 baking dish.  Place in preheated 425 degree oven for 12 minutes and then turn them over and bake for an additional 12 minutes.  They were so delicious my husband and I could not stop eating them....oh and the kids actually ate them too!!

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Who is this kid??

This certainly cannot be my little boy!  My little boy has shaggy hair that hangs in his eyes and curls into his ears! Oh wait this is what he looks like under all of that hair! What a cutie!!



Friday, March 5, 2010

Why use the door?



 
When it is easier to just go through the big hole that they made in the screen!

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

The Summoning (Darkest Powers #1) by Kelley Armstrong


Summary:After years of frequent moves following her mother’s death, Chloe Saunders’s life is finally settling down. She is attending art school, pursuing her dreams of becoming a director, making friends, meeting boys. Her biggest concern is that she’s not developing as fast as her friends are. But when puberty does hit, it brings more than hormone surges. Chloe starts seeing ghosts–everywhere, demanding her attention. After she suffers a breakdown, her devoted aunt Lauren gets her into a highly recommended group home.
At first, Lyle House seems a pretty okay place, except for Chloe’s small problem of fearing she might be facing a lifetime of mental illness. But as she gradually gets to know the other kids at the home–charming Simon and his ominous, unsmiling brother Derek, obnoxious Tori, and Rae, who has a “thing” for fire–Chloe begins to realize that there is something that binds them all together, and it isn’t your usual “problem kid” behaviour. And together they discover that Lyle House is not your usual group home either…
(Summary from book jacket)
 
My review: 2 STARS

This book was just not captivating. You would think a book about a girl who was able to summon the dead would be a at least a little bit exciting or thrilling but it wasn't at all. I am very surprised at how many reviewers seem to have liked this book. All I could think about while reading this book was that I was wasting precious time that I could be spending to read a different book! I will not be picking up the next book in the series.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Sully goes to the zoo

We were able to meet-up with some friends for a zoo trip on Friday!  Both of Sullivan's little friends were born in March 2008 just like him!









Umm...thanks Shelley!!


Sullivan getting ready to make a break for it!
We had such a great day!

Sulivan turns 2!

My baby celebrated his 2nd birthday this past weekend!




Of course Sissy loves the cake!



Monday, March 1, 2010

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan 

Summary:
In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth.But, slowly, Mary's truths are failing her. She's learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future - between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?
(summary from book cover)
 
My Review: 5 stars
Yes I just gave 5 stars to a book about zombies of all things! I must say though that this book really is about so much more than just the walking dead.
Mary has never known anything other than living in a small village enclosed by fences to keep out the unconsecrated that live in the Forest of Hands and Teeth. She has been raised to believe that there is nothing more....that there is no life beyond the fences.
The Forrest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan is an engaging, dark, scary, elegantly written novel. It is not just the story of the moaning, shuffling, walking dead it is a story of hopes and dreams and thinking outside of the box (literally). This is a story about finding your own truths not just accepting the way things have always been.
I am eagerly awaiting the follow-up novel The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan!