My Tribute to Autumn

I love autumn. It's definitely my favorite time of year.

There's something so special about it that causes my heart to stir. The wonderful colors God paints on nature and the sweet aroma that comes with the cool breeze, makes autumn so delicious. It sort of reminds me of mulled apple cider and sweetpotato pies. Or the laughter you can hear from Fall Festivals or the country home decorations. 

I'm so glad that God is letting me celebrate my 2nd trimester through the fall months. The last season was a challenge, but as I welcome the new season, I know things will be different. At least for the better.

This Week's Menu and Shopping List

This week has some of my favorite recipes. I love comfort food - and the baked ziti and pot roast recipes fit the bill perfectly. I also love having really fancy, but affordable dinners at home - Monday's meal is a perfect example. And who doesn't love fast, effortless meals (on Friday you basically just put Wednesday's leftovers on rice - which changes the consistency and flavor a little, but is so easy!) Finally, I also love indulging in a great dish that has taken some time and effort...but pays off! This dish for me was the phenomenal flourless chocolate cake recipe on Friday. So good. I hope you enjoy your dinners this week as much as I did!

Menu
Monday: A Parisian Feast: French Onion Soup au Gratin and Steamed Mussels
Tuesday: Baked Ziti
Wednesday: Pot Roast and Vegetables with Mashed Potatoes
Thursday: Cheesy Chicken, Potato Cakes, and Roast Asparagus
Friday: Beef and Tomatoes on Rice
Super Fun Recipe: Chocolate Cracked Earth (Flourless Chocolate Cake)

Shopping List
Produce
1 bundle green asparagus (1/2 - 1 lb.)
3 yellow onions
2 lb. onions, (approx. 6 cups)
5 garlic cloves
1 bunch baby carrots
2 celery stalks
1 cup button mushrooms
8 medium potatoes

Pantry
Olive oil (at least 10 Tbls)
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 1/2 cups beef stock
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 can crushed tomatoes
2 1/2 cups store-bought (or homemade) tomato sauce
1 pound ziti or rigatoni noodles (whole wheat preferred)
1 1/2 cups uncooked rice

Bakery Aisle
3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
1 pound bittersweet chocolate
5 Tbls flour
2 tsp. sugar
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Spices
7 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
Salt and Pepper

Meat and Seafood
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 (3 to 4 pound) piece beef chuck roast
2 lb. mussels, scrubbed and cleaned

Dairy and Refrigerated
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 stick butter (I use salted)
5 Tbls butter
1 ½ cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
1/3 cup plus ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese
3 cups shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
9 large eggs
1 cup firm tofu, mashed well or pureed (1/2 of a 14-oz. block)

Baby Food
1 2nd stage foods container pureed carrots
1 2nd stage container pureed sweet potatoes

Bakery
1 baguette

Other
4 Tbls cognac
½ cup dry white wine (can substitute chicken stock)

Say It, Think It, Write It

My nine year old daughter has been reviewing her multiplication facts through the summer in order to be prepared for the new school year. I purchased her a workbook that is designed to strengthen her ability to understand numbers by having her say the math concept, think the math concept, and finally, write the math concept. My daughter did these exercises over and over again. Her confidence began to increase and now she recites her multiplication facts with ease.

I was amused as I observed the process. It was interesting that my daughter did not question this methodology. The workbook was the authority in her eyes, and willingly she complied. To our delight, the process was a success. This process is not new and has been used in education for years. The Suzuki Method has been teaching music education by repeated imitation of examples for years. Small steps and the encouragement to learn within an unforced timetable, nurtures children into the love of learning.
That is why your baby loves to throw her bottles repeatedly out of her stroller. You may think it is because she knows you will play along and pick it up everytime she throws it :-). The real reason is because she is learning by repetition and by allowing her to do it, you are encouraging her, nurturing her and helping her to "say it, think it, and write it".
Long before Suzuki began teaching music education, God imparted his teaching of repetition through Moses in the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy in chapter 6, when the Israelites were about to enter the Promised Land. Moses taught the Jewish People that the most important commandment was "... to love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are away on a journey, when you are lying down and when you are getting up again. Tie them to your hands as a reminder, and wear them on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." (Deut. 6:5-9 NLT)
We must not highlight repetition of the word before the commandment to love God, but the point is well made that God knew that in creating us, He also knows how we best learn. There are auditory learners, visual learners, and kinesthetic or tactile learners. However He created you (and your child), God knew that writing His word, saying His word, thinking about His word will all lead to Him. We will know what He expects of us if we memorize His word, and we will love Him if we think about Him all the time.
Let's think about this the next time one of our children asks us the same question for the 20th time. It is how God created them. And for you dear Sister in Christ, whether it is writing a Scripture verse on a post it for your refrigerator, the dashboard of your car, or on a piece of paper in your pocketbook, God will honor your effort. Your children will ask you (again and again) what the piece of paper says and together you will learn. I confess memorization is still an area I struggle with, but I am encouraged that even the people of Israel needed to be reminded. Sometimes it is too much to take the whole bible with you on the train, in the car, or to a doctor's appointment, but what about a piece of the Word? Psalm 81:10 says, " ... open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things." Take a piece of the Word of God with you wherever you go, and He will fill you with His good things. Amen. God bless you. Nina

Leaving it in God's Hands

This past weekend I had my last day at the part-time job I have had for the last year or so. The day passed with out anything out of the ordinary, as expected, and then was over. I was surprised to find myself worrying about what will happen next weekend when I am not there. It is no longer my responsibility and all the tasks and people will be managed by other capable hands. Yet, I still found myself anxious about no longer being there to make sure things run well.

Later, at home I sang "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands," with my daughter. I have sung this so many times that I have lost count. We sang that He's got 'mommy and daddy' in His hands, or you and me, the wind and the rain, our house and our car, the little bitty babies, grandma and grandpa....you name it and she wants to sing that it is in God's hands. Then she loves to clap and say "Yeah God." Oh if only I could realize that everything is in God's hands and leave it all there so easily. Right then and there I consciously decided to 'give' all my concerns back to the Lord. It is still a learning process for me, but I am making an effort every evening before I go to sleep to release anything I am holding too tightly to the Lord.

PRAYING it Safe - by Judy

My husband, my two boys and I just returned from Camp of the Woods. We have vacationed there seven out of the last eight summers. My boys especially love going there because they are free to run around and be independent. Sometimes I tend to be an overprotective mother and worry about my boys. This wonderful christian camp resort allows me to let the boys roam everywhere and have fun. I can relax because I know they are safe in this environment. My heart still beats fast when I see them climb 36 feet up a tree to come down the zip line or waterski for the first or second time. I just say a quick prayer to protect them from any danger.

When we drive back home, I try to remember to submit all of my fears to God. I pray for His guidance for our lives. I have such peace when I surrender it all to Him. It’s hard for me to remember that I’m not in control. So I continue to pray for God to keep my kids safe and to put a hedge of protection around them. When I am consumed by circumstances and don’t know what to do, I pray that He makes me a mom who walks by faith and not by sight.

Learning to Talk 101

It's been quite fun to watch my almost two year old talk. She has been a late bloomer in this area since her older siblings have mastered this very much earlier. It's exciting to actually see her trying: she'll pay close attention to each word, then she'll repeat them. Some words she still needs to work on since only I can understand her pronunciation. But when she gets it right, you should see how her face brightens up. 

In the same way, I feel that I'm learning to talk again for the first time lately. Since I've been stuck in bed with my morning sickness, and out of my desperation I began to talk to God every moment about everything. It was as if I was going back to the beginning of my relationship with Him and rediscovering how to trust Him all over again and sharing that intimacy in our relationship. I had no busy schedule to follow nor was able to work on any of my projects, and the only thing I could do was be still and know that He is my God, and that He's taking care of me. 

Although I still am going through this sickness, and somehow it took a turn into the worst stage, I realize this is what God wanted me to remember: to seek after Him like a child and fully trust Him in everything. It's good to know that I'm not in control of anything in my life but our Almighty God is! Because one thing for sure, He does a much better job than I can ever strive for.

Speaking your Kids' Love Languages

As a mom I say "I love you," and hug my kids all the time, throughout the day. It is easy now since they are still babies. Is that the only way, or even the best way to show them love as they get older though? Just like adults, kids have unique and individual personalities. For one 4 year old, being hugged and cuddled during a special story time with Dad makes him feel especially loved. For another, having mom blow up balloons for him to play with however he wants, makes him feel particularly loved.

I just finished reading The Five Love Languages of Children, by Gary Chapman & Ross Campbell, M.D., and I learned a lot! The premise of this wonderful book is that children need unconditional love from their parents as it is the foundation for healthy self-esteem, security & safety, relational skills and emotional well being for their lives. This book also includes a chapter on disciplining out of love, that was an amazing help to me. The authors focus on the practicalities of how to meet your child's need for love, beginning with how to discover what your child's love language is. Love language is the specific way in which love is best communicated to your child, in short, what makes your child feel loved.

The book details 5 Love Languages for children: physical touch, words of affirmation, quality time, acts of service and gifts. The authors give guidance on how to uncover your child's primary love language and then provide insightful, practical tips on how to 'speak' that language of love to your child. Leaving a little note of encouragement in your child's lunchbox, for example, if his love language is words of affirmation. Or carving 30 minutes out of your busy schedule to spend uninterrupted time playing a game or taking a special walk/outing with your child if her love language is quality time.

Even if your children are babies or toddlers now (like mine), this book will help you start the habit of unconditional love now. I highly recommend it for any parent who wants to love their kids more, have a better relationship with them, and make sure their kids know how much they are loved!!!

My Week at VBS

So a few weeks ago was Vacation Bible School (VBS) week at my church. I had volunteered to teach a kindergarten class, because I used to teach a Sunday School class of kindergartners and remember it being challenging, but fun. However, on the first morning of VBS, I was dreading it. My husband, 1-yr old, and I had just been away visiting friends for the weekend and had returned that Sunday night after an 8-hour car ride (including stops for food and diaper changes). I had not had time to unpack, and felt completely unprepared for camp. I also found out that about 30 kids were signed up for my class, and although I was assigned 4 helpers, I still found that number very daunting! I also found out that some parents seemed to have snuck their Pre-K students into the class, so there were kids ranging from 4-6 years old (and if anyone thinks there is no difference between a child entering Pre-K and one entering Kindergarten...believe me, there is!). Suffice it to say, I entered the day feeling very negative. And at the end of the morning I felt like I was justified in my feelings because it had been a very difficult, tiring morning. I felt like I had failed in maintaining control of the kids and trying to pass on any lessons about Christ and His love.

That night, I decided that my attitude needed to change. I prayed about the rest of camp, asking God for advice on how the class should be structured. I spent a lot of time planning the next day, and I felt a lot better going into the second day of camp. Each day, my attitude became more and more positive, and each day seemed to be better than the last. Although I still had issues with keeping the children's attention and keeping things organized, I was comforted by some very positive things. Like seeing the boy who screamed (for a substantial amount of time) when his mother left the first day, walking happily into camp and giving me a big hug the third day, or seeing some children who weren't listening the first day paying attention and raising their hand in response to the Bible story later in the week. These moments were very encouraging, but I still worried about whether or not I had been able to pass on some knowledge of Christ to these children. Then, on the last morning, some of the parents dropping off their kids came up to me and said that their child can't stop talking about "The Lord" and how much "God loves them"; that every story time they have, they just want to read the Bible, and they are asking to come to church on Sunday (a lot of children who attend VBS are from the community and don't actively attend church). To hear this response was amazing. I was filled with such joy in knowing that God could use me to reach the students, even through my initial bad attitude, and even though I felt incapable of doing so. It was an incredible moment, to actually witness God planting seeds in the lives of those children.

Blog Showcase: Angry Chicken

Don't let the title puzzle you. I thought it was very odd too. But the content is awesome. This is for those who have a little bit of Martha Stewart in you :) Please click here to check out this blog. Enjoy!

Back to School?

Back-to-school...images of apples and backpacks, of new outfits, actual clean sneakers and neatly combed hair. Childhood, in all of it's magical simplicity. Today is a back to school moment for me, but there's no going back--just terrifyingly forward. Today, I leave my beautiful 18 year old baby in a college dorm on the other side of the country. Lots of tears this week, excitement, sorting of clothes, hours pouring over photos and a small paper bag stuffed with the critical ones that somehow capture who she is and the rich warmth of life and friends that she's so afraid she'll never really feel again.
And I was just getting the hang of it--just getting that thing about slowing down, sitting on the corner of a bed, not in a hurry. I was just learning to let her see the open side of me, the one that doesn't know the answer this time. I was just getting to the part where I paid more attention to the small passing comments that I had barely heard over the years.
And it's gone! I mean, she's not gone, but her childhood is. I won't be packing her lunch. The brown paper bag line-up on my kitchen table is diminishing, and so is my sense of being needed, at least in the way I've known to be needed. Motherhood is a journey. Just when the road makes sense and gets comfortable, it turns on you and flips you around. The rules change too. Early in life you are so responsible for being the center of stability and answers. But if you know all the answers when they're 16, it makes them feel like you're closed minded and they stop listening to you. The bed time that made them feel secure as small children, can make them feel like your not responding to their lives when they're 14.
So today , just like I did when she was 9 months old and crying in the middle of the night, I pray for wisdom. We ask a God who gives us wisdom without being annoyed that we keep asking! This has been a jewel in my life; experiencing that God does not get tired of being asked for wisdom in the moment, and He gives generously!

Extra Fun Recipe

Delicious Crab Dip (serves 4-6 as an appetizer)


11 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 small onion, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
5 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 (6 ounce) cans crabmeat, drained and flaked
1 (1 pound) loaf, round, crusty italian bread

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2) In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, onion, mayonnaise, crabmeat, garlic powder,
salt and pepper. Spread mixture into a 1 quart baking dish.
3) Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven. While the dip is baking, cut a circle in the top of
the bread, and scoop out the inside to create a bread bowl. Tear the removed bread into
pieces for dipping.
4) Remove baked crab dip from the oven, and stir well.
Spoon the mixture into the hollowed out loaf. Place bread bowl and chunks of bread on a
medium baking sheet, and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Friday Night Recipe

Leftover wraps (serves 4)
*Use leftover meat and veggies from kebab night*

Leftover meat and vegetables, cut into bite-size pieces
2 Tbls. soy sauce
2 scallions, white parts only, thinly sliced (reserved from Tuesday Night)
8 oz. (about 2 cups) shredded cheddar cheese
4 wraps (any style)
Bag of pre-washed salad
Desired dressing

1) Heat the leftover meat and veggies in a medium skillet over medium-low heat until warmed through. Raise the heat to medium and toss with the soy sauce and scallions for 2 minutes.
2) Turn the heat to low, sprinkle with the cheese, and cover the skillet until the cheese is melted, about 1-2 minutes.
3) Remove from heat and divide between the four wraps. Serve with the salad.

Sandpaper - by Jill

1Peter 3:8-9: To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.

Everyone knows someone who is like sandpaper to your skin. Well, God has taught me that these "human sandpapers" are actually for our benefit, to mold us into the image of His Son (Romans8:28-29). When my son was younger, the mother of one of his playmates was my sandpaper. You know the type, she would have her back turned toward you as if you didn't exist so she could talk to the person standing next to you, think nothing of taking advantage of your hospitality and generosity without reciprocating, ...

Well, I finally thought I was "getting even" with her. You see, I decided to treat her the same way she would treat my son. When my son had a playdate, all were welcome. The opposite was true for my son's friend. On one occasion my son had a household of boys over and I purposely did not invite this particular child . I was feeling quite smug with myself until I heard God say in my heart, "Is this really what you should do?" Guilt and conviction set in. How could I be doing this? How could I show this mother the love of God and who He is if I am not acting like His ambassador? My heart started to sink. I felt so guilty and worse, so ashamed. I immediately called the mother and invited her son over. I remember her sounding so shocked as she asked me, "Really? Are you sure? But I know you already have such a full house!" To make a long story short, when I hung up the phone I felt His peace. But do you know what really got me? The very next day I picked up "My Utmost for His Highest," and this is what it said:
"Whenever we are obstinate and self-willed and set on our own ambitions, we are hurting Jesus... All I do should be based on a perfect oneness with Him, not on a self-willed determination to be godly. This will mean that others may use me, go around me, or completely ignore me, ... submit to it for His sake..."

When I read that, I cried. God blessed me by confirming to me that what I did honored Him. This lesson has stayed with me since then. If I am to be His witness to the world around me, I must remember that love gives up its rights in order to demonstrate the character of God. Love is an action word. It means desiring another's highest good. While you are not to be a "doormat," as long as you keep your focus on God, He will be your confidence and keep your feet from stumbling (Proverbs 3:26).
So how about you? Is someone like 'sandpaper' in your life? If so, what do you think God is teaching you through this person? How do you display the glory of God?

Thursday Night Recipe

Pasta with Asparagus and Bacon in a Cream Sauce (serves 4)
*This is a great go-to pasta for any leftovers you have. If you use the basic cream sauce made with half-n-half and Parmesan cheese (I just use the cheap grated cheese) you can add in any combination of leftover meats and vegetables. My friend Donna has used this sauce and tried it with different combinations -- I know she likes it with shrimp! Ham works really well too, in place of the bacon.*

3/4 lb. fettuccine, or any long pasta
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 bundle fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/2" pieces
1 Tbls. butter
8 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled (use bacon leftover from Gumbo Night)
1 1/4 cups half-n-half
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Pepper

1) Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook fettuccine according to package directions, drain, and keep warm.
2) Meanwhile, saute onion and asparagus in butter in a medium-size skillet over medium heat until onion is softened, about 4 minutes. Lower the heat; cook, mostly covered, 5 minutes or until the asparagus is tender. Stir in the bacon.
3) In a separate medium-sized saucepan, bring the half-n-half to a simmer. Simmer 2 minutes to reduce slightly. Remove from heat and stir in the parmesan. Add the creamy sauce into the asparagus mixture in the skillet. Add pepper to taste. Simmer 2 minutes. Toss with the fettuccine and serve with extra Parmesan, if desired.

The Word for the Day

What word best sums up your day today?

JOYFUL, BUSY, GRATEFUL, OVERWHELMED, EXCITED, ANXIOUS, SUNNY, GRAY, AMAZING, FEARFUL, MUNDANE, NEW, SURPRISING.......


No matter how you might view your day, there is ONE who knows every detail of every one of your days (including today)... He is

JESUS, SAVIOR, REDEEMER, ABBA FATHER, COMFORTER, PRINCE OF PEACE, ALMIGHTY GOD, WONDERFUL COUNSELOR, STRONG TOWER, KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS

Just a reminder that for all of our days, all day, He is always here!

Wednesday Night Recipe

Grilled Meat and Vegetable Kebabs (serves 4)
*Save 1/2 of the meat and veggies for a later meal*

10 metal or wooden skewers
1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 2" chunks
1 1/2 lb. London Broil, cut into 2" chunks
1 red onion, peeled, separated into layers, cut into 2" pieces
2 green peppers, seeds removed, cut into 2" pieces
1 zucchini, cut into 2" chunks
2-3 Tbls. Italian dressing
1 cup uncooked rice

1) If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before using. I suggest using metal skewers because they are re-usable and easier to handle. Boil 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan with a lid. Add the rice and cook, covered, stirring occassionally until all of the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
2) Preheat the grill to medium heat. Thread the zucchini onto two of the skewers.
3) Thread the meat, onion, and peppers pieces onto the remaining skewers, in any order desired. Just make sure the chicken and steak are not on the same skewer, because you may want them to be cooked for different lengths of time. The meat is more flavorful if it is surrounded by onion and pepper pieces as it's grilling.
4) Grill the skewers over medium heat, turning occassionally. The zucchini will only need about 4-5 minutes altogether. The chicken skewers will take about 8-10 minutes, and the steak skewers differ depending on how you like your steak cooked. For medium, it will take about 7-10 minutes. You want to watch the skewers carefully to be sure the meat doesn't overcook. Unfortunately, grilling is not a definite science, so you have to just watch and check the meat for doneness from time to time. Depending on the type of grill you have, the timing can differ. Just remember to use potholders or tongs when handling these skewers because they will be HOT!
5) Pour 2 Tbls. of the Italian dressing into the bottom of a large bowl. Holding one end of the skewer with a potholder, use a large fork or tongs, to push the meat and vegetables off of the skewer and into the bowl. Toss well with the dressing. It should be very lightly coated. Add more dressing if desired.
6) Serve the meat and veggie mixture over the rice.

Insights on Being a Mom

A few months after I had my first child I wrote the following insights on being a mom....and even now, although the specifics might have changed, the main points still hold true and I have been trying to go "back to basics" like these in my parenting...no matter what age my children are.

1. Every moment with your child is precious – Whether it is full of joy, amazement, wonder, smiles, confusion, cries, laughter, peace, exhaustion , doubts, fears or chaos(you will experience them all) treasure each one and remember that they pass quickly.

2. Trust yourself as a Mother and your decisions for your child -No matter whose advice or suggestions you follow, your child is unique (special and unpredictable in her own way) and so are you as a Mom! Every mom has doubts or fears at some point, but don’t let that take away your confidence and joy. God is blessing you with this precious gift; give your fears and uncertainties to Him, so you have the freedom to have fun being a mom.

3. Know that although you WILL make mistakes it will be ok - You and your child will both survive the mistakes and small mishaps that occur. Whether it is the first time she hits her head, you clip her chin in the carseat belt, bend a finger back forcing that wiggling arm into a shirt, or give her a bottle that has gone bad, these accidents are usually far more traumatic for you, than for your little one!

4. Get Daddy involved from the first day and trust him (let him do it his way) – There is nothing more amazing that seeing the two loves of your life falling in love with eachother! And one of the best gifts you can give to your husband and to your child, is to help foster that relationship.

Tuesday Night Recipe

Fiery Wagon Wheels (serves 6)
*This recipe is from "Everyday with Rachael Ray" It calls for 1 1/2 lb. boneless pork loin roast which is ground in a food processor with spices. I substituted the ground spicy pork sausage*

1 1/2 lb. Spicy pork sausage, casings removed
1 lb. rotelle pasta (wagon wheels)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 lb. cremini mushrooms, quartered
7 cloves garlic, coursely chopped
1 bunch scallions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced (set aside 2 scallions, white parts only for a later recipe)
One 28-oz. can diced fire-roasted tomatoes (if you can't find fire-roasted, use regular)
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

1) In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 2 cups of the pasta cooking water, and transfer to a large serving bowl.
2) Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 Tbls. olive oil over high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Lower the heat to medium, add the garlic and scallion whites and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their liquid and simmer for 10 minutes.
3) In a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 Tbls. olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring frequently and crumbling the meat, for 5 minutes or until cooked through. Transfer to the tomato sauce. Add 1 cup pasta cooking water to the skillet and scrape up the browned bits; add to the sauce.
4) Simmer the sauce over low heat for 5 minutes. Pour over the pasta; add the parsley, scallion greens and cheese and toss, adding more pasta water if necessary. Pass extra Parmesan at the table.

Monday Night Recipe

Poor Man's Gumbo (serves 4)
*This recipe is from "Everyday with Rachael Ray"*

20 slices bacon (save 8 slices for another meal)
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
One 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes
One 12-oz. can solid white tuna packed in water
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 jalapeno chile, seeded and chopped
1 tsp. file powder, such as Zatarain's
1 1/4 cups rice

1) In a large, heavy skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.
2) Drain off all but 1/4 cup bacon fat and return the skillet to the heat. Add the celery and onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tuna and its liquid, tomato paste, jalapeno and 1 cup water and simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes. Whisk in the file powder; remove from the heat.
3) Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring 2 1/4 cups salted water to a boil. Stir in the rice, cover, lower the heat and simmer until the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Serve the gumbo over the rice and crumble the bacon on top.

Menu and Shopping List for 8/18-8/22

I've decided to make a slight change to the Meal Planning entries. Instead of posting 6 dinner recipes, I will post 5 dinners and then an extra, super-fun recipe on Friday. I'm guessing that they will usually be appetizers or desserts, which are two of my favorite kinds of food! This week, I'm really excited to share a recipe my friend just gave to me. My husband, daughter and I were just in Maine visiting friends, and they made this amazing crab dip! I would venture to guess that even if you are not a seafood person, you will fall head over heels for it like I did. I think the fact that they used a rosemary olive oil bread loaf helped, because it was a great combination. So that will be the great fun recipe of the week, but it won't be published until Friday. Here is the menu:



Monday: Poor Man's Gumbo

Tuesday: Fiery Wagon Wheels

Wednesday: Meat and Vegetable Kebabs

Thursday: Pasta with Asparagus and Bacon Cream Sauce

Friday: Leftover Kebab Wraps

FUN Recipe: Crab dip in a bread bowl



Shopping List

Produce
2 ribs celery

2 large onions
1 small onion
1 red onion
1 jalapeno chile
3/4 lb. cremini mushrooms

7 cloves garlic

1 bunch scallions

2 green peppers

1 zucchini
1 bundle fresh asparagus
Bag of pre-washed salad

Meat
20 slices bacon
1 1/2 lb. Spicy pork sausage
1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 1/2 lb. London Broil

Pantry
One 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes

1/4 cup tomato paste
One 28-oz. can diced fire-roasted tomatoes (if you can't find fire-roasted, use regular)
2 (6 ounce) cans crabmeat
One 12-oz. can solid white tuna packed in water
2 1/4 cups rice
1 lb. rotelle pasta (wagon wheels)
3/4 lb. fettuccine, or any long pasta
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2-3 Tbls. Italian dressing, plus other desired salad dressing
2 Tbls. soy sauce
5 tablespoons mayonnaise

Herbs and Spices
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp. file powder, such as Zatarain's
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and Pepper

Dairy
1 Tbls. butter

1 1/4 cups half-n-half
8 oz. (about 2 cups) shredded cheddar cheese
11 ounces cream cheese

Bread
4 wraps (any style)

1 (1 pound) loaf, round, crusty italian bread (you might want to wait and buy this right before you are going to use it – it is for crab dip, the recipe is coming on Friday – so the bread doesn’t dry out)

Other Materials

10 metal or wooden skewers

Thank You Lord for...

Every summer... usually halfway through July, we pack up the suburban and go to Upstate New York for a month. We, being the children and I. My dear husband stays behind and works.

He stays behind and works to care for his family. He always stays behind willingly, does his own laundry, cooks his own meals, handles the bills (which is my job when I am home), and actually sounds happy for us as we recount the day's events - swimming at the pool, having lunch with friends, and reading good books.

This summer has been different. Our eldest child was old enough to get a summer job, so he stayed behind with Dad. Dad had some long nights of working on projects with deadlines. Dad cooked, cleaned, payed the bills, and helped with carpooling. Dad also made time to watch movies, go dirt bike riding, and read with his son. And, my sweet husband was still happy to hear about our summer.

My son lived through the deadlines of Dad's projects as well as his creative meals. He also watched his dad juggle taking him to work and getting to his own appointments. He also understood that all these years we have been away playing, his dad has been there working. Recently, my son told me how appreciative he is of his dad and all he does for our family.

For all the times that I have complained about my work, Lord please forgive me. For all the times I have whined about multitasking, Lord fill my heart with thankfulness. For all the times that I felt that I had to handle the children alone when my husband wasn't available, remind me of all the times he has been available and served me selflessly. Psalm 103 reminds us to Praise the Lord, O my soul. For everything and everyone in your life, remember to be thankful. Thank you Lord for my husband, for his willingness to serve me and our family every summer. Thank you Lord for children who grow up and become aware of all we do for them.

There are seasons which seem they will never end, times when you think things will never change. Things will change and so will you. As you journey through now, remember to be thankful and show it to those who need to receive it.

Health Tips - from my favorite nurse

Summer colds and bugs have been going around lately. If your family gets a bug, here are some tips to help stop the sickness from spreading and hanging around your home:

1. Wash your hands, a lot, especially after coughing, blowing your nose, using the bathroom or touching another family member who is sick and always wash hands before you eat. Wash, wash, wash.
2. Wash your family's toothbrushes in the dishwasher every night while the family is sick. Cleaning your toothbrushes and getting new ones periodically is a good habit to get into even when everyone is healthy.

3. Spray or wipe door handles, faucets, sinks, toilets, tables and other surfaces with disinfectant.

4. If you have your house closed up to run air conditioning during the day, open everything up at night to let it air out.

Hope you all stay healthy!!

Super Simple Summer Treats

This summer I have been trying to do some different projects and activities with my daughter. Last week we decided to spend some time "cooking." We love cold treats in the summer.... but all the sugar in ice cream, popsicles and other frozen goodies adds up. I don't allow my daughter to eat sugary foods, so we try not to eat them either. We made an easy and delicious summer treat, frozen fruit kabobs. This is what we did:


1. Slice fresh fruit into bite size pieces (we used peaches, halved grapes and bananas, but pineapple, melon and strawberries are great too).
2. Let your kids pick which fruit pieces they want on their kabobs.
3. Push fruit pieces onto wooden popsicle sticks (if you don't have popsicle sticks, cut drinking straws in half and use these instead).
4. Place on non stick baking sheet (or line a tray with plastic wrap) and freeze for about an hour. Fruit sound not be rock hard, but just beginning to freeze.

This is the simplest version, and as my daughter is only two, it was fun for her. However, there are plenty of other ways to add variety to your fruit kabobs. For example, place yogurt in a bowl and allow kids to dip the fruit in yogurt and then choose a topping to roll the fruit in, such as crushed nuts, granola, coconut or sprinkles.

Frozen fruit kabobs make a refreshing, fun and healthy snack for the whole family. And they are a great way to add some extra fruit to your kids day.

So try out your own variations and let me know what you like best. Enjoy!

Balance for Busy Moms

Not so long ago I felt like I was a very organized, together individual. I heard people talk about coordinating schedules and time management issues, and thought - I have no need for that. That was before I was married and before I had children... when I was managing only my time and not theirs too!

Every mom is a busy mom, no matter how many children you have or how many activities/work pursuits you have outside the home. I realize that time management is a must in order to accomplish all my tasks as a mom, homemaker, employee and volunteer and keep my home and family from being in chaos. A friend asked me this week for tips on how I manage to accomplish everything. I told her that I am no expert but the most effective and crucial tool for my family's time management is a schedule/ to do list that I try to make for the following day. Just taking time to organize and write down the priorities for the next day helps me be prepared and know what I need to do when. Sometimes it is just a simple list like this:
1.work on my blog during the baby's morning nap
2. set up a project for my daughter some time before lunch, make volunteer calls while she works
3. start dinner early so we can eat at 5:30 and head out on time for a meeting

Other days the list looks more like an hour by hour schedule...it just depends on the priorities that have to be accomplished that day.

My friend's question made me start looking for other resources to help me manage and balance work, family and life. So when I saw the title, "Balance for Busy Moms: 101 Time-Management Tips, by Ellyn Sana, I was excited. The book definitely has some useful and practical tips to help mothers juggle the many aspects of daily life; including preparing ahead of time, scheduling, list making, how and where to save time and so on. I admit that after 60 or so tips it can feel a bit repetitive, but would still recommend it for mom's who are looking for new insights and ideas to manage their household and the busy lives in it.

I want to know what you do as a mom to manage your time. How do you organize your kids schedules with yours? What things do you do to save time or multi-task? What is your most effective time management tool? What time saving tips have worked for you? Please share your favorite hints..... they might work for other moms too!

Topics of Conversation

Like most moms (and I think especially relatively new moms) I love talking about my child. While expecting our baby, my husband and I vowed to not become those parents who are constantly talking about their baby, how much they sleep, how often they eat, how often they go to the bathroom, and all of the new and amazing things that their baby is doing (which of course they only ever do when nobody else is around). Well, like most other moms, I've fallen victim to the curse of: "I-talk-about-my-child-just-a-bit-too-much."

This really hit home for me this past weekend, while my husband, daughter and I were visiting some friends in another state who have a baby girl just a few months younger than ours. I realized that about 99% of the conversation had to do with child-raising. Now, this is not inherently wrong--in this case we were all fine with predominantly talking about our kids. However, it did make me think that the reason I talk about my daughter so much is because she consumes so much of my time. I also realized that almost everyone I spend time with is in a similar life situation, so it is natural to talk about our kids. I adore my baby and love being a mom, but I think it is so important to make sure that I have other topics of conversation to bring up besides her!

This idea first came up a few months ago, when my husband pointed out that I don't pursue any hobbies at this time in my life. I grew up loving dance and art among other things, but both of those passions have fallen to the wayside to make room for taking care of the baby, cleaning, cooking, and all of the other "homemaker" responsibilities. I sort of dismissed his concern at the moment, thinking that I didn't really need to follow those interests right now and didn't have time, but after thought and prayer I realized how important they are to help form my identity as a whole. Since then I have become involved in some ministry projects through church, started working part-time from home (not that I wasn't already working, but this work I'm getting paid for!), and have taken up sewing as a hobby. I'm also planning on registering for a dance class in the fall at a local studio, which has the added benefit of giving me a fun way to exercise (I do not like jogging). Now, I don't get to dedicate large blocks of time to each of these interests, but the fact that I'm pursuing them to some extent is extremely fulfilling. We all love our children, but I think that God does want us to have other passions in life besides Him and our families, as long as they are honoring to Him, of course. And besides being sources of enjoyment and fulfillment, my new interests also provide new topics of conversation!

Saturday Night- PIZZA Night!

Pizza Night !
I've been looking forward to pizza night because I love pizza! I am including a recipe for pizza dough, which makes enough for 3 pizzas. The pizza recipe I have listed below is caramelized onion and sauteed pepper pizza. However, I would encourage you to experiment with the other 2 pizzas you make and get creative with your toppings! You can also just add some tomato sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan and go Margherita, which is always delicious. Just make sure you assemble the pizza right before it goes into the oven. Because I had a perfect Margerita pizza assembled and waiting on the counter for about 5 minutes. Then, when I went to transfer the dough onto the cookie sheet, it was a disaster because the moisture from the sauce had seeped into the dough and it turned into mush when I tried to move it!

Pizza Dough (makes enough for three pizzas)
This recipe is from "Every Day with Rachael Ray", (or www.rachaelraymag.com) recipe by Teri Tsang

One 1/4-ounce packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
4 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt

1. Place 1 1/2 cups warm water(110 degrees) in a medium bowl. Stir in the yeast and sugar and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, combine 3 cups flour and the salt. Make a well in the center, pour in the yeast mixture and stir with a wooden spoon; the dough will feel sticky and elastic. Transfer to a floured work surface and dust with some of the remaining flour. Knead for 7 to 8 minutes, adding flour a little at a time as necessary until the dough is smooth and springy. Wash and dry the bowl, then lightly grease with oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and cut into thirds; wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough until ready to use.

Caramelized Onion and Sauteed Pepper Pizza
1/3 pizza dough from above recipe
Olive Oil
3 med. sweet onions, thinly sliced
2 bell peppers, any color, thinly sliced
3/4 tsp. Dried thyme
Leftover diced tomatoes from 15 oz. can (left from Meal #5)
3 Tbls Parmesan Cheese

1) Warm 2 Tbls olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the onions and stir to coat with oil. Add dried thyme and stir in. Lower heat to medium and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, very soft, and sweet.
2) In another small skillet, warm 2 Tbls olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute peppers about 5 minutes, until tender, but not mushy. Put onions and peppers aside to cool off a bit.
3) Preheat the oven to 500°. Invert a baking sheet on a work surface and cover it with a sheet of parchment paper. Stretch the pizza dough to fit the parchment paper. This is much easier to do if the dough has been refrigerated for a little while (at least 15 minutes).
4) Sprinkle with dough with the parmesan cheese, then spread the onions across in an even layer, leaving a little bit of a crust at the edges. Scatter the peppers evenly over the onions, then place the tomatoes in an even layer over that.
5) Bake 8-10 minutes until the crust is golden. Use the same baking method for your other pizzas. Some sources suggest preheating a separate cookie sheet in the oven and transferring the pizza (and parchment paper it's prepared on) onto the preheated cookie sheet and baking it that way. See what works best for you! Have fun!

Friday Night Recipe

Southwestern Chicken Wraps and Salad (serves 2)

2 leftover chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
Garlic powder
Chili powder
Ground cumin
1 box Southwestern or Spanish flavored rice (ex: Rice-a-Roni)
1 avocado, sliced in half, pit removed
Lime juice (optional)
Sour cream
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes
Whole wheat wraps (1-2 per person)
Bag of pre-washed salad
Salad dressing of choice

1) Cook the flavored rice according to the package instructions. Meanwhile, sprinkle the chicken pieces with each of the spices and microwave for 30-60 seconds to warm.
2) When the rice is finished, add 1/4 of the tomatoes in the 15-oz. can and 3 Tbls of the liquid from the can. Lightly toss with the rice and warm over low heat. Toss with the warmed, spiced chicken.
3) Meanwhile, scoop the avocado flesh out from the skin into a small bowl and mash well with a fork. Stir in the juice of 1/2 a lime, if you wish.
4) Smear 2 Tbls of mashed avocado and 1 Tbls sour cream in the middle of a wrap. Add about 1/4 - 1/2 cup chicken and rice mixture. If you wish, microwave for 15 seconds to warm the cream and avocado. Fold the bottom of the wrap up and fold the two sides in. Serve with the salad on the side.

Tending the Lamp

In all my years of being a mom, I've never put a thought to print before. I have six kids, the oldest is 21 now, the youngest is nine. And yet, the prospect of having something to say feels overwhelming to me. Maybe this is somewhat because, on my journey in life, I've been a storehouse of great ideas and opinions over the years... things that I have a softer, gentler view on now. Life teaches us. I'm learning to be more careful about what I state. Aside from scripture, most of what we have is simply story, or experience. Experience teaches us, and even leads us...but may not be the actual truth about life, or raising families.

Some things however, get tested, tried and re-tried, and just keep turning out to be true--these becomes jewels. So, here's one of mine. You are a lamp! (Well, that part's not mine-it's Jesus' metaphor actually). But I'd like to add; Take great care of your lamp--your soul, and its container! If you do this one thing, light (the life of Christ) will infuse, infect and radiate through everything else that you put effort into as a mom. We know this, but it's a challenge! Feeding the soul is not always practical when you're literally tripping over toys and laundry, or managing a teenager. We struggle with what this actually looks like in our homes on any given day of the week. I mean, our Father in heaven who created motherhood, with ALL of it's multifaceted undertakings, DOES know what we're in, and lovingly understands when your not up at six AM perky and praying and having a quiet time. He does. Really. He also knows that you always have time for what you love. I mean if you love a show on TV, you'll see it. If you love to cook, you'll create and cook. If you love to shop, or talk on the phone, or do play dates, you will. So this image of keeping my lamp has grown for me.

There are two aspects of keeping a lamp.
1. Care for your flame. Feed & fuel the life of Christ in you--what really feeds you? Don't make assumptions here...there are a lot of things we "do" that we think we're supposed to do, because we think or hear that everyone else does these things, that do not honestly fuel the Spirit of God in us. Ask God-sometime on your knees, and out loud (really, literally) -what He wants you, in your life, in your shoes, to do to feed your 'flame'.
2. Keep the glass clean. Even an old rusty or recycled lamp looks GREAT with good clean glass. The windows to our soul get dirty. We're exposed to a lot every day and we're pushed physically & emotionally. We need the washing of the spirit through frequent moments of honesty and confession, before God and before each other. The light, no matter it's brilliance is not well received, or even seen, if the glass is dirty. The words "I'm sorry" need to fall comfortably from our mouths, to our husbands, to our kids, to a neighbor, a sister in Christ...just do it! :0)

I love the image of taking a lamp and placing it on a table top or on a lamp post. It's beautiful! It attracts the eye. You're drawn to it...I think that's what Jesus had in mind. ( Matt. 5:15-16) There's so much I want my kids to know, to learn about life and about God. So much pain I want to spare them. So many GOOD paths to choose. It's easy to focus on what I want to say to one of our kids, or to my husband, and to miss the preparation--the how I say what I say. We can teach our kids until we're purple, but if the lamp isn't well kept, there may not be much motivation to follow it...never mind interest in becoming like it. Thoughts like these remind me to get time on my knees. And that's not a figure of speech. I'm learning to be quite literal about charging and changing this lamp.

db

Keeping God in the Equation - by Jill

Recently I attempted to take a 5-day vacation with a girlfriend. My bag was packed, my oldest son came home to watch his younger siblings and off we went to Florida. Well, the 1st day was great but the next morning I received a phone call from my oldest son informing me that he was taking my youngest to the emergency room where he ultimately received 50 stitches. Now, I know I sound like a very bad mother but I really wasn't sure at the time what to do. You see, my younger son didn't care if I came home because he was receiving such good care by his brother, his hero.

I also know several things about God. Among other things:

1). He is El Elyon, God Most High who rules and overrules the affairs of men and He loves His children so much that nothing happens to them that isn't first filtered through His fingers of love. You see He sees the "bigger picture" (Romans 8:28-29).
2). He is El Roi the God who sees. He saw what was happening long before I did and what was going to happen before I can.
3). He is El Shaddai, God Almighty, The All-Sufficient One.
Therefore I prayed to God with my friend and asked Him to be My Light and to open the doors I should go through and close all other doors. I knew He would make it very clear to me. He did. A little later my oldest son called telling me that although my youngest son was doing well, he himself wanted me home because he was running 103.7 fever.

God is my rock and salvation. God's word warns us about leaving God out of the equation. Isaiah 17:10-11 says, "For you have forgotten the God of your salvation and have not remembered the rock of your refuge. Therefore you plant delightful plants and set them with vine slips of a strange god. In that day...you bring your seed to blossom...the harvest will be... of sickliness and incurable pain." When we plant delightful plants of pleasure such as wealth, status, etc, we must remember to seek His wisdom and guidance in and before all we do. Do you want peace about your decisions? Then make God the focus of them. Proverbs 1:33 says, "he who listens to me shall live securely and will be at ease from the dread of evil."

Thursday Night Recipe

Pork Lo Mein with Sugar Snap Peas (serves 4)
This recipe is from "Williams-Sonoma, Food Made Fast, Simple Suppers" by Melanie Barnard, Chuck Williams, and Bill Bettencourt

Leftover pork tenderloin, shredded
Salt
3/4 lb. Dried lo mein noodles or spaghetti
3 Tbls Asian Sesame Oil
3 large cloves of Garlic, minced
2 Carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced crosswise
3/4 cup Chicken Broth
3 Tbls Soy Sauce
2 Tbls Oyster Sauce
1 Tbls Dry sherry (optional)
4 Green (spring) Onions, white and pale green parts only, thinly sliced
1 bag of frozen sugar snap peas or snowpeas (steam-in-bag kind)
Sesame Seeds

1) Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 Tbls salt and the noodles. Cook, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the noodles are al dente, according to the package directions. Drain well and reserve.
2) Meanwhile, in a large frying pan or saucepan over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the garlic and carrots and stir to incorporate, about 30 seconds. Stir in the broth, 2 Tbls of the soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sherry. Add the pork, bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, uncovered, for about 5 minutes.
3) At the same time, steam the frozen sugar snap peas in the microwave, following the instructions on the package. After finished, toss with 1 Tbls Soy Sauce and sprinkle with Sesame Seeds.
4) Add the noodles to the pan, sprinkle with the green onions, and toss well to combine. Season with salt to taste, and serve directly from the pan.

A 'Little' Prayer

I have started to realize lately that my 2 year old daughter is often a 'little me.' This revelation has been funny and scary too.

We watched the DVD of our wedding and my daughter took great pleasure in pointing out Mama, Dada, Nana, Grandpa, Grandma and other family members. Then she draped her baby brother's burp cloth over her head and walked slowly across the kitchen floor. Yes, a little bride to be in the making.

My daughter's little eyes don't miss a thing and she wants nothing more than to be like her Mama and Dada.
When she saw my husband and I dancing, she held my hands and made me lean down so she could push her cheek up against mine and dance with me. Then she kissed me and said "ohh Mama, Dada."

When the baby spit up a little, she dropped her toys, rushed over saying "uh oh baby," and used the corner of his bib to wipe his mouth. Then she smiled at him, said "hi baby" and after he smiled back she walked away to resume her play. (I often wipe the baby's mouth with his bib, and I guess I do usually smile or say hi to him before I walk back away).

When my husband came home and quickly and kicked off his shoes to run upstairs, my daughter pointed at his shoes in the middle of the floor and said sternly, "No Dada, no shoes." Then she picked up his shoes and placed them on the shoe mat next to the door. (I guess I do complain too much when he leaves his shoes in the middle of the floor).

When I stubbed my toe so hard I cried, my 'little' helper ran to my side to kiss my toe. Then she came back with a tissue for me, held my hand and squeezed her eyes shut, saying "Mama toe." She was praying for me! My heart swelled with a bit of pride. ( I do pray a lot with my kids; before meals, before naps, before bed, when someone is hurt or sick, etc...)

So a few days ago when she clasped her hands together, and squeezed her eyes shut...I asked who she was praying for. Are you praying for Dada (who did not feel well)? No, she answered. Are you praying for Nana, Grandma, Grandpa, baby...I went through the litany of everyone we knew. "No," she continued to clasp her hands together again and again and close her eyes. Finally, she looked up at me, pointed to herself and said, "Me... redboo, Mama." {'redboo' translation: Fruit snacks, given only as a special reward, are held in high regard at our house. The first time she had them, she ate 1 red and 1 blue hence they have been known ever since as red and blue or in her language 'redboo.'}

I had to laugh, now I understood her fervent prayer. She wanted me to give her fruit snacks, which due to her behavior I had denied her several times that day. Her asking, begging, crying and complaining had not worked....so she was trying prayer!! She is certainly stubborn and persistent I thought. (Is that like me too?)

I realized that I need to look to my Savior the way my daughter looks to me as an example. To observe His love, His words, His actions and become more like Him.

Lord help me to be the kind if mother, wife, friend and woman that reflects your love and grace. Someone that I will be proud to have my daughter imitate.

Wednesday Night Recipe

Simple Pasta Primavera with Grilled Chicken (serves 3-4)
2 breasts of leftover grilled chicken from Meal #1
1/4 cup Olive Oil
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 med. zucchini, washed and cubed
1 bag of frozen broccoli & cauliflower (steam-in-bag kind)
1 lb. pasta (angel hair preferred, but any kind will do)
Parmesan cheese

1) Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt. Cook the pasta until al dente, drain.
2) Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until it just starts to turn lightly golden.
3) Add the zucchini and saute for 3-4 minutes, until zucchini is tender.
4) While the vegetables are sauteing, microwave the frozen veggies, following the instructions on the bag (it should take about 5 minutes). Add the broccoli & cauliflower to the garlic/zucchini mixture when done. Toss with the pasta, and top with plenty of cheese!

Updates

I realize I've been neglecting my blog, so I'll pop an announcement to make it a bit more interesting.

I'm expecting our 4th child :)

Haven't been feeling well, in fact, I'm feeling quite miserable with my notorious morning sickness that lasts for 4 to 6 months, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I am desperate for a miracle.

I have been researching for remedies that can help me get out of this, for I've been bed-ridden for quite a while now. Not to mention can't drinking anything or eat anything, and everything smells like garbage.

Haha... exciting times, huh?

I think I'm more stressed though in waiting to hear from my doctor because there might be some complications. Am I being too factual with the online world? Well, this is what's going on right now. Meanwhile, I'm just waiting.

Not just Advice...

Recently I had a conversation with a friend who is a new mom. I was asking her the typical questions to find out how she and the baby were doing. How was the baby sleeping and eating, was she getting any rest..... and so on. My friend hesitated and told me that she was afraid to admit to me that she actually had been bringing the baby to bed with her for the past several months. She was frustrated and said she knew that she could not do this forever, but it was the only way she or the baby got any sleep at night. Then she immediately asked me if I thought less of her as a parent and mother. She said another mom had suggested that if she told other moms that the baby slept in her bed, they would think less of her as a parent.

I told her honestly that I did not think less of her as a parent and could understand how she got in the habit of bring the baby into her bed, in order to get some sleep. She truly seemed relieved as though she had expected me to lecture her and give her advice on how to get the baby out of her bed. (Not that I don't have a strong point of view about this and maybe some helpful advice if she wanted it). But what she needed was support and encouragement....not judgement.

Being a mom is challenging enough without being judged by other moms. As mothers we want to share our experience and advice in an effort to help other moms and their kids. It is natural to talk with, and reach out to other moms. We need to be connected so we can support and encourage each other. The problem is that too often we are so free with our "advice" that rather than being encouraging or helpful it becomes critical or judgmental. This leaves the mom who is the recipient of such "advice" feeling frustrated and isolated. I am sure that I have been guilty of this before. Now, I really make an effort to guard my tongue, to listen, to ask what I can do and to ask if a mom wants any suggestions, before opening my mouth and telling her all the things that worked for my child or that I have read.

Sharing useful tips with other moms can be very helpful, if we are careful and compassionate about how we do this. As a mother, there are many times that I am unsure of myself or may need advice, but with so many parenting resources advice is not usually hard to find. Understanding, encouragement and support, however, are typically harder to find.

We hope that mominspirations is able to bring you encouragement, support and inspiration - not just advice!! So please let us know if we are doing that and how we can do a better job!

Tuesday Night Recipe

Marinated Pork Tenderloin, Corn, Sweet Potato Fries (serves 2)
Pork tenderloin (approx. 2 lb.) pre-marinated, or you can marinate it yourself in a mixture of 1/2 cup soy sauce and 1/4 cup brown sugar (Serve half tonight, save other half for later)
1 ear of corn per person
3 med. sweet potatoes
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Paprika

1) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, scrub the potatoes and slice in half lengthwise, then slice each half lengthwise into 4 wedges.
2) Place the potato wedges on an ungreased cookie sheet. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with a little (about 3/4 tsp) of each spice. Toss lightly, then place the potatoes skin-side down. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until tender when pierced with a fork.
3) Preheat the grill to medium-high. Grill the tenderloin for a total of 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally, or until internal temperature registers between 155-160 (for medium). Take it off the heat and cover loosely with foil for 5-10 minutes so that the internal temperature can go up a little and the juices can redistribute.
4) Meanwhile, add the corn to the boiling water and boil for about 5 minutes.

Monday Night Meal

Grilled Chicken Breasts, Mashed Potatoes, Steamed Mixed Veggies - serves 3-4



6 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (serve 2 breasts, save 4 for later)

3-4 medium potatoes, any kind, scrubbed and cut into chunks

1/4 cup milk

2 Tbls. butter

Sour cream (a few tablespoons)

Chives

1 bag of frozen mixed vegetables (steam-in-bag kind)



1)Put the potatoes in a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Let them boil about 15-20 minutes, until very soft. Drain, return to pot immediately.

2)While potatoes are boiling, preheat the grill to medium-high or preheat a grill-pan/skillet to medium.

3)Cut the chicken breasts across the thickest part to make two thinner cutlet pieces, if preferred (I find that this makes grilling them easier and faster).

3)Grill over medium to medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes each side. (Or do the same in a grill-pan or skillet).

4)While the chicken is cooking, follow the instructions on the vegetable steamer bag (it should take about 5 minutes plus resting time).

5)Meanwhile, mash the potatoes in the pot with a potato masher. Add the milk and butter and mash in well. When serving the potatoes, top with a spoonful of sour cream and sprinkle with chives.

The Best Laid Plans

A friend and I decided to use free air tickets to escape for a few days to her vacation home in Florida. We started off Monday morning with our plans full of "nothing in particular" and spent an enjoyable lunch at Downtown Disney, dessert at Ghirardelli's, a trip to Home Depot and Publix, dinner at the Town Tavern, and wrapped up our evening with a light-hearted movie. We didn't have to listen to anyone complain about the menu, cut anyone else's meat, or buy/parcel out 15 different movie snacks.

On Tuesday morning my friend got a call from her college-aged son letting her know that he had taken her 13 year-old son to the emergency room with a rather serious but non-lethal injury, incurred while he was playing a solo game of "Ninja Warrior" with a brand new kitchen knife and a pizza box. We waited to hear the outcome of the ER visit while riding bicycles around the neighborhood and picking up some overpriced but delicious frozen drinks. During this time my friend asked me if I thought she was a "bad mom" for not wanting to go home. Because she is a very good friend, I replied without hesitation, "Yes", and then went on to say that I was also a "bad mom" because I would have felt the same way had it been my child. We both knew that our little trip was over, since her husband was away on a business trip and her college-aged son also mentioned that he wasn't feeling well and had a 103.7 fever, and we made plans for our return.

Since I had the rest of the week off, I decided to lavish this "found time" on my formerly abandoned children. We made a trip to the beach and on the way my 2 eldest were reading questions out of a book entitled "If". They asked me, "If there was a day you could choose to relive, what day would it be?" When I hesitated they started suggesting some days… "When you first met Daddy?", "When you had your first kiss?", "When you fell in love with that guy before Daddy?", etc. I finally had to answer honestly that I would like to go back to the days when each of them was born.

They pondered this for half a heartbeat and then Joy piped up, "But, weren't those, like, really painful days for you?" I confessed that the same pain-erasing grace that God grants to most women had caused me to (mostly) forget what I endured birthing each of them, but allowed me to remember the awe of viewing something entirely new in His creation. I reminded them that although my life has changed in many ways, I chose to become a mother and accepted the responsibilities which come with that choice, even when it means that it cuts a long-anticipated trip short. We played in the water, collected clam shells, chased seagulls, built a sandcastle, and buried Joy in sand which we sculpted to looked like a mermaid's body. I love how God can redeem even a "bad mom" like me and give me wonderful gifts like this unanticipated day with my children. I am learning (slowly) to walk graciously in His plan for my life and rejoice in the unmaking of my plans.

P.S. My friend's sons are both doing well.
P.P.S. I still want to try the Florida trip again sometime!

This Week's Menu & Shopping List

In the hopes of incorporating more vegetables into my family's diet, I have started buying these great frozen vegetable steamer sacks. They are bags of vegetables you get in the frozen foods aisle, and you pop the whole bag, unopened, right from your freezer to your microwave for about 5 minutes and the vegetables steam inside the bag! So, as you will see below, I have some of these on the shopping list as side dishes for the week. If this is not your thing (you don't like microwaves or frozen food) you can just buy the vegetables fresh and clean and steam/boil them yourself. Also, I have just started to get into homemade pizza - it is so easy to do and so deliciously versatile!! I have include a recipe for carmelized onion and sauteed pepper pizza, but you can really do whatever you want. The dough recipe included makes 3 pizzas, so pick up some of your own toppings and go nuts! (A great pizza dessert idea is to bake the crust by itself until golden brown, then spread Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread) all over it and sandwich ice cream in-between two slices--this idea is from "RachaelRayMag.com" and I can't wait to try it!). Pizza night is a great opportunity to get the kids in the kitchen too to help pat out the dough and add all of their favorite toppings! And honestly, who won't eat vegetables if they are on a delicious pizza?



MENU

Meal #1 - Grilled chicken breasts, mashed potatoes, steamed mixed veggies
Meal #2 - Marinated pork tenderloin, corn, sweet potato fries
Meal #3 - Simple pasta primavera with grilled chicken
Meal #4 - Pork lo mein with sugar snap peas
Meal #5 - Southwestern chicken wraps and salad
Meal #6 - Pizza night!

SHOPPING LIST

Produce
3-4 medium potatoes, any kind
3 med. sweet potatoes
1 ear of corn per person
9 cloves of garlic
1 med. zucchini
2 Carrots
4 Green (spring) onions
1 avocado
Lime juice (optional)
3 med. sweet onions
2 bell peppers, any color
Bag of pre-washed salad

Meat
6 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
Pork tenderloin (approx. 2 lb.) pre-marinated, or you can marinate it yourself in a mixture of 1/2 cup soy sauce and 1/4 cup brown sugar

Pantry
Olive Oil
1 lb. pasta (angel hair preferred, but any kind will do)
3/4 lb. dried lo mein noodles or spaghetti
1 box Southwestern or Spanish flavored rice (ex: Rice-a-Roni)
3 Tbls. Asian sesame oil
3 Tbls. soy sauce
2 Tbls. Oyster sauce
1 Tbls. dry sherry (optional)
3/4 cup chicken broth
Salad dressing of choice
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes
One 1/4-ounce packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
4 1/4 cups flour

Spices and Herbs
Salt and Pepper
Garlic powder
Paprika
Chili powder
Ground cumin
Dried thyme
Sesame seeds
Chives

Dairy
1/4 cup milk
2 Tbls. butter
Small tub of sour cream
Parmesan cheese

Frozen Foods
1 bag of frozen mixed vegetables (steam-in-bag kind)
1 bag of frozen broccoli & cauliflower (steam-in-bag kind)
1 bag of frozen sugar snap peas or snowpeas (steam-in-bag kind)

Breads
Whole wheat wraps (1-2 per person)