Best Seat in the House

Our little Gabe (Gaby Baby is his current nickname, although I am sure he won't tolerate that too long) finds the floor a pretty dangerous place to be. Not only are there 7 people walking around, there is a little two year old boy who likes to run his cars and trucks all over the floor. The baby becomes a favorite makeshift garage or collision center for the cars (and occasionally the boy too). To save him from impending disasters, I keep little Gabe off the floor. As a result, he is a little behind his peers in the sitting up department.However, he is not behind in his desire for solid foods. He carefully watches every bite I take, he hones in on my spoon and makes many attempts to intercept whatever goodies are making their way to my mouth. Now that it is time to start some solids, I needed a place to sit him. There are already two highchairs monopolizing too much space in my kitchen, so I am not open to another high chair. I found this seat a few nights ago and it has worked beautifully. In fact it has become a favored seat...

For girls and boys...

The Appliance Saga Continues

A few months ago I blogged about the demise of our washer and dryer and their beautiful, large-capacity replacements. I, unfortunately, got so busy with summer activities that I haven't had a chance to document our ongoing appliance woes. I'll attempt to remedy that with this post.

Maybe a month and a half after our washer went kaput, dh was getting ready to run the dishwasher. This is dangerous territory for him because I am the master dishwasher loader around here. I know exactly how to pack every square inch of that thing. He'd been working out and apparently didn't know his own strength. When he went to close the soap container, the whole piece broke off in his hand and then broke into tiny little pieces. Since we had a dinosaur of a dishwasher, we opted for a new one rather than attempting any repairs.

Isn't she lovely, built in hard disposal, movable racks, sanitizing settings, and boy is she ever quiet. In this house anything that is quiet wins brownie points with me.

The next day, the very next day after breaking our dishwasher, dh was helping with dinner. He went to remove the veggies from the microwave when I hear him gasp, "I am not doing this on purpose!" Did I mention he'd been working out? I turn to find he has pulled the handle off the microwave. He had earlier joked since the new dishwasher was stainless, we should start replacing all the kitchen appliances. Little did I know he'd significantly help that process along.

Today, this baby was replaced. We have disliked it since the day we moved here. The towel is my feeble attempt to hide an un-cleanable door. A few years ago the element died as I was baking Christmas cookies. Then a month ago dh started a pretty good grease fire. It survived our batters, but it has never been the same.The big-box home improvement store intsaller recognized me when he arrived. We are sort of memorable. I am not sure there are too many houses with six little ones circling the poor guy as though they were Indians dancing around a tribal fire. Everyone is curious what he is doing. The little ones never stop moving underfoot and the older ones shoot out question after question. If that weren't memorable enough, I am sure the sight of me frantically trying to clean areas that haven't seen the light of day in many years was. I shudder to post this picture, but for posterity's sake, look at the dirt, even a refrigerator magnet, and a crayon. How did those things get there?Here's the new stove. It came today, sight unseen to me. Dh picked it out himself. He does a substantial amount of cooking around here. I'm the day-to-day cook, he's the anything special chef. We definitely eat better on his days. He also had the time to research and look at these things. Somehow I don't think I would get much accomplished while out with all six children. I spent half the afternoon reading the manual. I have a meeting tonight, but dh will be trying out the new convection oven after dinner tonight. He's making zucchini bread, our first fruits from the summer garden. It may take me a month to figure out all the features.
Stay tuned as the sequel to The Appliance Saga continues with continued kitchen improvements in New Granite Countertops...

Post Fourth Festivities

We had a very full week and weekend. Family visits, fireworks, fun in the sun, for five fantastic days. Now we are exhausted. Today was a transition day, not quite the partying we'd been doing, but not ready for back to work. It was a much needed day of catching up on rest and a beautiful quiet day at home, especially since Dad was off work.

Dinner tonight was a pesto sauce made from the basil in my patio container garden. Last summer I admired the basil on the steps of our parish rectory. Father was kind enough to show me how to tend to my basil and this year we have four beautiful plants. We also had some bread and dipping sauce (thanks mom!), and for dessert an Oreo cream pie. Joseph especially loved his dessert. That kid really loves his dessert.On our way home last night, after saying good bye to family members, Banana told me she wished we could just buy a big plot of land and let everyone we knew and loved build a house on it and be close to us. I thought it sounded like a great idea, I think that is how heaven will be. All those dear to us will be only a thought away. For now are thankful for time we have together, we say our good byes, anticipate future visits, and hope for heaven.

Egg on Her Face

Remember those early days when I tried and tried to get little JuJu to eat some solid foods? Let me tell you those days are gone. Now I find it almost impossible to keep up with her voracious appetite. The only word she uses consistently is num num num. She bangs on the pantry door. She wants a snack almost all the time.

This morning I was making breakfast before dh left for work. He likes a fried egg sandwich with a runny (really runny) yolk. So when I put his egg in the frying pan and broke the yolk, I quickly scrambled it and gave it to JuJu. She inhaled it. This after eating a whole banana the girls had given her.

I then finished making scrambled eggs for the girls (yes sometimes I feel like a short order cook at breakfast), and dh put at least two eggs worth on JuJu's highchair tray. I thought there was no way that little one would eat them. She did -- then asked for more. I gave her a piece of toast and a slice of cheese, wanting to keep her quiet more than thinking she would actually eat them. She did eat them.

Then little Bophie, always our last to finish a meal, said she didn't want her eggs. She had only eaten half a grapefruit so I insisted she eat them. I turned my back for a second and I find that JuJu did Bophie the favor of eating her eggs too. Seriously, how much can one girl (who has yet to register on the growth chart) possibly pack away? And how long do you think I have before she is pounding on that pantry door asking for a snack?



UPDATE: 9:56 AM less than two hours after finishing her massive breakfast, I walk into the kitchen to find this...
JuJu is helping herself to some Mini Wheats courtesy of her three year old sister leaving the pantry door open. Good grief, where does she put it?

Easter Cakes

I traditionally bring cakes to our family Easter dinner. The girls and I have been making them for a few years and I thought I would share a few of our favorites. I know we are only half way through Holy Week, but I am starting to get the ingredients together so that we are ready to bake.

First up is our bunny cake:
I found the instructions a few years ago on the Internet. Unfortunately, I don't remember where. I make the cake in two round cake pans. Layer them then cut them in half (this will make two bunnies). Then stand one half on its side and frost. Cut out a notch in the front to rest the ears. The ears are made from one large marshmallow cut on the bias and the cut end is dipped in sprinkles. The cheeks are another marshmallow cut in half vertically, there is another whole marshmallow used for the tail. The fur is made from toasted coconut, and the grass from colored coconut. This cake is now an Easter staple for us.

Last year I also found this cake in Taste of Home magazine. I think it would be more appropriate for a late summer cake, but one key ingredient is only available now-- yellow chick peeps. I only know one person who will actually eat those things (I have a crazy little sister), but they do make for a nice sunflower cake.

The chocolate chips should be in concentric circles, but I had a 2-year old and 5-year old helping:) Also, I will separate all the peeps next time to make a less square shape.

This year I am thinking of a few changes, although I seem to be short on the creativity gene. I would like to turn the bunny into a lamb. Any ideas how to do this? I am also thinking that we will skip the sunflower cake for Easter and do it later. Anyone know the shelf-life of peeps? I'm hoping to replace that with a cross shaped cake, or maybe a cheesecake. Any other good Easter dessert ideas?

UPDATE: I found that someone had googled Easter Cakes and found my blog, I love sitemeter. Deciding to look for inspiration, I took a quick look. I came across this blog entry and had a good laugh. I just had to share- http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/2009/04/easterly-wind-is-blowing.html

Revisiting the Banana Yogurt Dessert

In my Holy Week spring cleaning this morning I came across a lone container of banana yogurt dessert baby food. Loyal readers will remember this episode with this delicious baby food.

This morning, I decided that since Juliana had been doing so much better with solid food I would try it again. The added bonus being that little container is no longer sitting in the dark recesses of my pantry. The result? Pretty much the same as last time. I put the spoon to her mouth, she gagged, then spit it all out. I repeat the process and soon she was beside herself and screaming in frustration.

I set the banana yogurt dessert aside so that Bophie (you remember how well she liked it) could have it after lunch. As Bophie was eating it, look who started yelling. Juliana has this cute num, num, num sound she makes when she wants something. In between her shouts she made that noise and stuck out her tongue for a bite. Bophie fed her a bite or two and she clearly wanted more.

So maybe it isn't the banana yogurt dessert. That stuff is yummy-- I guess it's just me.

Bad Eating Habits

Juliana's check-ups have gone pretty well so far. We won't know the results of the blood tests and such for a week or so, but right now she looks pretty healthy-- except she is considerably underweight. She measured about 25% on the height scale, but she was off the charts low in weight.

The doctor said she needs to start eating some solid foods and not just formula. The trouble is that she wants nothing to do with any food from a spoon. While in China we tried all of the foods we had been told she would get in the orphanage; congee, egg custard, etc. She wouldn't eat any of them. When you put them in her mouth, she would hold her tongue out until she gagged. We decided it was best not to upset her while travelling and changing her whole known world and stuck to the bottle. We were thankful she took so quickly to our American formula and decided she was getting good nutrition there.

Now that we are home and on doctor's orders to get this little one eating, I bought out the baby food aisle of the grocery. The girl has to like something, right? So far, wrong. We started with all the step 1 veggies (I know not to get them hooked on the sweets first). Every attempt has met with a vigorous head shaking no, then when I manage to get a little food in that mouth she sticks out her tongue and gags. I get the same response when trying to feed her a mixture of rice cereal and formula (the exact same thing we are giving her in her bottle in different proportions).

Today I decided to try banana yogurt dessert. What kid doesn't like banana yogurt dessert? Apparently this one. I tried to get a picture of her tongue sticking out, but I am too slow.

After struggling for what seemed like an eternity, I gave up. It then occurred to me my little 2 year old Bophie was nowhere to be found. I remembered she was going to help me feed little Juliana, where could she be?
Apparently that theory about what kid doesn't like banana yogurt dessert wasn't too far off the mark.

Food Drives

I don't know if this only happens in my area, but the week of Halloween always seems to bring out kids collecting can goods for food pantries. I actually look forward to this. I like clearing out the cans that seem to collect dust. I also much prefer this to other fundraisers where I am asked to spend $14 for a roll of wrapping paper I could pick up for a buck fifty.

This year, the first group was a handful of girl scouts on a scavenger hunt. They were panting and out of breath trying to hurry. I think we made their day. A month or so ago dh was at our parish as they were cleaning out the pantry. They had the absolute biggest can of spaghetti sauce I had ever seen. Dh, being unable to pass up something free, brought it home. It took up half a shelf in my pantry and, really, the jar was more appropriate for a dinner of 50 rather than our family of 5. So the girl scouts got the spaghetti sauce. I now have half a shelf in my pantry too. It was a win-win situation.

The next group introduced themselves as the local high school National Honor Society. You know top of their class, smartest kids around. I was in the NHS when I was in high school as well, so I was happy to retrieve 4 large cans and clear more space in my pantry. I bring them out to the two young girls at my porch who then exchange funny glances and look back at me and say, "How do you think we should carry these?" Apparently, we were the first house they had solicited and they had not thought about how they would actually carry the cans they wanted to collect from our neighborhood. Remember, this is the National Honor Society. I went in to retrieve the sturdiest bag I could find. After thanking me one girl turns to the other and says, "you think anyone else thought about how to carry this stuff?" The group of 10 year old girls scouts were smart enough to bring a wagon, I guess it is a good thing I gave them the spaghetti sauce.

This is why I should not attempt homemade

This is what happens when you are baking cookies with a 2 year-old. When I turned around, she turned the oven from 350 to 550. There was still 4 minutes left on the timer when the girls started asking what was that smell? "Why is there smoke pouring out of the oven, Mommy?"

This would be fine if we weren't supposed to be taking these cookies to a hayride in an hour. Thank goodness dh passes a supermarket on the way home from work. Tonight, we will be making smores.

My Favorite Fall Food

Squash Soup! I had a request for the recipe, so I thought I would try to post it. We wait and wait for the squash to go on sale. The minute it is in the produce section, my girls are carrying over 2 or 3 to put in the cart. Something about the sweet and spicy and the creamy texture makes this the ultimate fall comfort food in our house. I often make it for Friday dinners in October and November as we try to observe Friday abstinence all year round.

I am typically one of those follow a recipe to a t person. The chemist in me (believe it or not that is what my degree is) requires that I measure everything. That does well for baking, but not cooking in general. This is probably my one recipe that has little to no measurements.

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:
2 large butternut squash
Ground red cayenne pepper, cracked black pepper, kosher salt (all to taste)
1 onion
1 stick butter
1 ½ large cans of broth (I typically use chicken)
2 8oz packages of cream cheese

Cut squash in half, remove seeds. Lightly sprinkle with red cayenne pepper, cracked black pepper, kosher salt (all to taste). Place squash in a shallow baking dish that has about an inch of water in the bottom. Roast for about half an hour at 350 degrees. Remove from oven and let it cool. When it is cool enough to handle, remove the peeling and cut into pieces. I make my pieces about the size I use when making mashed potatoes.

In a soup pan over medium high heat melt butter. Add onions and allow to caramelize. Then add the broth and squash pieces. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes.

Using a blender, puree the squash and broth mixture with the cream cheese. Put the soup back in the pan to heat, but do not allow to boil. I taste it here to decide if I would like to add more spice as we tend to like it fairly spicy here. Serve warm

Here is a recipe similar to mine: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Butternut-Squash-Soup/Detail.aspx

Want to share your favorite fall recipe?

You'd think I was starving my children

Tonight is the season premier of The Office. It is the only show dh and I actually watch on a regular basis. I like Lost, but he lost interest in it. The last few weeks sweets and snacks have been hard to find around here as I am trying to shed a few pounds. Last night dh was scavenging and the poor guy snacked on saltines and fake cheese. I felt bad about that, so today I decided to bake some cranberry oatmeal bars so we would have a snack tonight.

I milked this for all it was worth getting the girls to help me clean after their swim lessons so there was time for cookie baking. They were all very cooperative. I think they were feeling a little dessert deprived lately as well. I pulled out the flour, the brown sugar, etc. while Bear pulled out the old-fashioned oats. I continue pulling out ingredients and then turn around to see Bophie eating the oats-- by the handful. Nothing with them, just oats.

I am telling dh about this at dinner and Banana pipes up, "Oh yeah, that's so good. If you chew on them long enough it starts to feel like you are making oatmeal in your mouth." YUCK!