Thursday, December 30, 2010

Happiness is...




...A 2 year old with a red hairbow








She wanted to look like Eloise.





I think she is cute, cute, cute!





Of course, there is this other cute kid in my life.


I would hate for him to feel left out.  He didn't understand my logic.


I'm pretty sure his dad will take his side. 


But oh, those eyes!


Dear Blake,
Please keep this picture in mind when you are a teenager.  Should you act like a turd, you'd better believe I'll be spreading this picture around. 
Love, 
Mom

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

A holiday recap, a.k.a What I ate last weekend, a.k.a There's a horse in my house


The holiday weekend is over, but Tyler and I both had today off of work- bonus!  The last few days have been great and I know you're just dying to hear about it, right?  If not, click away now!  (Mom, I at least expect you to read this, and do so carefully- there will be a quiz).  Alright, let's review- it's going to be long winded and poorly written.  Okay, fair warning...

On Thursday morning, a friend called to say she'd be over within the hour to drop off some Christmas goodies.  I had planned to make macaroons for her, as she loves coconut, but I hadn't gotten around to it yet.  That meant I had 60 minutes or less to drive home, put Blake down for a nap and make a batch of macaroons.  Luckily the recipe on the back of the Baker's coconut bag is super easy. They weren't done in time, so that meant I had time to cool them, dip the bottoms in chocolate and enjoy them myself.  I think these are a little too sweet and with a strong almond flavor straight out of the oven, but they are better as they cool.  I've tried several recipes but always come back to this one.

That afternoon, Tyler came home from work early so we decided to go on an impromptu "staycation."  We had a certificate for a free night at the Hampton Inn downtown, and they kindly upgraded us to a suite.  Turns out the hotel was basically empty- we only saw one other family in the pool and the same family again at breakfast the next morning.  Boise side --  We love this hotel.  The staff is extremely friendly, the location is great and the hotel is new, well decorated and clean (I'm super picky about that last one).

While we were downtown, we walked around and looked at Christmas lights, peeked into store windows and went out for sushi. Hadley has been asking to have sushi for dinner for a few weeks, so she was very excited.  The kids each downed a bowl of miso soup and polished off an entire veggie roll.  After that, Hadley stole pieces of my shrimp tempura roll and the kids split a PB+J rolls (served burrito style so it was easy for them to eat).  I tried a bite, and it was surprisingly, strangely good.  Another Boise side-note- Superb Sushi = yum!  Locally owned, friendly and clean.  They really up the presentation for dinner, but keep the prices the same as the lunch menu.


After Sushi, we headed back to the hotel to swim.  The last time we attempted to swim at a hotel, both kids cried until we gave up and headed for dry land.  This time was different though; the kids loved swimming and were so happy in the water!  We all had so much fun.  The next morning found the kids, still sleepy, in bed with Tyler watching ESPN (cable t.v. is a special treat).  After having continental breakfast, where the kids once again ate their weight in food, we headed home.  I'm not sure if it's the novelty of eating out, or if it's an indication that my cooking is bad, but the kids eat SO much more when we're out.


That afternoon, Hadley and I made sugar cookies.  I didn't plan ahead and thus was looking for a recipe that didn't require chilling time.  I used this recipe, knowing that it probably wouldn't lend itself well to cutouts.  I tried it anyway and chilled it in the freezer for 15 minutes to help things out.  The type A side of me was stressing over the imperfections in our cutouts, as I tried to let Hadley take artistic control of this project.  As it turned out, it didn't matter because the cookies spread to about 3 times their original size, rendering the shapes unrecognizable.  If you do make the cookies as written, rolling them into balls without flattening prior to baking, they turn out quite well.  I would double the vanilla for increased flavor.  Word is, Santa enjoyed his cookies. 

                                              

Friday night (Christmas Eve) I made Asian Turkey Meatballs for dinner.  A friend mentioned this meal, (thanks Kate!) but I forgot to ask for the recipe.  This is the first one that popped up on google and it had good reviews, so we went for it.  I thought they were good, and certainly easy, but had a little too strong of a soy sauce flavor.  They were better the next day.  I served it on top of rice with steamed broccoli as a side.

We started to open gifts that evening, Hadley at full speed, unable to contain her excitement.  Blake, on the other hand, went from quiet, to crabby, to feverish, to vomiting.  Gift opening was quickly replaced with bath time and then the kids were off to bed.

On Christmas morning, we opened stockings then more gifts while skyping with family in MN.  For brunch, we had Blueberry Pecan Overnight French Toast.  As with most similar recipes, it's really more of a bread pudding than french toast, but I love bread pudding so that isn't a problem for me.  The best part is that most of the prep work is completed the night before hand. We also had sweet potato hash.  I usually make it on the stove top, but roasted it in the oven this time based on this recipe: Fluffy Eggs with Roasted Vegetable Hash.  We decided not to make the egg portion as we had too much food for the four of us.  I just eyeballed everything for the hash and added chopped red and green peppers and an extra sweet potato.  It took a lot more time to roast than the recipe stated (probably 40-50 minutes), but required less attention than our usual skillet method.

Christmas dinner was not a traditional meal, but we all enjoyed it.  While I can do without mashed potatoes and gravy and I don't care for turkey or cranberry sauce, I do love stuffing.  I used this recipe for slow cooker stuffing.  I bought a box of cornbread stuffing which already had all of the spices added (I believe the brand was Cantebury Organics).  It was good that night, and even better the next day.  I think stuffing is best eaten cold, straight out of the fridge.  If you're going to do this, I suggest you make sure you hide behind the fridge door, because this is a totally embarrassing habit.  I'd never admit to it if I were you....  Anyway,  Tyler replaced turkey with a grilled steak and I made parmesan crusted dover sole for myself and the kids.  Again, I found my recipe via a google search.  This is the recipe I used, but I interpreted it very loosely.  I eyeballed all ingredients and didn't make the sauce.  This recipe was a hit and even Tyler, who dislikes fish, had seconds.

After dinner on Saturday we headed to the Botanical Garden for Winter Garden Aglow.  Thousands of Christmas lights, great views of the city and mild weather made this the perfect place for a post dinner stroll.  They are open until January 9th; if you are in Boise you need to make time for this.  It's beautiful!

Sunday was a day of leftovers and lounging for Tyler and the kids, while I was at work.  We decided to cry uncle on housework that night and headed to Smoky Mountain for Veggie Pizza.  Our nanny waitresses there on the weekends, so the kids were in heaven.  You'd think Hadley was spotting a celebrity every time she saw her walk past our table.  

Fast forward to today.  Grilled cheese and leftover sweet potatoes for lunch.  For dinner, we made Butter Chicken from thepioneerwoman.com.  Don't bother telling me that this isn't authentic Indian food.  I know, and I don't care.  It's just plain good.  The kids aren't huge fans of this dish and both ended up filling their bellies with cereal.  Again, we don't care because we like it that much.  Oh, I almost forgot to mention that Tyler joined us at Stroller Strides this morning.  It was fun and entertaining for all those involved.  Tyler admitted that it was a really difficult workout (the truth is- I kicked his butt!).  I'm fully expecting to hear him groan when he tries to walk down the stairs in the morning. 

Well, there you have it.  I warned you that it would be long, right?  If you are still reading, kudos!  You deserve a medal, or a macaroon, or maybe a meatball.  Or perhaps you need to get a hobby.  (joking- sheesh!)  But wait, you say, what about the horse?  

Here's the deal, since I'm dwelling on the positive.  I have some awesome friends and coworkers.  They like to give me things for the kids.  I'm talking large rubbermaid containers full of clothes, bags full of toys and stacks of books.  This is truly wonderful and we really appreciate it.  See all positive, right?  There is, however,  a small, minor, issue with these gracious gestures.  I now have a very large, life like toy horse living in my house.  The thing is huge and takes up space that we never had to begin with.  Also, it freaks me out.  I swear it's staring me down right now.  He's taken residence in our entryway, but is moved as needed.  In the last 3 days he has lived in the bathroom, the living room, the kids' room, and the kitchen.  He also served as a great baby gate to keep Blake out of the kitchen, as he was initially too scared to go within 5 feet of the "neigh" (as Blake calls it).  We're thinking the horse may have to "go live on a farm" soon.  Luckily this was anticipated and there is another coworker awaiting his arrival.  Hallelujah. 



Tired boys


Hadley loves her new dollhouse

Blake's digging the hockey stick from Hairy Grandpa

Hadley likes to pretend she's pregnant.  Her quote here: "Mom, I have a baby in my belly and I have a hockey stick!"  Great combo sweetie.   I'm so proud of you!


Saturday, December 25, 2010

Merry Chirstmas!

I hope you are all enjoying a wonderful holiday weekend.  Blake is sick (apparently it's becoming a holiday tradition), but we've still throughly enjoyed having a couple of days off as a family.  Despite our best intentions for a simple Christmas, the kids were completely spoiled and our house if overflowing with toys.  Luckily we donated a ton of old toys a week ago to make way for the new dolls, cars, blocks and books.  While we are overwhelmed by the amount of "stuff" in our already crowded house, it truly is a joy to watch the excitement the kids experience with each new toy.

Just a quick post tonight as I need to start dinner, but I wanted to leave you with this link. It's a heartwarming story of modern charity, thanks to some generous bloggers and blog readers.

The Bloggess and the Christmas Gift Card Miracle of 2010

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Handmade gifts and stinky feet

Are you finished with you Christmas shopping? If not, might I remind you that Christmas is in two days?  If you need a last minute gift but want to avoid the mall, why not consider making something? While our Christmas will definitely not be a homemade one this year, I do wish I had put more time and energy into making presents.
  
One of my favorite gifts to give is a pretty package of homemade marshmallows and hot cocoa mix.  To make it super simple, buy holiday cellophane bags at Target and tie them together with a pretty ribbon. If you want to take this to the next level, you could make hot chocolate on a stick (and if you do, please send me one to try- I love this idea!).  

Image via www.sunset.com

An easy, but well received, gift that I have given in past years is a dolled-up paint can with sand and narcissus (paperwhites) bulbs inside.  Forced bulb kits that include paperwhites and amaryllis are very popular during the holidays.  This homemade version can be done for less than $2.00 a piece, making it an economical gift to make multiples of.  Find written instructions here

Do you read Design Mom?  Every year, her children make gifts for each sibling.  I think my favorite gifts this year were the bleached out tees.  

Image via Design Mom 


Need more ideas?  Martha Stewart, of course, is full of them.  You can find dozens of homemade gift ideas here.  While some of her projects are charming and look reasonably easy, others look ridiculously hard.  Then there are those that are just plain ridiculous:

image via www.marthastewart.com


Do you have any ideas for easy handmade/homemade gifts?  If so, please share!  


P.S. 
Before I go, here's a conversation I had with Hadley tonight.  We were driving home after dropping off a white elephant gift at Tyler's work Christmas party.  Hadley asked if I would tell her a "once upon a time."  The story started off as "Once upon a time, there was a little girl..." She took it from there, and told me that the  little girl was named Hadley and there was a little boy named Blake.  They went shopping at the mall and they got hungry, so they had a pretzel and drank some water from a straw.  Then they bought a ring present for their mommy. "What did the ring look like?" I asked.  Hadley told me the ring was "big" and "minty."   Wondering if she was making things up, or if I should really expect a ring for Christmas, I asked if the little girl bought anything else for her mommy while she was at the mall.  Her response was, "Yeah!  Feet!  Big, stinky feet!"  Hmm... I guess I'll have to wait two more days to find out the truth.  I'm thinking she's full of it!








Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Hadley and Blake, The Musical!

Hadley loves to sing, and we love to listen.  I'm sure it will get old at some point, but right now we can't get enough of it.  Blake is our dancer.  Usually he requires music to dance to, but the last few days he would randomly start busting out moves, even in complete silence.   Here are a couple of videos from the last few days.





Saturday, December 18, 2010

Holy cake balls, Batman!

I know I'm about 2 years behind on this one, but have you seen/made/consumed cake balls?  They are easy (but messy and time consuming) to make, and they taste pretty good, too.  Other than my brief foray into cake balls during the great fruit cake experiment of 2010, this was the first time I really attempted them.

Most recipes call for a boxed cake mix and a can of frosting, but that's not how I roll.  It's not that I'm too good for boxed cakes, it's just that they aren't good enough for me.  They just taste funny.  Anyway... I made a chocolate cake in a 9x13 pan, crumbled it and combined with one batch of chocolate cream cheese frosting.  Mash it together, roll into balls, freeze briefly and then dip in chocolate.  Voila!  Cake balls.  We got about 75-80 cake balls out of one recipe, though it's hard to know the exact number, since several of them inexplicably disappeared during the process.

You can find the basic recipe here.

P.S.  Check out the finalists for the 2010 National Geographic Photography Contest- there are some amazing photos!  Bonus, one is a picture of Boise!  See them here

Mmm... marshmallows (and homemade finger paint)


Well, the marshmallows are all dipped in chocolate and ready to be devoured.  I let Blake taste a small piece, and he was signing "more" the second it hit his tongue- SUGAR...mmm!  I topped them with crushed candy canes right after they were poured into the pan.  I figured I'd do it while they were still sticky, however I think it was too soon.  The candy canes sort of melted into a red, peppermint goo.

 Looks aside, these marshmallows taste awesome.  I usually use the French Laundry marshmallow recipe, but I think I've found my new favorite.  This recipe is from Ina Garten.  Like the French Laundry version, Ina's does not call for raw egg whites.  I did take one tip from the French Laundry recipe and apply it to this recipe:  instead of using a candy thermometer, bring the sugar syrup mixture to a hard boil and continue to cook for 60-90 seconds, then remove from heat.  I think this is much easier than watching the temperature.  Here's the recipe, from foodnetwork.com

Homemade Marshmallows:

recipe courtesy Barefoot Contessa, foodnetwork.com
  • 3 packages unflavored gelatin
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup light corn syrup
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Combine the gelatin and 1/2 cup of cold water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and allow to sit while you make the syrup.
Meanwhile, combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Raise the heat to high and cook until the syrup reaches 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat.
With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the sugar syrup into the dissolved gelatin. Put the mixer on high speed and whip until the mixture is very thick, about 15 minutes. Add the vanilla and mix thoroughly.  Pour the marshmallows into a buttered 9x13 glass pan, pat flat with wet or greased hands.  Allow to dry overnight.  Invert onto cutting board, cut into 1-2 inch squares, and coat in powdered sugar.



Don't those look yummy?  Here's one more tip: use a greased pizza cutter to easily cut through the marshmallows.


From a messy project in the kitchen, to a messy project in the bathtub...


 Hadley used to get pretty upset when she had dirty/messy/sticky hands (hmm...could she be my daughter?).  Although she has mostly outgrown this, I still like to give her messy projects as a form of sensory play.  These homemade finger paints totally fit the bill.  The best part?  They were played with in the tub and easily rinsed off when we were done.  The "recipe" I used involved cooking sugar, corn starch and water on the stove top, then adding dish soap and food coloring once cooled.  While it may have made more of a true finger paint texture, there are many recipes online that look a lot more simple.  Here's the most common version I found:

You’ll Need
* 1/3 cup mild clear dishwashing soap
* 1 tbsp cornstarch
* Food coloring
Directions:
1. Mix cornstarch and liquid soap in bowl.
2. Pour into ice cube tray, filling about 1/2 full.
3. Put 4-8 drops of different food coloring colors into each section and mix till blended (toothpicks work great for mixing).
5. Give to the kids and let them at it!
6. This washes off your child, and will wash off the walls too!





Doesn't that look like fun?

Thursday, December 16, 2010

A message from Santa, an electric eel and holiday shortbread

Have you seen the site Portable North Pole?  You can create a personalized message from Santa for your kids, your colleagues, or the love of your life.  We made one for Hadley, which she was in awe of.  Santa told her to use the potty, and she ran to the bathroom right after watching the video.  Hmm... Santa might need to leave a few more messages for her.  It's a fun site, however I think they ask for a little too much info- I didn't put in my full name or our zip code.

What does an electric eel have to do with Christmas?  Watch this video to see- this aquarium is taking alternative energy to a whole new level.


We had a big potluck at work yesterday.  I ate way too much food- I love potlucks!  I made an ice cream cake with a brownie base layer, peppermint ice cream and a ganache topping.  I didn't love it, but it was easy.  I might play with the recipe a bit and try again sometime.  I also made a shortbread cookie with chocolate and peppermint candies on top.  It wasn't the greatest thing I've ever made, but it was pretty, festive and really simple to make.  It would make a good addition to a holiday cookie party.  You can find the recipe here.

One more picture, just because it makes me laugh: 
Blueberry mouth and macaroni hair.  You should have seen the floor...

Also, Hadley and I made marshmallows today.  I topped them with crushed candy canes and I'll dip them in chocolate when they're dry.  Pictures and recipe to follow...

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Asian Noodle Salad

image from www.thepioneerwoman.com

I made this salad for dinner tonight.  Although it did take some time to chop all of the vegetables, it was a really easy meal.  I loved it, Tyler and Hadley liked it, and Blake threw his on the floor.  You can't please everyone, right?  I used whole wheat pasta, which gave it some nice texture, almost like Soba-esque.  I left out the bean sprouts and didn't add the jalapeño pepper to the dressing (I'm a major wimp with spicy food).  This made a TON of food, so be prepared to share our eat leftovers for several days if you make it.  Here's the recipe, from www.thepioneerwoman.com

Asian Noodle Salad
  • SALAD INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 package Linguine Noodles, Cooked, Rinsed, And Cooled
  • ½ heads Sliced Napa Cabbage, Or More To Taste
  • ½ heads Sliced Purple Cabbage, Or More To Taste
  • ½ bags Baby Spinach, Or More To Taste
  • 1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Sliced Thin
  • 1 whole Yellow Bell Pepper, Sliced Thin
  • 1 whole Orange Bell Pepper, Thinly Sliced
  • 1 bag Bean Sprouts (also Called Mung Bean Sprouts)
  • Chopped Cilantro, Up To 1 Bunch, To Taste
  • 3 whole Scallions, Sliced
  • 3 whole Cucumbers Peeled And Sliced
  • 1 can (about 10 Oz.) Whole Cashews, Lightly Toasted In Skillet
  • _____
  • FOR THE DRESSING:
  • 1 whole Lime, Juiced
  • 8 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 8 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons (up To 3 Tablespoons) Sesame Oil
  • ⅓ cups Brown Sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons Fresh Ginger Chopped
  • 2 cloves Garlic Chopped
  • 2 whole Hot Peppers Or Jalapenos, Chopped
  • Chopped Cilantro

Preparation Instructions

Mix salad ingredients together. Whisk dressing ingredients together and pour over salad. Mix with tongs or hands and serve on a platter.
Note: dressing keeps for up to three days before serving, without cilantro.


Does your house need some extra Christmas cheer?  How about a wreath made from toilet paper rolls? 

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Here Comes Santa Claus

I was feeling proud of myself for getting Christmas cards ordered and (partially) sent out.  That is, until I saw this Christmas video greeting that's been floating around the web.  This family is super creative and must be amazingly patient.  Seriously, check it out.  And while you're there, take a peek at their videos from 2009 and 2008.

While we didn't make a family video greeting, the kids and I did make gingerbread men, snowmen, dinosaurs and trains.  They turned out really yummy; soft and just slightly spicy.
 


Blake's handiwork


 I couldn't get a clear shot of him because he kept running at me saying "cheese!"


After the last gingerbread semi truck was cut-out and baked, we headed out to look at Christmas lights.  The kids were absolutely mesmerized; I think Tyler and I spent far more time staring at them than at the lights.  If you are in Boise, make sure you check out the house on Parapet Court; the light show is set to music and it's amazing!





Here's the gingerbread cookie recipe, from allrecipes.com.  My changes are in parentheses.

Eileen's Spicy Gingerbread Men

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup margarine (butter)
  • 1/2 cup sugar (brown sugar)
  • 1/2 cup molasses
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (this seemed to be just slightly too much)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar until smooth. Stir in molasses and egg yolk. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg; blend into the molasses mixture until smooth. Cover, and chill for at least one hour.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
  3. Bake for 8 (mine took 8.5 minutes)to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until firm. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks. Frost or decorate when cool.