Crockpot barbecued chicken

Tonight's recipe is so easy that: 

1.  Husbands can make it

2.  After you've made it once, you won't even need a recipe.  

Perfect!  We have been making this recipe every couple of months for a year or two.  Tyler and I both really enjoy it and the kids will eat it with minimal begging or bribing.  I forgot to take a picture, as meal times have been a little hectic lately.  I'm not naming names, but a certain son of mine has decided to scream and throw food throughout every dinner (...and breakfast...and lunch).  Lovely.  The positive is that he's got a great arm, as evidenced by the oatmeal, peas and cheese that we discover 10 feet from his high chair. 

Anyway, on to the recipe (adapted slightly from A Year of Slow Cooking)

Ingredients:

1 pound cooked and cubed chicken breast

2 cups sweet potatoes, cubed and peeled

1 cup frozen sweet corn

1 small or 1/2 large diced red onion 

1 18 ounce bottle of barbecue sauce

1/4 cup water

1 box cornbread mix, prepared per instructions on box or 1 batch of your favorite corn bread recipe

Instructions

1. Spray the inside of the crockpot with cooking spray.  Add first 6 ingredients and mix well. 

2. Top with cornbread batter, cover and cook on high for 45 minutes, then reduce to low and cook for an additional 5-6 hours.

Tips:

-We always set the crockpot to "high" for the first 45 minutes or so, just to get the cooking jump started and to avoid having uncooked food sit out at a low temp for too long (especially if we're cooking raw meat). 

-This is the one food that I actually prefer using a boxed mix over making the batter from scratch.  For some reason, homemade cornbread always turns out tough and dry.  We've found that the Jiffy mixes work alright, but the best is the Krusteaz Natural Cornbread mix.  Yep, I just admitted to using a mix, and I'm only a little bit ashamed.  

-If the cornbread is not fully cooked, pull the stoneware out of the crockpot and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.  The top should brown up nicely. 

- Finally, this recipe calls for a lot of barbecue sauce, so use one that you really like.  You may want to thin it out with more water.  

Enjoy!

Exercise + cupcakes = the perfect combination

Lately, Hadley has been phrasing all requests as, "should we..."  As in, "should we have a snack?" or "should we go to the playground?"  Every morning, the first thing she asks me is, "Should we go to Stroller Strides today?!?"  Since it is the new year, and many of you are trying to exercise more, I figured a fitness themed post would be appropriate.

Hadley and Blake playing "stroller class" outside of Superb Sushi

Stroller Strides is a mommy/child exercise class that combines working out with singing, laughing and general silliness.  The kids ride along in the strollers, which means I can exercise without having to arrange for childcare (so no excuses!)  I really had to work up the courage to go to the first class, as I felt intimidated by the thought of joining a group of woman who all knew each other; not to mention exercising and singing with said group.  Being a sucker for a deal, a coupon for a free week convinced me to give it a try.  We first went back in August and we've been hooked ever since.  Here were my initial (and lasting) impressions: 1.  It's a really good workout.  2.  The other moms are all super nice.  Oh, and nobody has ever complained about me showing up late.  That, in my book, is a definite positive!  In addition to the exercise class there are several play groups a month.  Since the kids no longer go to daycare, I think these social events are really important for them. Stroller Strides has definitely become a positive in our lives.  The kids love to go to class, we've met some wonderful families, and I'm doing something good for myself.  

(Edited to add:  I just re-read that paragraph and realize that it sounds like a paid advertisement.  It's totally not.  We just love this class that much.  Search for a class in your area and try it out.  You'll love it.)

Talking about exercise burns calories, right?  Do we all agree?  Good, now on to the cupcakes.  

image via allrecipes.com

I made these tonight- yum!  I was concerned by some bad recipe reviews, but overall I think these turned out great.  In fact, I'll use the cake recipe again as a base for other cupcakes.  They baked up with a nice round top, good flavor and nice texture.  

Cream Filled Cupcakes

adapted slightly from allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1/3 cup dutch cocoa powder  (this is what I used, but the original recipe calls for regular unsweetened cocoa)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup coffee  (intensifies the chocolate flavor)
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•  
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line 36 muffin cups with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and 1 teaspoon salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the eggs, 1 cup milk, coffee, oil and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix well. Fill each muffin cup 2/3 to 3/4 full of batter.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.
4. Make filling: In a large bowl, beat butter and shortening together until smooth. Blend in confectioners' sugar and pinch of salt. Gradually beat in 3 tablespoons milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla. beat until light and fluffy. Using a knife, cut a cone shape out of the top of each cupcake.  Spoon or pipe (a plastic bag with the corner snipped works great) the filling in, then replace with the top portion of the cone.  Throw away the extra cupcakes, or else you might eat them all.  And I'm totally not speaking from experience.
5. Top each cupcake with chocolate glaze or frosting.  

I made 24 regular cupcakes with filling and 12 mini cupcakes that were just topped with the glaze.  I'll definitely be making these again, but my next cupcake will a little more adventurous.  I'm loving the recipes (and photos) over at Ming Makes Cupcakes.  I'd like to try one of each, starting with the lemon meringue, then maybe the mango.  Which one would you like to try?  

A few of you have told me that you aren't able to post comments, and sometimes I get comment notifications but I'm not able to open them.  I've played with the settings and I think things should be working now, so comment away!  

  

On New Year's Resolutions

Based on past failure, I've learned not to make New Year's Resolutions.  I do, however, have some ongoing goals that are on my mind this time of year.  Be more present, be kind, treat my body well, sleep more and get organized.  

Traditionally, one of the top New Year's resolutions is to diet or lose weight.  It's unfortunate how many people, especially women, hate their bodies.  Personally, being pregnant, delivering two children, and raising a daughter have all helped to improve me body image.  When Hadley was very young, I vowed to never make negative comments about my own body in front of her.  As time has gone on, I haven't had to work as hard to suppress these comments, as I find that I'm more tolerant of my imperfections.  My kids don't care one bit that I have a squishy, stretch marked tummy; in fact, Hadley will proudly inform you that "mommy growed Hadley in there!"  While I'm no where near being confident enough to rock a bikini, I also realize that I have no desire to.  As long as I feel good and know that I'm making an effort towards being healthy, I can deal with the rest. 

As you set goals to change who you are, physically and otherwise, remember to be kind to yourself.  Dwell on the positives, specifically the amazing things that your body does every second of everyday.  Some of you reading this deserve to give yourself an extra pat on the back.  In 2010 you gave birth, beat cancer or ran a marathon.  The human body is an amazing thing.  

If you are a mother struggling with postpartum body image issues, here is a website that I find to be helpful, hopeful and encouraging.  

If you are striving for improved eating habits, here's a recipe to get you started.  

Baked Kale Chips (my version)

1. Wash and dry one bunch of Kale (curly, flat, dinosaur- they all work).  Remove the stems and tear leaves into "chip sized" pieces  (How's that for specific?  Make them whatever size you want, but remember, they will shrink).

2.  Toss with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt or seasoning salt. 

3.  Bake at 300 degrees for 15-20 minutes.  Watch closely as they go from undercooked to burnt in a matter of seconds.  They are done when they are crispy and dry but not burnt. 

This is a love it or hate it recipe.  I love them, Tyler hates them and Hadley eats them by the handful.  Blake was a stinker and threw all of his lunch on the floor today, so it's hard to know what he thinks of them.  Kale is very nutritious and this is a great way to enjoy it.  A google search for Kale chips will bring up countless different temperatures, cooking times and toppings.  Here is a good blog post with pictures as well as links to other recipes.

Dinosaur kale reminded me of this quote from Hadley. 

Hadley: "Sometimes dinosaurs are scary; we have to run away from them."  

Tyler: "Don't worry, dinosaurs are extinct"

Hadley: "Yeah, they stinked!  Dinosaurs pooped!"

Completely unrelated, but positive none the less:

Livie and Luca Shoes are all 50% through January 2nd.  Use the code 50off2010. 

The kids don't need shoes right now, but I can always save them for next year, right?  I'm thinking of getting these for Blake:

And these for Hadley:

 There's something wonderfully geriatric about them.  Seriously, I think they are cute.  What do you think? 

Happy 2011!