Sometimes We Fall Short

Do you ever get that feeling that sometimes your day/week/month was a bust?  That's how I'm feeling about January this year.  I had high expectations for the month, especially in the kitchen, but they just didn't pan out.  This was not a healthy month in our house and given that I spent a third of the month dizzy and not feeling like myself at all, I think I'll go ahead and cut myself some slack.  It's only fitting that we wrap up this month with illness:  our oldest appears to have strep throat and our daughter will be having surgery tomorrow to put in her second set of tubes and have her adenoids out.  I am praying that February goes a little more smoothly!

While February is a short month, it's also very busy for us.  We will be celebrating our oldest kiddo's sixth birthday, taking a week-long vacation, and prepping for baby #4's arrival in, gasp, less than ten weeks.  I am not feeling like time is on my side right now, but I suppose it will all work out in the end.  For someone who is an organizer and planner, this is definitely an uncomfortable feeling!  Ultimately, my goal is make February a memorable month.  Ironically, our kids have been begging to go on a vacation and go to the beach, so it will be fun to surprise them (the morning that we're leaving!) about our vacation.  I pray that everyone gets healthy in the next few weeks and we'll enjoy our last vacation as a family of 5!

Next weekend we'll celebrate our son's birthday.  He wants a Chicago Bulls theme and has requested a basketball jersey cake of his favorite player.  I am hoping that this will be an easy task, but I guess time will tell!  Instead of hosting a party where we have to serve a meal, I wanted to simplify a bit and just serve cake and ice cream, as well as "concessions."  I plan to make some Queso and serve with chips for nachos, popcorn, BBQ wienies in the crockpot, and have some fruit and/or veggies.  Sounds simple enough, right?  I'll serve the popcorn in little box containers I have leftover from last year.  I found those at Hobby Lobby and knew they'd come in handy again!  Party City had cheap Bulls dessert plates and napkins (with his favorite player on them!) and I'll pick up some red and black dinner plates and utensils for cheap at the Dollar Tree.  This is a party on a budget, since unbeknownst to him, our oldest will be celebrating his birthday in Florida this year!

While things may not always work out as I had hoped, I am optimistic that February will be a good month.  I will head to my Happiness Project journal tonight and set my goals for the month.  I hope to be able to report a little more progress, but if not, then it just wasn't in the cards!  Do you have any goals you'd like to achieve this month?

Comfort Food Monday!

Quick post today.  We have a lot of baking to do, but I am procrastinating.  Today I am focusing on breakfast foods to put in the freezer:  banana chocolate chip muffins, banana bread, and lemon bread.  I am so hungry and can't wait to dive into some of our goodies!

Given our dreary weather today, I thought I'd share with you one of my favorite recipes from my childhood.  It doesn't look pretty, but it tastes delicious!  We always called it mashed potato casserole, but most know it as Shepherds Pie.

Shepherds Pie

1 pound ground beef
1 can tomato soup
1 can cut green beans
Cooked instant mashed potatoes (make amount to serve 4-6)
Shredded Colby Jack cheese

Brown ground beef.  In a bowl, mix ground beef, soup, and beans.  Put in casserole dish and top with potatoes.  Sprinkle cheese on top (the cheesier the better in my opinion!).  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, or until bubbly.

February Book List

Since next week already marks the end of January, I decided I should work on creating my booklist for February and get them on reserve at the library or purchased.  I'm not big into buying books, but there are some that I cannot get through the library and others I feel would be a good addition to my small adult book collection.  Some are worth multiple reads!  Thank goodness for an Amazon gift card that I received for Christmas.

My goal for January was to read six books.  While I've met that goal, there are two books on my list that I haven't finished yet, but hope to finish soon.  I found a new fiction author that I really liked and I got my hands on a few more of her books, so I couldn't resist!  I read Emily Giffin's Something Borrowed earlier in the month and added Something Blue and Baby Proof to my January reading list.  They were great and I can't wait to read some more of her books next month!  I also read my first book by Sarah Jio, Blackberry Winter, and enjoyed her style as well.

This month we are heading south on vacation, so I'm hoping to find some time to relax and read in the warm sun!  Once again, I have a mix of fiction and non-fiction books on the list.  My goal for the month is six books again, so we'll see how it goes!  Here's the list:

The Violets of March by Sarah Jio
Love the One You're With by Emily Giffin
I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn't):  Making the Journey from "What Will People Think?" to "I Am Enough" by Brene Brown
Grace for the Good Girl:  Letting Go of the Try Hard Life by Emily P. Freeman
Undaunted:  Daring to Do What God Calls You to Do by Christine Caine
Peace is Every Step:  The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life by Thich Naht Hanh


 

It's Friday! Celebrate the Weekend With This Cake!

Life around our house has just not been the norm the past few weeks.  Now my husband is down with a nasty virus and I'm praying my turn isn't next (though I wouldn't mind being stuck in a room by myself all day to sleep and read!).  Luckily he tested negative for influenza, but it is awfully similar.  I'm hoping we can have a feel-good week around here soon!

Next weekend is his birthday.  We don't do much for our birthdays anymore (which is lame, I know), but I will cook him one of his favorite meals and make a cake with the kids' help.  This year we'll probably make something simple, like chocolate cake or cupcakes, and put some frosting and sprinkles on top.  Back when we were in college, I used to make him this cake for his birthday.  I haven't had it in years, but it is so delicious!  If my kids would eat it, I would make it this year, but the simpler the better for them!

Happy Friday!

Better Than Sex Cake

1 package Devil's Food cake mix
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 jar/bottle caramel ice cream topping
1 container Cool Whip
1 package Heath Bar pieces (optional)

Bake cake according to package directions in a 9x13 inch cake pan.  Let cool for about 5 minutes.  Poke holes in cake with a round-handled wooden spoon every couple of inches (if you don't have one, use a fork).  Mix together sweetened condensed milk and caramel in a bowl.  Pour over top of the cake and let sink into the holes, making sure to cover completely.  Spread Cool Whip over top of cake.  If desired, sprinkle Heath Bar pieces on top.  Keep in refrigerator.

*After typing this all out, I must find an excuse to make this!

Cranberry Chicken

I have been so thankful to be back near my parents again.  My mom has spent a lot of time at our house the past week, as I have not been feeling well with some pregnancy issues.  After some blood work and my routine trip to the doctor, we've come to the conclusion that I am having trouble with low blood sugar, iron, and blood pressure.  Add into the equation a teething toddler, illness, and many nights of little sleep and my body decided to let me know it had had enough!  Mom to the rescue!  She's spent many days and even a few nights here when my husband has been gone.  She's made us yummy food (homemade chicken soup...Yum!), grocery shopped, played with the kids, and helped pick up the house.  I could not be more grateful for all of her help.

This is also the reason my posts have been less frequent.  Today I thought I'd share a recipe with you that is one of my husband's favorites.  It's a nice twist on chicken and probably a recipe you haven't seen before!

Cranberry Chicken

1 8 oz. bottle Catalina salad dressing
1 16 oz. can whole berry cranberry sauce
1 package Lipton onion soup mix
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Mix together salad dressing, cranberry sauce and soup.  Mix well.  Add chicken breasts and transfer to a glass baking dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes covered.  Uncover and bake 15-30 minutes more.

Usually we serve with this with a side of rice and spinach.

How Much is Too Much?

My goal for the month was to read six books (see January's reading list) and am happy to say that just halfway through the month I am onto number 4!  This month was split between non-fiction and fiction, which is how most of my months will look.  I've mentioned before that 2012 was my "dive into non-fiction" year and I honestly can say I have been missing out for many years!  I'm not into historical reading, but more on topics that I find thought-provoking and relevant to today's life.

This past week I read 7:  An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker.  The author chooses seven areas in her life (and her family's) and focuses on cutting back on each for one month.  Some were admittedly a little extreme, like only eating seven foods or wearing seven articles of clothing for a month, but others were much more practical, like spending and stress.  Once again, I found myself thinking of how we live and the small things we could change that would not only make a difference in our lives, but others as well.

The book is a fun, easy read.  The author's style made me chuckle and it was far from "preachy."  Much of this is tied to her faith, which I enjoyed, and her honesty about the way they live their lives and how she came to realize how much excess "stuff" they really have is easy to relate to.  I think we can all agree that we live in a society where many feel like they need more, more, more or must have the newest and best item out there.  The question, though, is does it really make us happier?  

I have no intention of following in her footsteps by creating such a drastic project, but there are some areas of our life that I'd like to make small changes to.  Like most people, we have too much "stuff."  Our house could use a good overhaul, even though we moved not long ago and parted ways with many items.  Most of the time we donate our items to Goodwill and move on without giving it much thought. One point that she made, however, was to actually connect with people while giving items away.  For example, instead of dropping them off at Goodwill, take your items to a shelter or organization where you may actually interact with the people who receive the goods.  It may be a little extra work, but may help us realize how lucky we truly are and give us the opportunity to see first-hand how others live.

Another area that I'm always working to improve upon is food.  Unfortunately, food manufacturers are allowed to add some many additives and junk into what we eat, that it is important to mindful of what we are eating and feeding our children.  I do my best to navigate the grocery aisles and find the healthiest choices, but there is always room to improve.  Since moving, I haven't been able to find a good place to buy organic produce or meat that is not pumped full of hormones and other junk.  I would like to work on that a bit more and adjust our grocery budget to do so.  We've already cut way back on what we feed our kids for snacks and cut-out most processed food you'd find in the freezer section, but there are products that we buy that appear to be "healthy" that really aren't.  This will forever be an ongoing project.

These are just a few examples of what I'd like to accomplish.  There are more, of course, but I don't have time to share them!  If you read the book, I'm sure you'll come up with some projects, however big or small, of your own.  It's definitely worth the read!

Date Night? What's That? Bring it Home!

In my mind (and out loud), I always say that my husband and I need to have more date nights.  Please note I did not say want, I said need.  Time away from the kiddos is important to every marriage.  It's just hard to make it work a lot of the time.  There's the childcare, the money, oh, and the energy it takes to go and actually do it.  With three young children and one baking away sucking all of my energy out of me, going out seems like quite a hurdle to overcome.  So, it's time to get creative and bring the date night home.

Here's an example of a date night idea.  Let's start with dinner.  This could include the kiddos or not, depending on your preference.  If I had to wait to eat until all of my kids were snoring away, I would be starving and crabby!  So, for the purposes of this date night, dinner will be with the munchkins.  Luckily I have a wonderful (this word barely touches the surface of how good this is!) recipe that our entire family devours:  Portobello Stuffed Shells.  Yum, yum, yum!  Pair this with a side of salad and bread and you're set.  You could also make a nice little dessert (or have your husband stop for a few slices of pie) and have a restaurant night at home! 

Once you've had dinner and put the kiddos to bed, it's time to find some activity to enjoy together.  To each his own in this area, but our date night would either include a movie (which I'd probably fall asleep during) or a game.  We like to play Scrabble and I hate to admit that I have lost the last two times we have played.  It's got me motivated for another round!  The best (and maybe most important) part of the night, though, would be to actually sit down and have a conversation.  Check in with each other and see how things are going.  It's definitely something we don't do enough, because it feels like we never have enough time!  

Go on!  Have a date night at home (and let me know how you like this recipe!).  Happy Friday!

Portobello Stuffed Shells

2 packages Portobello mushrooms (finely chopped)
1 c. whipping cream
1 1/2 c. shredded Mozzarella cheese (divided)
2 scallions (finely chopped)
1 package shells
salt/pepper
1 t. chopped garlic (once again, I use the stuff in the jar!)
1/4 stick of butter
Jar of favorite marinara sauce (I use organic Barilla tomato and basil )

Cook shells.  Saute mushrooms, scallions and garlic in butter.  Add salt/pepper to taste.  Scoop mushroom mixture out with slotted spoon and put in bowl.  Add whipping cream and 1 cup cheese to liquid in skillet.  Simmer and stir.  Drain and rinse shells in cold water.  Stuff shells with mushroom mixture.  Pour whipping cream sauce over shells.  Pour marinara sauce on top and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees about 30 minutes until cheese is melted and shells are warm.