Hello everyone,
Sorry for the delay in posts, we had a very busy weekend with a community garage sale which was a disappointment and a lot of hard work, lots of homework for me, and a Greek Festival that we attended. So Alina and I were exhausted come Sunday night.
On to my post. I have been trying for some time now to teach Alina to use manners if she must interrupt when adults are talking or when I'm talking to someone else. She has been pretty good at remembering to at least say "excuse me" but sometimes her persistence leans toward annoying.
Monday evening we were at a church meeting and she was the only child there so one of the ladies said she could play in the toddler room which was filled with toys. She went in there and was quiet for some time but as my Mom was speaking to the group of ladies, out ran a rainbow dress laden kid spouting "Excuse me, excuse me Mommy, I have to go poopy!" Needless to say I was mortified. Happy she used good manners, but mortified. You could already hear a pin drop and her voice is like mine...it carries.
So aside from being embarrassed, which I'm sure will be happening for many years to come, I am happy to report that Monday night made 8 straight days she went poop on the potty! No more budgeting diapers into my grocery trips!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
What to eat Wednesday: Buffalo Burgers with Blue Cheese Spread and Celery Slaw
Hello everyone! Sorry this post is late, but after dinner we had company and then many kids swimming in the pool tonight. So after Alina was taking a bath (which by the way she got out to go poopy on the potty again) and then there was clean up. So on to the recipe.
How many of you like Buffalo wings? Well this dish has the flavor but made into a burger. It's a great recipe for a hot summer evening. I came across this by accident when looking for something else and all I saw at first was Blue cheese spread. I was sold as I do love Blue cheese. I immediately clicked on it and decided that was What to Eat for Wednesday.
It turned out delicious and the celery slaw and homemade blue cheese spread tasted completely refreshing. I will admit, it isn't exactly low-fat, but I swapped in ground turkey and used a light sour cream. I did not, however, skimp on the blue cheese crumbles - it just wouldn't be right. I cooked them on the grill and the buffalo flavor just cooked right into the meat. I happen to love Frank's hot sauce, so I used the 1/4 cup like the recipe calls for, but if you like a little less heat, don't use as much.
I did make just a regular grilled burger for my daughter as she doesn't like hot sauce, but I still toasted the bun on the grill for her and she liked it a lot. I threw some thick slices of zucchini on the grill do go with it and was a happy camper.
I'll also apologize that my camera battery was dead as I wanted to take a hot off the grill picture, but if you click on the link above you will see how it should look. I promise I'll be better prepared next week.
Here's the recipe:
For Burgers:
1 pound 85/15 ground beef
1/4 cup buffalo wing sauce like Frank’s Red Hot
Celery Slaw (Below)
Blue Cheese Spread (Below)
3 onion rolls/buns
butter
Heat grill to around 400 degrees F. Pat hamburger into 1/3-pound burgers. Place burgers on grill. Baste with hot sauce. Grill burgers on medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Flip and baste again. Grill for another three minutes. Flip and baste. Check for doneness. Remove from grill when desired doneness is reached. Allow to rest under a tinfoil tent while you toast the rolls.
Butter onion rolls liberally. Grill for 2 minutes until lightly toasted. Remove from heat. Place burger on the bun. Top with celery slaw and spread bun with blue cheese spread. Enjoy.
Celery Slaw:
4 stalks celery
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
Shred celery stalks with cheese grater or food processor with shredding blade attached. Squeeze excess liquid from celery using a paper towel or clean towel.
Blue Cheese Spread:
2 heaping tablespoons blue cheese crumbles
3 tablespoons sour cream
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 small clove garlic, minced
salt and ground pepper
Mix together all ingredients. Store in airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Makes 3 burgers
How many of you like Buffalo wings? Well this dish has the flavor but made into a burger. It's a great recipe for a hot summer evening. I came across this by accident when looking for something else and all I saw at first was Blue cheese spread. I was sold as I do love Blue cheese. I immediately clicked on it and decided that was What to Eat for Wednesday.
It turned out delicious and the celery slaw and homemade blue cheese spread tasted completely refreshing. I will admit, it isn't exactly low-fat, but I swapped in ground turkey and used a light sour cream. I did not, however, skimp on the blue cheese crumbles - it just wouldn't be right. I cooked them on the grill and the buffalo flavor just cooked right into the meat. I happen to love Frank's hot sauce, so I used the 1/4 cup like the recipe calls for, but if you like a little less heat, don't use as much.
I did make just a regular grilled burger for my daughter as she doesn't like hot sauce, but I still toasted the bun on the grill for her and she liked it a lot. I threw some thick slices of zucchini on the grill do go with it and was a happy camper.
I'll also apologize that my camera battery was dead as I wanted to take a hot off the grill picture, but if you click on the link above you will see how it should look. I promise I'll be better prepared next week.
Here's the recipe:
For Burgers:
1 pound 85/15 ground beef
1/4 cup buffalo wing sauce like Frank’s Red Hot
Celery Slaw (Below)
Blue Cheese Spread (Below)
3 onion rolls/buns
butter
Heat grill to around 400 degrees F. Pat hamburger into 1/3-pound burgers. Place burgers on grill. Baste with hot sauce. Grill burgers on medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Flip and baste again. Grill for another three minutes. Flip and baste. Check for doneness. Remove from grill when desired doneness is reached. Allow to rest under a tinfoil tent while you toast the rolls.
Butter onion rolls liberally. Grill for 2 minutes until lightly toasted. Remove from heat. Place burger on the bun. Top with celery slaw and spread bun with blue cheese spread. Enjoy.
Celery Slaw:
4 stalks celery
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
Shred celery stalks with cheese grater or food processor with shredding blade attached. Squeeze excess liquid from celery using a paper towel or clean towel.
Blue Cheese Spread:
2 heaping tablespoons blue cheese crumbles
3 tablespoons sour cream
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 small clove garlic, minced
salt and ground pepper
Mix together all ingredients. Store in airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Makes 3 burgers
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Poop on the potty celebration!
Who would have thought a sane person could make such a fuss about pooping on the potty? My daughter is not fully potty trained yet and we've been working on it for several months. This may be the slowest process I've experienced yet in motherhood. It is grueling and I've had to purchase more ten dollar packs of charcter underwear than I ever expected. The laundry washing is out of control.
Every day Alina either holds it (which is not healthy) or goes in her pants. I am an extreme Dreft user, especially the laundry stain remover because it even removes all traces of you know what...poop. I should buy stock in this product because I spend a ton on it but it is well worth it to save the clothes.
Anyway, Monday night brought a mini celebration because in our normal routine of me demanding she "try to go potty", she went in on her own and actually pooped on the potty. She yelled to me in song that she was "pooping on the potty, Mommy!" I jumped up and down, hugged her and made a huge deal out of it. Then I promised her a special treat and gave her extra time past bed time to eat it.
I can't figure out if this whole excitement thing on my part is pathetic or just another normal mom way of celebrating success. Either way, this kid better make it routine. I'm tired of washing Elmo and Dora gotchies (our word for underpants) on a daily basis.
Every day Alina either holds it (which is not healthy) or goes in her pants. I am an extreme Dreft user, especially the laundry stain remover because it even removes all traces of you know what...poop. I should buy stock in this product because I spend a ton on it but it is well worth it to save the clothes.
Anyway, Monday night brought a mini celebration because in our normal routine of me demanding she "try to go potty", she went in on her own and actually pooped on the potty. She yelled to me in song that she was "pooping on the potty, Mommy!" I jumped up and down, hugged her and made a huge deal out of it. Then I promised her a special treat and gave her extra time past bed time to eat it.
I can't figure out if this whole excitement thing on my part is pathetic or just another normal mom way of celebrating success. Either way, this kid better make it routine. I'm tired of washing Elmo and Dora gotchies (our word for underpants) on a daily basis.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
What to Eat Wednesdays
I love to cook, and I love to eat. It's well known by the people who meet and know me how excited I get about food. So my weekly post What to eat Wednesdays will entail 'What' or a 'Where' to eat for you to read about and hopefully try. I'll either cook something new and share the recipes, cook a dish I'm used to making and share, or dine at a local restaurant and share the meal I choose to eat there. I will share my opinions with you about the food.
People are always asking me how I made a dish and what is in it when I bring something to parties. My friends always rely on my dips, cakes, or crazy exotic foods. So I share that many of my dishes come from sites like Epicurious, Cooks.
I'm a true foodie and I tend to lean to the exotic side of foods. It has been challenging for me to eat what I love living here, but I've been getting creative and started going back to the South Bend Farmer's Market for my food choices. It has also been a little difficult because I sadly have an extremely picky eater in my daughter and in my extended family, so they don't share my excitement and joy of cooking these wonderful foods.
So, I will rely on you to share with me your thoughts about the food choices or any ideas you have related to food, resolving picky eater issues or restaurant menus.
I want my muffin and juice....and juice and muffin
Those are the demands I receive every morning from a high pitched little voice at about 6:08 am. I'm so glad I'm awakened every morning by a little hand shaking the crap out of my arm or solid patting on the head. I was wondering why I wasn't blessed with a sleeper, like the rest of the kids in the extended family. I fear it was the two jobs I was working while pregnant and the lack of sleep I went through. Apparently she inherited my sleep patterns. This child won't sleep until 7:00...ever.
A couple of months ago, I purchased a 'stay in bed' clock from one of my favorite sites Onestepahead. We were both so excited because it was a simple product that has a cow sleeping on the bottom and a cow dancing in a tutu on the top half. Depending on how you set it, one of those halves will be illuminated so the child knows if she should stay in bed or go ahead and get up and dance. It worked like a charm the first couple of weeks, but now she ignores what the cow is doing and comes in to wake me at all hours of the night.
When asked why she is awake when her cow is still sleeping, her response is generally "because I'm awake" or "because I want to sleep in you bed". Makes no sense but she thinks it's a legitimate answer. I don't feel like I'm asking for much, even sleeping until 7 would be a treat. I've got her so ingrained in a routine though, that I don't think it is breakable at this point. Oh, and the banana muffin and juice is the first thing she wants about five seconds after she wakes up.
Ah well, on to another night of ignoring the cow!
A couple of months ago, I purchased a 'stay in bed' clock from one of my favorite sites Onestepahead. We were both so excited because it was a simple product that has a cow sleeping on the bottom and a cow dancing in a tutu on the top half. Depending on how you set it, one of those halves will be illuminated so the child knows if she should stay in bed or go ahead and get up and dance. It worked like a charm the first couple of weeks, but now she ignores what the cow is doing and comes in to wake me at all hours of the night.
When asked why she is awake when her cow is still sleeping, her response is generally "because I'm awake" or "because I want to sleep in you bed". Makes no sense but she thinks it's a legitimate answer. I don't feel like I'm asking for much, even sleeping until 7 would be a treat. I've got her so ingrained in a routine though, that I don't think it is breakable at this point. Oh, and the banana muffin and juice is the first thing she wants about five seconds after she wakes up.
Ah well, on to another night of ignoring the cow!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)