Drink a little, bake a little…

Of Eggnog that is!  What were you thinking?  You were thinking I was posting a drink recipe that we all desperately need right now?  Yeah…I’m working on that!  I saw one on Pinterest, like an Andy’s Mint cocktail or something?  Yeah..definitely going to be trying that. I will take one for the team, and let you know how it works out.

Mall shopping is overrated this time of year.  That is all I’m going to say about shopping. Other than, ALL OF MINE IS DONE!!!  I may need to pick up a stocking stuffer or two.  Right now all they have in their stockings are toothbrushes and hand sanitizer.   Yes. I am a fantastical mom.

Back to Eggnog.  I love Eggnog, and all of its fat and calories. When I saw these little bread loaves from Taste of Home, I was like YES! I. Must. Try. These.  And so I did.  They are super easy, and so tastey! I used smaller loaf pans than what this recipe calls for, and I got 6 loaves. Just adjust your baking time.  And please, for the love of Pete, remember the sugar.  The first batch I made, I tasted it after I poured it into the loaf pans. (I was licking the spoon..shhhhh)  It was awful! Lesson #1 learned: Taste before you pour into greased pans. Lesson #2: Sugar is very important!

Eggnog Mini Loaves

• 2 1/4 C           All-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 tsp        Baking powder
• 1/2 tsp           Salt
• 1/2 tsp           Ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp           Ground nutmeg
• 2                     Eggs
• 1 C                  Eggnog
• 3/4 C             Sugar
• 1/2 C              Butter, melted
• 2 tsp               Vanilla extract
• 2 tsp               Rum extract

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
2. In another bowl, beat the eggs, Eggnogg, sugar, butter and extracts; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.
3. Pour into three greased 5 3/4″ x 3″x 2″ loaf pans.  Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
4. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.
5. After cool, wrap and give to your favorite neighbor. Or boss. Stuff in stocking?

 

 

Christmas Caramels

Only ten days left!  Who’s ready for the Big Guy?  This girl!  That’s who!  Well, not really.  I’m waiting for 2 gifts to come in and need a couple of gift cards and then I’M DONE!  Autumn and I don’t get overly crazy with gifts.  When she believed in Santa, Santa only brought one gift. He was generous, with a little bit of a bigger gift (a bike one year, a Wii another). Mommy gave her any other presents that were under the tree.  As a single mom, I worked hard for what I gave her; and I wasn’t about to let the fictional gentleman, as jolly as he is,  get all the credit!  We tend to focus on family oriented things, traditions that will make memories. The spirit of Christmas, as they say. Not something that will break within a 2 month time frame. Like last year’s tablet, for example.

The “Christmas spirit” with the older two is a little bit more difficult.  They don’t really care about much, unless it’s on a gadget.  I try, but with little success.  So with Ms. Autumn, I’m trying to get her understand the importance of the holiday season early, so when she’s 16, she will be all about the giving and not about the receiving.

Giving!  Let’s focus on this. I came across this recipe on Facebook I think.  From Taste of Home, these little squares of heaven are definitely for the giving. They are a little bit time consuming. But totally worth it! Don’t be fooled.  You will eat your fair share before carefully packaging them up for the neighbor! These are pretty sweet, so give them to the neighbor without diabetes. Unless you don’t like your neighbor with diabetes. Bad plan. Just eat them.

Creamy Caramels

• 1 tsp plus 1 Cup            Butter, divided
• 1 C                                   Sugar
• 1 C                                   Dark corn syrup
• 1-14 oz Can                    Sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tsp                                Vanilla extract

1. Line an 8″ square pan with foil; grease the foil with 1 teaspoon butter and set aside.
2. In a large heavy saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, and remaining butter; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil slowly for 4 minutes without stirring.
3. Remove from the heat; stir in milk.  Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until a candy thermometer reads 238° (soft-ball stage), stirring constantly.  Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.
4. Pour into prepared pan (do not scrape saucepan).  Cool. Using foil, lift candy out of pan.  Discard foil; cut candy into 1″ squares.
5. Wrap individually in waxed paper, twist ends.

 

Soup and Snow!

In Buffalo.  Let it keep snowing in Buffalo. Like a lot of the rest of country, west of me is getting slammed with snow.  They can keep it!  I woke up to 17*F, but that’s A-OK with me; I don’t have 4ft of snow in my doorway this morning.

Although it is the first of many, enough of the weather update.  I’ve have other very important things to report.  After a lot of feet dragging, and story after story, the soccer coach finally put Ms. Autumn on the soccer team. Offically.  I think. It’s very confusing. She tried to play it off like it was nothing, but out of the corner of my eye when she thought I wasn’t looking, I saw her give a big smile. Secretly she’s pretty excited.

In honor of my Buffalo friends, and everyone else home bound due to snow, I leave you with an “OMG this is so delicious” recipe for Eggplant Parmesan Soup to keep you warm!  I saw the recipe on The Kitchen. I was like how easy is that??  It turned out to be not as easy as it sounded, but worth it. Every. Single. Minute.  I did alter this a little, like I didn’t add fresh basil.  I’m sure your kids aren’t nearly averse to things green. Admittedly, I did actually fry the eggplant.  Next time, I’m going to try baking it. Surprisingly, really liked by the little people and the Ol’ Man.  Although, I don’t think Allison ate any of the eggplant. Show me your shock face!!

Eggplant Parm Soup

• 8C                          Prepared Tomato soup (bisque style)
• 1 1/3 C                   Flour
• 2 Large                  Eggs (beaten)
• 2 C                         Italian-style bread crumbs
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 Medium              Eggplant, peeled and cut into 1″ cubes
• 8 Slices                  Mozzarella cheese (I used part-skim)
• 1/4 C                      Shredded Parmesan cheese
• Vegetable Oil for frying

1. Set up a breading station with the flour, eggs and breadcrumbs in shallow bowels. Add a little salt and pepper to each.
2. Using a slotted spoon, dredge the little eggplant squares through each station, shaking off the excess.  Set aside on a wire rack.
3. To the Soup! Pour the soup in a medium pot, add the Parmesan cheese, and bring to a slight simmer.
4. Back to the eggplant croutons!! Heat 1/2 inch of oil in 2 large straight sided saute pans over medium heat.  Working in small batches, fry the eggplant pieces, turning once, until golden brown. I let them drain on paper towel.
5. Preheat oven to broil.  Ladle the soup into individual ovenproof crocks or ramekins on parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover each crock with 2 slices of mozzarella cheese.  Broil until golden brown and bubbly.  Top each ramekin with several fried eggplant cubes.

 

 

Off to Photo 101!!

 

First week done!

What?  What’s that?  Everyone in the house survived the first week of school you say?  It’s impressive.  Even the French Horn has made its way safely to the living room.  Ms. Autumn will be starting lessons next week.  Heaven help us.  The. French. Horn.  Did I ever mention that we live in a very tiny ranch?  And she’s required to practice for a minimum of 20 minutes a day?  Yep.  Wonderful.  But she’s very excited about it.  So I’m going with it.  I’m going to bundle her up and throw her in the garage to practice.  Allison  has actually turned in assignments.  Without threats of taking her iPhone away. Maybe it’s the full moon status or maybe, just maybe, this year will be different than the past two. Personally, I’m keeping my fingers crossed it’s going to be different, and will keep you posted.

A month ago, I joined the year 1997 and signed up for Netflix.  I mean, everyone has it.  I don’t know that very many people had it in 1997, but in 2014, nearly everyone I know has it.  I couldn’t take the peer pressure anymore.  I felt like there was so much I was missing in the world by not having it.  The kids love it. The ol’ man love it.  I have yet to watch anything on it. My free trial is up today.  There is not a single kid in my house right now. How much fun would it be to just cancel it?  OMG! They would flip their shit.  It would be hilarious. Ok.  So for me it would be hilarious, probably not for anyone else reading this.  But if I could make you understand the amount of Hannah Montana that has been forced upon me?  You would find it funny too!

Ok, back to serious issues.  After school snacking. Now I try to buy only things the kids hate for them to snack on after school.  Bananas, apples, I think there are pears and peaches.  Cottage cheese and Monkey Butter, pretzels.  You know, anything basically healthy. Because heaven forbid we eat anything healthy after a long day of school.  I was off for the first few days of school last week, and I had a few extra minutes on my hands. I probably should have watched some Netflix! But the Mama in me thought I would create an after school snack for the scoundrels. I decided to mix a little good with a little bad for a delicious, almost nutritious after school snack.  Yes…I said create.  Not a “recipe” from someone else!!  Although in all honesty, I probably read it someplace and it stuck in my head. It’s not really a recipe but more of throwing some pre-made items together. But don’t take my thunder.  I created it!

 

Vanilla, Vanilla and a Little Banana

• 1 Box            Mini vanilla wafers
• 1/2 C            Vanilla Pudding (prepared as directed on the box) I used the fat free pre-made cups
• 1                    Banana
• 1/2 C            Cool Whip (I used fat free)
• Drizzle         Caramel sauce

1.  Toss a couple of vanilla wafers in the bottom of 2- 1 pint mason jars.
2. Use 1/4 cup of the pudding in each jar.
3. Slice the 1/2 the banana in one jar, and 1/2 in the other.
4. I’m fairly certain you know where I’m going with this.
5. Spoon 1/4C of the Cool Whip in each jar.
6. Drizzle a little caramel over each dessert.

Of course any of this is at your discretion. Vanilla pudding, butterscotch pudding.  Cool Whip, no Cool whip.  Fat free..full on delicious fat.  All of it your choice. BUT!!!!  It must have banana.  It’s what makes it healthy!!

Enjoy!!!

This has 2 layers of everything, for the kids I just used one layer.

 

 

Mother’s Day! A rant and ice cream sandwiches.

Mother’s Day.  I love it and I don’t love it all at the same time.   I love it because I am a Mom.  I love being a mom. It is the most difficult job in the world, and the one where the little people I work for actually like me ( except for the days where I’m the meanest mom ever!).  Moms, as a workforce are completely under appreciated.  We work magic, and kids (and significant others for that matter) think that that is they way it’s supposed to be.  Mostly because we do it effortlessly.  News flash: We would like to be appreciated!!  Even if it is for just one day.

I’m now focused on the ol’ man. Here is where the “I don’t love it” part comes.  I think I’ve built up such an unrealistic expectation of  “I would like to be appreciated”, that when I’m not, even just a little on this day, I get pissed.   I don’t want brunch or beautiful flowers.  Just a “Hey can I make you coffee?” or “Let me do the dishes.” would have been fantastical.  I made the coffee, breakfast and did the dishes. That set the mood. And then I heard “I don’t get a thank you for getting you a paper?”  ARE YOU EFFING KIDDING ME???  He doesn’t thank me the other 51 weeks of the year when I go out to get the paper.  Petty?  Absolutely.  Am I fully aware of the ridiculousness of how I sound? Yup.  Does it change the way I was feeling? Nope.  I am grateful to be a mom. Even to his kids. I know there are a ton of women who can’t have kids. Even Autumn was an IUI baby.  Nevermind. Just a little appreciation from him, I suppose is what I was looking for. I sound stupid. Oh of course there’s more.  I’m saving it for the therapist.

Gah! The weekend is over already!

Where did it go?  It seems like yesterday was Friday. Seriously, I need more time off of work.  Unlike the shenanigans of last weekend, this one was relatively uneventful. What happened last weekend you ask?  Good times with some great family.  Oh and a speeding ticket.  And not for me :).  NOT MY FAULT!!  Well, sort of my fault.  When the ol’ man rolled the the window, and the first thing the trooper asks “Who has been drinking?”….you know it was a good time!  FOR THE RECORD: THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DRINKING!! Not my fault he was speeding.

On to better things!

Now that the venting is done, we did try some new recipes this weekend.  It snowed here pretty good yesterday, so we didn’t venture out anywhere. I love Ree Drummond. I love her books, her show, her blog.  Last Saturday on the show she made homemade applesauce. This Saturday, I’d thought I’d give it a try since the kids love applesauce. It’s one of the healthier things they actually eat.

Applesauce

6lbs Mixed apple varieties (peeled,sliced, cored)                                                   1C Apple juice or water                                                                                                   Juice of 1/2 lemon                                                                                                               1/2 C Light brown sugar                                                                                                    1tsp Cinnamon

Throw the apples, apple juice, and lemon juice into a pan and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat.  Lower the heat and simmer until the apples are soft, about 15 minutes.  Stir through the sugar and mix until melted. Add the cinnamon and stir through.  Remove from heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes.