Secret Ingredients {A Recipe Post}

A few years ago, a BBQ place opened up downtown, boasting delicious brisket and pulled pork, sweet potato fries and, of course, deadly macaroni and cheese. It was a few months before I was able to test it out, but my friends and family raved especially about this mac and cheese. When I finally did make it down there, I ordered some. It came, deliciously melty and fabulous, and I concentrated on what, exactly, made it so good. The secret ingredient?

Garlic.

Yep, that's really all I could taste. Golden cheesy goodness with a decent hit of garlic to bring that warm gooey feeling home. True comfort food.

 I kept it in mind the next time I made my go-to cheese sauce and dubiously gave it a shot. Oh my. So. Good. I mixed some up over the weekend and you'll have to forgive the lack of photos because it was really gone that fast. I pulled it out of the oven, went to grab my camera and returned to the kitchen seconds later.  My husband was standing over my masterpiece, carelessly burning himself while eating it right from the pan.  The only photo I have is one before I put it in the oven.

My southern man recommends sprinkling it with a tiny bit of apple cider vinegar and some kosher salt before digging in, but I think it's good just the way I make it, thank you very much.

Here's where the disclaimers come in: This is not, I repeat, NOT, healthy. It is not gluten free or dairy free. It is full of butter and full fat milk or half and half as well as a ton of cheese. I'm not saying you need a doctor's note to eat it, but it sure wouldn't hurt to get your affairs in order first. Proceed with caution.


Macaroni and Cheese

1/4 C butter

1/4 C flour

2 1/2 C Whole Milk or Half and Half

12 Oz Sharp Cheddar, shredded (I like Extra Sharp)

1/2 Cup Parmesan, grated, plus extra for sprinkling

Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder

1 lb Macaroni Noodles, prepared.

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk to combine, then quickly add milk/half and half. Stir continuously over medium heat until sauce thickens, adding seasoning as you stir. I use almost a teaspoon of garlic, but that may be excessive to someone else. Taste as you go and make sure it's just right for you! Once the sauce starts bubbling, remove it from heat and stir in the cheddar and parmesan.

Pour over noodles in a medium-sized casserole dish. Stir to combine and sprinkle a generous amount of the parmesan on top. Bake at 350 for about 20-30 minutes.

Want to make it even more delish/horrendous? Try crumbling some bacon over the top, or mix in pimentos before baking (another favorite down at the BBQ). Anything goes. Enjoy!

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Frosty Goodness Smoothie Pop Recipe

So it's summer - real, hot, humid, sweaty summer.  Out in the garden, those tomato plants are waist high.  Kids are growing, too, though just a bit more slowly.  And, as happens every year, I'm getting downright disenchanted with most meal options.  In the heat of the summer, it's not just cooking that sounds about as appealing as diving into a volcano, but eating, too, seems to be on the proverbial back burner.  My kids are less and less interested in big meals and more inclined to snack dinners, lighter fare, less filling but more frequent.  So while it is great to substitute wraps and salads for dinners, coming up with several smaller meals during the day keeps me returning to the kitchen more and more frequently.

My husband bought the Nutri-Bullet back in May as a birthday present to himself, although I think I've gotten much more use out of it.  As skeptical as I was when he brought it home, I very quickly became accustomed to replacing a meal with a smoothie, or making smoothies for the kids' for breakfast.  Quick, easy and nutritionally sound, smoothies became our new go-to...that is, until we spied this 6 pop popsicle mould at IKEA the other night.  And now...smoothie pops!  Below is my basic recipe, easily customizable to whatever fruit you have on hand.  Of course you can make popsicle with just fruit juice, or fruit juice and blended fruit, but I like sneaking a bit of protein into this snack, using creamy delicious greek yogurt.

Basic Smoothie Pops:

• 1/2 C yogurt (we prefer unsweetened organic greek)
• 
  
• 1/2 C berries 
• 
  
• 1 whole banana
• 
  
• Honey to taste (we like the raw stuff - so delicious!)
• 
  
• Blend it up, pour it in the moulds, add sticks and freeze for at least 5 hours.  Makes 6 pops.

Now why on earth did I only buy 1 set of moulds?  Live and learn.

(For a tropical twist, try substituting berries for pineapple and adding some coconut!)



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Cleaning House

While we wait for our books to arrive to begin school, I'm taking the opportunity to do some housekeeping. Getting little people on my team isn't as difficult as it may seem, as all of them are looking for something to do.  We like to turn on some music in a central area of the house and waltz around while tidying up.  Even Peter gets in on the action, waving his own little dust rag around.  Fun for all!

I know I am a bit late to the party on the topic of natural cleaners, but I wanted to share with you all how I have completely revamped my cleaning supplies.  In fact, I am down to just 2 items: white vinegar and washing soda.

I think my avoidance of natural cleaners was my mistrust that they were actually getting things "really clean."  There is something about being raised on clorox and pinesol that makes you believe that unless your eyes are tearing up from the chemicals, it must not be working.  I've since come around to a different way of looking at it.

I've been using vinegar and water to wash windows and mirrors for awhile, but it wasn't until I stopped diluting the vinegar that I saw results that really wow-ed me.  Vinegar is really an extraordinary cleaner.  It's cheap, effective, and completely safe.  If Peter ends up sucking on his little rag (gross, yes, but typical), I have nothing to worry about.  Vinegar is extremely effective in killing germs, bacteria and mold while still gentle and safe for children to handle.

When I started using vinegar without cutting it with water, I noticed how amazingly quick it is.  I put a damp microfiber cloth on the bottom of a swiffer, slosh a bit of vinegar on it and can mop my kitchen floor in mere moments.  No scrubbing required, it lifts off sticky popsicle drips and other unsightly splotches in just one pass over.  The same with wiping down counter tops, bathroom and kitchen appliances, etc.  The microwave has never been so (consistently) clean, and mostly because it takes no time at all.  Just a quick wipe down.

Washing soda is something I have been using for awhile in homemade laundry detergent, but never before thought to use it as a household cleaner.  This is another natural and safe cleaner, but I am really the only one who handles it.  I combine washing soda and vinegar to make a paste and use it to scrub my tub.  It lifts off soap scum as well if not better than other scouring options I've used, without the danger of harmful chemicals.

My children love to clean along side me so getting rid of dangerous cleaners has given me the peace of mind that they aren't being exposed to things that could hurt them.

So there you have it.  My cleaning arsenal, down to 2 ingredients.  For some, the scent of vinegar can be a bit much, but you can add a few drops of essential oil if that bothers you (we use lemon or orange).  Add a few packs of microfiber cloths, a normal swiffer for floors and a scrub brush for the tub, and you are all set to have a spotless house with none of the hazards of brand name cleaners.  With the cost coming in significantly less as well, cleaning in a natural and safe way does not need to be expensive.

What natural cleaners do you like to use?

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{Make: a Texture Basket}

In a family of 5 kids, we've had a lot of baby toys over the years.  By the time our youngest was born, however, I had gotten rid of most of them.  You see, I found that babies don't really need plasticy, potentially toxic toys to play with.  In fact, my little ones seem to prefer to play with things that are not necessarily considered to be toys.

Babies love textures.  It's part of why they put everything in their mouths, a way of learning about the world around them.  As Peter (almost 10 months) is becoming more interested in playing with objects, I thought it was high time I made him his very own texture basket.

A texture basket is a small collection of objects that are safe for baby to play with that optimize his or her exploration of real things.  Most of what is used can be found around the home for free!  Want to make one along with me?  It's easy!  Here are some ideas for objects:

Strips of cloth of varying composition - Peter has flannel, linen, quilting cotton, wool felt.  Ribbons work well too, just be sure that they are short in length to prohibit the risk of them becoming wrapped around a neck!  Choose bright colors and high contrast prints to catch baby's eye.

Wood pieces - larger sized blocks finely sanded so as not to cause splinters.  Pine cones work well, but keep a close eye, especially if your baby has teeth and make sure the pine cone is sturdy and not the type that flakes away easily.

Wool ball - I just let him have one of the dryer balls I made.

Wooden spoon - babies love to tap things with these!


Knitted toy - Here's a link to an easy knitted snail tutorial.  So sweet!  These jelly rings are in my knitting queue, a perfect baby gift!  Here are some knit and then felted mushrooms, another great texture for baby.

Put them all in a basket in an easily accessible area and watch your baby play and learn!

A Little Bit of Chocolate

Last weekend my cousin threw a baby shower and asked me to bring along a dessert to help out.  I was glad that she mentioned that something chocolate might be good, because chocolate I can do...rather well.

I've been making brownies since I was a young teen - first for my family, and then for friends and cute boys.  My sister and I probably baked at least one batch a week, not to mention for Mom's annual Christmas Eve party.  My mom kept our cupboards stocked with supplies and everyone seemed to appreciate the a fresh pan of brownies pulled from the oven.

Because of my long history of baking and adoring brownies, I have the recipe, um, memorized.  Yes.  So when I remembered very last minute that I needed to make a batch, I mixed some up in no time (at midnight, no less.).  You can, too.  Just follow along!

"Jentzen Brownies"  (only called that because we made them so very often growing up!)

4 oz unsweetened baking chocolate squares
2/3 C plus 2 TBS butter
2 C sugar
4 eggs
1 t vanilla
1 t baking powder
1 t salt
1 1/4 C flour

In a microwave safe mixing bowl, melt butter and chocolate squares (you may have to mix then wave, mix then wave). Add sugar and then beat in eggs.  Add vanilla.  Mix in baking powder, salt and flour.  Pour batter into 9x13 inch pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Allow to cool completely.

Icing:
1/4 C butter
2 C powdered sugar
2T Milk
1 t vanilla extract (or try peppermint for Christmas!)

Ice brownies.  Allow to harden slightly (put it in the fridge to speed this up)

Glaze:
2 TB Butter
1.5 squares baking chocolate

Pour glaze over iced brownies and use a spatula to carefully cover completely.  Place in fridge to cool/harden topping completely.

Cut up and serve!

Crafting With A Purpose

Last week while I was ordering a few of these wool wash bars from GEN-Y, I took a moment and checked out their dryer balls.  I've been wanting a few for my laundry area.  Dryer balls save energy but cutting down on dry times.  They also reduce static and naturally soften up clothes without the use of fabric softeners. The pricetag for one wool dryer ball was $8.  I immediately googled for a way to make them myself.

It turns out, making wool dryer balls is quite easy and economical.  As a knitter, I have a huge bin of scrap yarn that could be used, so our wool dryer balls were free!

The kids were quite excited to join me in this task.  We followed this tutorial to make our dryer balls and added a bit of essential oil to the end product.  It took a bit to get used to the "thud, thud, thud" sound in the dryer, but after a load or two I just tuned it out.  It really isn't loud at all, just surprising.  My husband came home and said "who put shoes in the dryer?"


It occured to me that this could be an easy and fun "green" homemade gift for children to make and give - perhaps along with a jar of homemade laundry detergent.  If you don't want to give them as dryer balls, consider giving a few of various sizes to small children as a natural toy.

Have you made wool dryer balls?  Any tips to share?

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How To: Toilet Train Toddlers

It appears to be that time again.  New baby on the way, freshly minted two year old in the house...yes, it is definitely that time.   As I am brushing up on my technique in preparation for Jonah's big day, I thought I would re-post an old blog on the topic.  I know everyone has differing opinions regarding the topic - training versus learning, and so on.  I find this technique to be a combination of the two: you give your child an expectation and they learn how to live up to it.  I hope my thoughts are helpful, and if you have any questions, please ask!

Over the years I have been asked many time to share the key to our success at toilet training.  I am no expert, but I have found a method that works well for us.  Every family is different and every child is different so this may not be your cup of tea, and that is fine!

The 3 kids I have trained have been of different dispositions across the board. The earliest was trained at 21 months, the latest was 2 years 3 months. This is how I managed it:

I follow most of the suggestions outlined in "Toilet Training In Less Than A Day." I've read this book several times and I think it is an excellent place to start.  I try and brush up on it before I train each child to refresh my memory.

I use the "Readiness Cues" in the book to determine whether or not a child is ready for training: Ability to obey simple directions, basic obedience and ability to keep diaper dry for longer stretches.

I select the day I am planning on training and prepare for it by buying "big boy/girl" underpants and a variety of rewards.  On the day of, I set aside time alone with the potty trainee. I keep the TV off and make the whole day about potty training.  I find it helpful to have the older kids go off with Daddy or spend the day with Grandma.  I try to train my children before a new baby is born (babies can be quite distracting!).

The basic outline of the training process in TTILTAD is this: show the child how to do it with a visual aid (doll). Practice each step. Apply praise and rewards liberally. Put your child in training pants and do NOT put them back in a diaper. If/when child has an accident, have the child clean up after themselves and then practice.

Personal responsibility is the key to why this works.  The natural consequences of peeing out of the potty work their magic. It is normal for this to be mildly upsetting the child.  I try to give a lot of compassion and verbal affirmation in their ability to "get it."  I do not vilify or discipline them for their mistakes, but allow the mistakes speak for themselves.  I grieve with them when they make a mess and encourage them to keep their fresh underpants dry.

We do not use any Pull Ups or other diapering product.  We quit diapers cold turkey and do not turn back, not for outings or church or play dates.  I am trying to send the message of absolute confidence to my child - confidence in them.  I do take along a change of clothes hidden away in my purse in case of an emergency, but we do not go back to diapers for any reason.

I remember taking my 21 month old daughter to church, dressed in her little Sunday School dress and tights, thinking "this is going to be a nightmare if it doesn't work."  We made it home in the same dress, underpants and tights, completely dry.  She surprised me!

To ensure a positive experience on our first trip "out," I try and pick a training day during a quiet week where we can be largely at home, giving the child opportunity for a lot of practice and success.

For nighttime, the same rules apply: no diapers.  No Pull Ups.  I do use a plastic sheet under the regular bedclothes and tell my child to call me if they need to use the bathroom.  I take them right before I put them to bed, and then get them up again when I go to bed a few hours later.

My kids were all pretty much accident free after the first week, besides a few and far between accident due to sickness or being in a usual place (the zoo, park, etc). The exception was my son (first child trained) took a little longer to "get" the bowel movement aspect of training. That took a few weeks, but really was no different than me changing diapers anyway. Once he got it, we never had any more problems.

"Consequence" is kind of a dirty word  these days. And potty training IS hard because it is the first time that you really allow your child to meet consequences of their actions head on without Mama as the buffer. The trick is to keep positive and heap on the encouragement and praise.  A 2 year old can do this. The confidence boost your child will experience upon getting this will serve him well as he moves toward more and more personal independence.

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