Making Meals Monday

Welcome back! Here are the meals we are preparing this week. Well, I am leaving one day our because our Christmas day meal is just the normal - ham, potatoes, pie.....

But here are a few other things on tap at our house this week:

Garlicky Shrimp Scampi

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound large shrimp peeled, deveined, and butterflied
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teasppon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 scallions, sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup plain dry bread crumbs

1 - preheat the broiler

2- heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet with an ovenproof handle over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, garlic, salt, and pepper; cook, stirring frequently, just until the shrimp begin to turn pink, about 3 minutes. Add the wine, broth, scallions, parsley, and lemon juice; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the liquid beings to thicken slightly and the shrimp are just opague in the center, about 3 minutes.

3- top the shrimp mixture with the bread crumbs. Place the skillet under the broiler and broil 5 inches from the heat until the topping is golden, about 2 minutes.

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Honey-Soy Broiled Salmon

1 scallion, minced
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 pound salmon fillet, skinned and cut into 4 portions
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

1. Whisk scallion, soy sauce, vinegar, honey and ginger in a medium bowl until the honey is dissolved. Place salmon in a sealable plastic bag, add 3 tablespoons of the sauce and refrigerate; let marinate for 15 minuttes. Reserve the remaining sauce.

2. Preheat broiler. Line a small baking pan with foil and coat with cooking spray. Transfer the salmon to the pan, skinned-side down. (discard the marinade). Broil the salmon 4 to 6 inches from the heat source until cooked through, 6 to 10 minutes. Drizzle with the reserved sauce and garnish with sesame seeds.

To toast seeds: cook in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.

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Garlic roast

1 5 pound roast
5 cloves of garlice, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme

1. Place the roast in a roasting pan with the fatty side up. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme. Spread the mixture over the fatty layer of the roast, and let the roast sit out until it is at room temperature, no longer than 1 hour.

2. preheat the oven to 500 degrees

3. bake the roast for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce the temperature to 325 degrees, and continue roasting for an additional 60 to 75 minutes. The internal temperature of the roast shoud be at 145 degrees for medium rare.

4. Allow the roast to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving so the meat can retain its juices.

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Sweet and Sour Chicken

1, 8 ounce can pineapple chunks, drained (juice reserved)
2 green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/4 cup cornstartch
1 3/4 cup water
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
2 drops orange food color
8 skinless, bonelss chicken breast halves - cut into 1 inch cubes
2 1/4 cups self-rising flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 egg
2 cups water
1 quart vegetable oil for frying

1. In a saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups water, sugar, vinegar, reserved pineapple juice, and orange food coloring. Heat to boiling. Turn off heat. Combine 1/4 cup cornstarch and 1/4 cup water; slowly stir into saucepan. Continue stirring until mixture thickens.

2. Combine flour, 2 tablespoons oil, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, salt, white pepper, and egg. Add 1 1/2 cups water gradually to make a thick batter. Stir to blend thruroughly. Add chicken pieces and stir until chicken is well coated.

3. Heat oil in skillet or wok to 360 degrees. Fry chicken pieces in hot oil until golden. Remove chicken and drain on paper towels.

4. When ready to serve, layer green peppers, pineapple chunks, and cooked chicken pieces on a platter. Pour hot sweet and sour sauce over top.

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Ham Balls
(this is my MIL recipe. These are REALLY good - when she makes them.)

2 pounds ham loaf
2/3 cup cracker crumbs
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup minced onion

Mix all ingredients together and roll into walnut sized balls. Dip each ball into sauce before placing into baking pan. Pour remaining sauce over the ham balls. May need 2 pans depending on size. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Sauce - 1 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp. dry mustard, 3 tablespoon vinegar

Mix ingredients together and heat until boiling.

We are also making gingerbread cookies this week! A favorite in our house and almost always the cookie we leave for Santa!!

Have a nice week!

Say What You Need To Say

During the holidays, we are often so busy, that we don't take time to tell those around us things that need to be said.

This year, we have many people to thank and a lot to be thankful for. Our family wants to tell everyone who has been by our side since Finley's diagnosis that we couldn't have gotten through this year without your support.

There are so many of you that donated to the Foundation Fighting Blindness on Finley's behalf. $4500 will go a long way to a cure that can't come too soon for our little girl.

Everyday, I cannot deny the sadness I have when I look at Finley now, and think what it might be like in future years. But I know, all of you are there - right behind us. All the way.

So, thank you. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for caring so much about our family and our Finley and by saying "if there is anything you need, just ask". There are no words.

These pictures, this song - It is for all of you who gave of your hearts, your wallets, your souls to help our family this year. Please make sure you turn on your volume so you can hear the music.

Thank you.

The Weather outside is.......

We are still waiting on the verdict. We were supposed to have snow at this moment, but we don't. The weather channel is calling it "Blizzard 2009". I understand there is a lot of snow falling......somewhere. Arlington was supposed to go to a birthday party this afternoon, but the family canceled it just in case.

(see Cainan's skeptical face?)

So here we are - after 5pm, and still no snow. The weather folks said "oh!!! It is going to start at 11am!!!! Get your supplies!!!!". Uh, okay. Toilet paper? check. Bread? Check. Milk? Check. Sanity? Uh, I'll get back to you on that one.

We have been watching out of our windows all day long - waiting for that first flake of our third snowfall of the season. Me? I wish it would just pass us by completely. Mat? He hopes we get 2 feet. Right now the prediction is down from 24 inches to about 15, so that is an improvement.

I can tell you this - it is bitter cold. The wind is blowing. Mat went out for our dinner (he is such a good guy) because I didn't want to put one toe outside today.

Arlington did have a playdate today, and she and the VTs had a great time with "J". "J"'s mom came over this morning for us to go over some Daisy Scout stuff. I reluctantly agreed to be the "cookie manager" this year when my friend Karen (whom I love dearly - which is why I was suckered) asked me to do that job. I went to a meeting this past Sunday on how to sell Girl Scout cookies, and I panicked a bit. It is a bit more work than I realized, so Karen offered to help me. Anyway - she came over this morning so we could go over it and we chatted for a few hours. After that, her daughter came over the play with Arlington and we kept her (the daughter) for a few hours to play.
Then "J"'s dad came to get Arlington and "J" and took them to a little Christmas party where they got to see Santa, and eat goodies, and brought home some reindeer food. So, Arlington is wiped out.

Today I have done a little vegging on the couch. I never get to do that, but Arlington and the VTs were entertained by "J", Christmas presents are wrapped and under the tree:
Our house keeper was here yesterday, so the house is clean and laundry is done (yes, I am THAT spoiled).

So, I got a chance to relax. Well, in between breaking up some arguements, feeding 4 kids lunch, getting two VTs to bed, and getting Arlington dressed in her outdoor wear to go with "J". You know - a good day.

Speaking of our tree......did you notice it now has presents under it?? All that is left is for Santa to visit!! I had the kids help me put the presents under the tree today. This always satisfies their curiosity about what is in them. At least for a few days. They have a chance to squish, shake, squeeze all of their presents and take turn guessing on what is inside. It was a lot of fun. Arlington has already picked out her favorite. :) There is ONE present of hers that isn't under the tree because it won't stop meowing for me to bring it down. Apparently I wrapped her Fur Real Kitty in the "on" position becuase every time I touch it, it starts to purr and meow. So, it will have to stay hidden.


Tomorrow at church is supposed to be the Christmas Cantata. I think it will take a miracle for us to get out tomorrow, but just in case, Arlington is practicing her little singing part. She and the rest of the children and the regular choir are singing and they gave us a CD and music to practice. Should be interesting.

By the way - this is what Finley looks like when her mother won't let her eat her weight in marshmallows.Don't you feel bad for her? Yeah, me too.

So that is all! We are going to spend the week watching Christmas movies, baking cookies, and getting ready for Christmas day!

See you Tuesday!

Update: Church has been canceled for tomorrow. So no Cantata! We will be singing on the 27th.

The earrings with 9 lives

When Arlington was born, Mat bought me a pair of diamond earrings. I love those earrings. They had special meaning - our first child together. A momentous occasion.

For the last 6 1/2 years, those earrings have moved 3 times. Across the country and up the coast. During their life, I have misplaced them on several occasions. The case they originally came in got lost in the shuffle, and they had to find a new home. I have left them just about everywhere.

Over Thanksgiving, I had taken them on our trip to Pennsylvania. Arlington had "borrowed" their little case because she thought it was neat. I didn't mind until one night I could not find the case and she couldn't remember where she put it. It was our last night there, so I put them in a plastic bag with our toothbrushes telling myself I would remember they were in there.

I did not.

Stupid thyroid related memory loss.

I did not remember until we were unloading in Connecticut that the earrings were in that plastic bag. I went to get them, and they were not there. I searched everywhere. GONE.

I called my mother in law in despiration, hoping against hope that she had seen them. In the carpet? On the bedside table? On the floor in the bathroom? "Oh", she said "we have already cleaned and vacuumed, but I will look".

She called back 5 minutes later. She had found the earrings. A miracle!

Last week, my in-laws came for a visit and brought my precious earrings to me in a little plastic bag. "Here they are!" my mother-in law told me. She put them on our kitchen counter on Saturday night.

Here is where I made my mistake. Instead of jumping up, hugging my earrings (and my mother-in-law for finding them), I graciously thanked her for bringing them and left them on the counter.

That is the last time I thought about them for a whole week.

Stupid thyroid related memory loss.

On the next to last day they were there, I remembered. We searched everywhere. They were no longer on the counter, of course. After a week long of cleaning that counter, of course they weren't there. We thought and thought. Then there was no other choice.

We had to go through the garbage. Yuk, yuk, yuk.

I went through every bag. Nothing. Disappointed (especially since it was gross and I didn't find them), I declared them gone.

Tonight, Mat said, "we need to go through the garbage one more time before it goes tomorrow". I didn't want to. I already did this and had no desire to do it again. EVER.

But, together, we went through 7 bags of garbage. The last bag, the last handful, Mat said "did you see something shiny just now?" "No way" I said, "I didn't see a thing".

"Look again - really, I saw something". So I did. In a small little open plastic bag.
THOSE DARN EARRINGS.
We were both jumping for joy! $----- earrings. (way too much to throw away). I couldn't believe it. The earrings were back. Again.

I felt very lucky to find them. I think my luck is starting to run out. I need to find a better home for those earrings.

The end.

Not much is happening in our house so far this week. Sunday we went to church and then to see Santa and then to the movies. Our visit with Santa was successful. All kids told Santa what they wanted (even Cainan!) and took a fairly decent picture.
This was a very nice Santa. The kids were thrilled and we checked that off our list.

We also got our family ornament. We let Arlington decide. She chose gingerbread men.

We don't have one like this, so it was a nice addition to our collection.

I took a picture of the kids in front of our tree in their new outfits from their Gramma and Pappy. They wore them to church on Sunday.

The movie we saw was the Princess and the Frog. It was okay. I thought it moved a little slow and the animation was the old style, which I didn't like. But Arlington liked the movie. The VTs sort of liked it - they got a little bored, but stayed quiet.

So, that is it. Nothing else to report at this time. I will see you Saturday! Enjoy your last week before the madness begins!

Making Meals Monday

I have decided to add a day to my blog week. You are really excited, I can already tell. This will be a pictureless post. If you wonder about my regular post - they will continue to be Saturday and Tuesday - so look below if you want to see those!

Since the school year began, I have been making meals on a weekly basis. I will pause now for my family and friends - who know me well - to pick themselves up off the floor.

Are you up? Good. Anyway, I am trying new things each week. Actually buying ingredients, mixing them together, using the oven (gasp!) and making a mess (bigger gasp!).

So, I decided, it might be fun to share some of my weekly recipes with you. I pick 3-4 things a week to make (I like the website All Recipes). Usually one fish, one chicken, and one other meat. then the other days of the week we eat Pasta and "kid's choice" (mac N cheese, hot dogs, nuggets)

So, here are my three meals for this week with their recipes in case you are inspired.

Enchiladas Suisas

(for 6 servings)

Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2/3 cup chopped Spanish onion (no idea what this is, so I used a regular onion)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup chopped green chile peppers
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 dash ground cumin
- 12 (8 inch) corn tortillas
- canola oil for frying
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (I don't like this so I used sharp cheddar)
- 1 cup shredded mild Cheddar Cheese
- 2 cups shredded, cooked chicken breast meat
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup chopped green onion
- 1/2 cup sliced green olives (I don't like these, so I left them out)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes

Directions

1. Prepare salsa verde: Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. saute the onion until soft. Stir in the flour. Add the broth, then add the chiles, garlic, salt, and cumin. Simmer about 15 minutes to blend flavors, then set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. In a heavy skillet, lightly fry tortillas in shallow oil, being careful not to make them too crisp to roll. Combine the cheese and keep 1/2 cup aside for topping. Dip each tortilla in salsa verde (both sides) Place 2 heaping tablespoons chicken and about 2 tablespoons cheese down the center of each; roll and place seam side down in a shallow dish.

3. After all the rolled tortillas are in the dish, spoon additional salsa verde over them and then cover evenly with heavy cream. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese mixture, and with the green onions.

4. Bake uncovered in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Serve immediately, garnished with the olives, cherry tomatoes, and with additional salsa on the side.


Foolproof Rib Roast

(now rib roast can be expensive, so you can really use any kind of roast you like) Now, this recipe is good for a weekend or a day you have a lot of time because it takes several hours before it is ready.

Ingredients
- 1 (5 pound) standing beef rib roast (or something similar)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:
1. Allow roast to stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour.

2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine the salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a small cup. Place the roast on a rack in a roasting pan so that the fatty side is up and the rib side is on the bottom. Rub the seasoning onto the roast.

3. Roast for 1 hour in the preheated oven. Turn the oven off and leave the roast inside. Do not open the door. Leave it in there for 3 hours. 30 to 40 minutes before serving, turn the oven back on at 375 degrees to reheat the roast. The internal temperature should be at least 145 degrees. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before carving into servings.

Maple Salmon

Ingredients

- 1/4 cup maple syrip
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pound salmon

Directions
1. In a small bowl, mix the maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic, garlic salt, and pepper.

2. Place salmon in a shallow glass baking dish, and coat with the maple syrup mixture. Cover the dish, and marinate salmon in the refrigerator 30 minutes, turning once.

3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

4. Place the baking dish in the preheated oven, and bake salmon uncovered 20 minutes or until easily flaked with a fork.


Enjoy!!!!

The Urgency of the Season

This year, I have to say, that Christmas and all that comes with it is more important than past years. I love the season. I love decorating, and the endless Christmas songs, and the food, the tree, the lights. I could go on forever. I even love the shopping and picking out the presents for our friends and family. Each year I try to make it more special than the last. I get excited about making quilts for people who are unsuspecting. I love the charity. We sponsored a family in need as a first grade class this year, and I was glad to head that project. I love teaching my children that a big part of the holiday season is giving to those who are less fortunate than we are.

What is different this year, is the hurried feeling I feel when it comes to Finley. Even though she is physically healthy, I feel like I must hurry and show her all there is to enjoy about the holidays. I worry that next year, she may not be able to see the tree, the lights, the snow. I have signed our family up for every Christmas activity and parade that I can find so that I can ingrain in her mind the sights. I don’t want her to forget one thing.

I know that she will probably have her sight next year for Christmas. She may never lose it completely, and that would be the best gift ever. But since we don’t know what the future holds for her, I have the feeling of urgency that I cannot avoid. I am dragging my family out in freezing cold weather to make sure we don’t miss one thing. They will live. But I feel like we must do this.

This week I wanted to go to three Christmas events – a trolley ride through lights, a light festival at a local town, and our Polar Express. The only one we were able to do was Polar Express. Mother nature decided to grace us with a bad winter storm and then temperatures in the teens, so I did not feel comfortable taking the kids out in that cold of weather. I do have SOME limits. :)

On Wednesday, we didn’t have school or work (myself or the kids) so we spent the day doing art projects and enjoying each other’s company.

Finley built two little snowmen out of Floam, and made them each a cake to eat.

Her favorite thing to make out of playdough and playdough type products, is cake . She is took funny.

Arlington and her Gramma Sally made a little Christmas house. It took a long time, but they were proud of their finished product.

Thursday we didn’t go anywhere. Finley seemed to be a bit warm by bedtime Thursday night, and she woke up Friday with a low grade fever. She is coming down with a cold, which I find funny because she really hasn’t been away from our house all week.

Friday, Arlington had a playdate after school with two of her friends "O" and "M". They had a great time playing, and it took everything Finley had for her to not go to the playroom and be with her sister.

Friday night we had take out of Olive G@rden because of Finley being under the weather, and we let Arlington stay up a little late and watch "Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus". We also let the kids open the last of their presents from Gramma and Pappy.

And Arlington finally got to put the Angel on top of the tree.

Today was our Polar Express train ride. The kids had a great time.

Our train left at 4:15pm.

We had just re-watched the movie the other day, so it was fresh in the kids mind.

While the train rode along, they had a taped reading of the book and songs from the movie. The kids had a good time with that.

Cainan loved the train ride and enjoyed looking out of the window while we rode along.

They had a menu of sorts, but we opted for snacks (which were NOT free of charge mind you) because it was a bit early for dinner.

But they did have the chef's come out during the "Hot Chocolate" song and sing, and then all of us got hot chocolate and cookies.

Mrs. Clause came by during the ride letting all the kids know we were on our way to pick up Santa Clause and he would be getting on the train to talk to all of the kids. At one point, she sat down at our table next to my father in law, Ben.

She talked to Finley for awhile and Finley did enjoy seeing her.

Once we reached the "North Pole" (or really lame lights and a sign that read "The North Pole") Santa got on to see the kids. We sang Christmas carols while we waited for him to get to our traincar (lead by the conductor that did - just like the movie - cut out letters in our tickets).

Once Santa got to us, he stopped and talked to each child. Cainan wasn't too sure, but did not get upset. He didn't really talk to Santa, except to tell him his name.

Arlington whispered in his ear what she wanted.

Finley told Santa what she wanted as well - "a baby doll and an elephant". Okay - for those of us who know her, we know she wants a STUFFED elephant. But this Santa's eyes got a little big at a request for a 2 ton pacaderm. Honestly, in Finley's case, I wouldn't put it past her to ask for a real elephant.

The train ride lasted in total about 1 1/2 hours. The kids had a wonderful time. I would say we would probably not do it again, but it was a good experience I am glad we did. I think my in-laws also had a wonderful time as well.

We got home and the kids almost had to go straight to bed. It had been a long day and they could barely stay awake on the way home.

Santa gave them each a present of a bell. Just like in the movie/book. The little boy who is the main character gets the first present of Christmas, and he wants a bell from Santa's reindeer. Because in the beginning of the story he doesn't believe in Santa, he can't hear the bell ring. Then in the end - he states his belief in Santa, and the bell can be heard.

The kids loved getting this bell. It was fun to watch them because of how much they believe in the magic of Santa. Arlington wonders why the bell sounds would ever fade (as the book states) because why wouldn't you ever believe? Good point.

Tonight I hope Finley ingrained the picture of Santa in her mind. I hope she will never forget how he looks and how she feels when she sees him. So that if next year, if she can't, she can remember the man behind the magic.

See you Tuesday.

A day in the Boring Life

So, this post is going to be short! Aren't you glad??? I know you are.

Not much to share at this time. We have just been busy with work and school and nothing exciting to post about or to take pictures off.

But the week is not over, and by the weekend I will have more to share. I promise.

I did want to post a picture of the bookcase Mat built in the girl's room. It is super awesome. It is not stained yet, but we probably won't do that until Christmas break, so he told me to load it up with books. I was grateful for that because my type A personality could not take the mess that was the books all over the floor for the last week.
Doesn't it look nice? He did a fantastic job. I love that it goes all the way to the ceiling because we need that much space for the books we already have. At least we have a little room for some new books. Next on the horizon - shelves and more shelves in the playroom.

Finley is in potty training bootcamp this weekend with my mother in law, and I am grateful. The girl doesn't listen to me at all, but she will listen to her gramma. I am hopeful that we will finish this once and for all. If not - she is off to a new family. Just kidding.
Cainan did not take a nap today for the first time in a long time, and he was completely wacky by dinner time. He couldn't even focus on what he was eating. I checked on him about 5 minutes after he has gone to be and he is already asleep. Poor fella.


There are no pictures of Arlington in this post because she was being a little ornery at bedtime, so she didn't get her picture taken. Next time.

So that is all. This week I have at least one more Christmas type thing I want to do and Saturday is our train ride on the Polar Express. We are looking forward to that. Mat comes home tonight from his quick trip, and I will be glad to see him. I haven't slept well the last two nights without him.

I will see you Saturday!