Before and After

As any mother knows, a clean house is a valuable commodity.  It seems like I spend 30 minutes each night picking up toys and getting the house put back together before we start the next day.  It is definitely my Type A personality (and something I've learned from my mother), but I have to have things back in place before I can go to bed.  I also find myself picking up again during his afternoon nap (when we're home), and one more quick round-up while Ben's in his highchair for supper.  This is the "BEFORE" part of this post...what I like the house to look like when I'm finished picking up...

Another thing that any mommy knows, is the amount of time it takes their toddler to destroy their nice, clean house.  For my toddler, that amount of time is approximately 10-15 minutes.  It starts with the first toy that looks interesting, and then that leads to some books (or "ooks" as Ben says)...one book is NEVER enough (which is a good thing)!  After all of the books are out, then we move on to the tractors and trucks and usually end up with a good game of basketball before it's all said and done.  This would be the "AFTER" part...take a look at those nice, clean rooms now...

And the culprit of this fine mess...

Now, don't get me wrong, I love the fact that he makes my living room and playroom a disaster before the night is over.  Why?  Because if there are books out on the floor, then I know that Ben was being read to.  If there are basketballs and soccer balls all over the room, then I know he was using his motor skills.  If there are tractors and "bine-bines" scattered about, then I know he was pretending to farm like daddy.  And, most of all, if my house is a mess, then I know there was a lively, healthy, happy little boy using his imagination and enjoying his toddler years...that, and of course, being loved bunches and bunches by his mommy and daddy!

Kitchen Connection

This week's recipe is Mushroom and Onion Hamburger Steaks.  I made this last week for Andy and I, and even Ben thought it was yummy!  It's another quick and easy recipe (my favorite kind)...I think I had it on the table in less than 20 minutes.  Enjoy!

Mushroom and Onion Hamburger Steaks

2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 egg
1/4 c. dry bread crumbs
1 pkg. onion soup mix (divided)
dash pepper
1 3/4 c. cold water
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
3 T. flour
fresh button mushrooms (or canned if you would like)

Place egg, bread crumbs, beef, 2 T. onion soup mix, and pepper into a bowl.  Combine and divide into four individual patties.  Cook patties in skillet on medium heat for approximately 5-10 minutes (until juices run clear).  In the mean time, combine water, Worcestershire, flour, and remaining soup mix.  Mix well.  Remove patties from skillet and keep warm.  Add water mixture to skillet and bring to a boil.  Add mushrooms and continue to cook for 5-7 minutes (until mixture is thick and mushrooms are tender).  Plate hamburger steaks and cover with mushroom sauce...enjoy!

Like I said, super easy, super quick, and SUPER yummy...I served ours with some lemon glazed carrots (very pretty plate)!

It's Over...

Christmas, that is!  We celebrated the last Christmas party of the season on January 8th.  We were able to spend a wonderful day with Andy's Mother's family.  It was a very non-traditional Christmas, right down to the Pizza Hut pizza for dinner, but it was full of the Christmas spirit!  The tree was beautiful, the presents were plenty, and the conversations with family were priceless.  Ben, of course, enjoyed another round of presents (probably as much as his mommy and daddy).  This round of gifts blessed him with a truck that makes noise, a xylaphone, and many more loud toys...not sure this noisy trend is something this mommy can handle much more of.  Every room of our house is now complete with it's very own set of noise makers...and Ben is becoming VERY skilled at finding the ones I hide!  I think I'm paying my penance for all of the toys I've bought my nieces and nephews over the years...all I can say is that I am very, very sorry!!!

Ben thought he would help with the sweeping before the party :)

Ben playing with Popsie's feet...they're good buddies!

Ben trying to explain his car to Grandma Queenie

Popsie and the American flag that Matthew (his grandson) had flown for him...very special moment for him.

Ben playing with one of his "noisy" toys...this one helps him learn to count :)

Kitchen Connection

I'm having some technical difficulties with my photos, so this week's recipe is not going to have a pretty picture to go with it, but I can promise you that it is delicious!  This recipe comes from my Grandma Fincher.  She was a great cook, but she was an EXCELLENT candy maker.  She was a very modest cook...I don't ever remember a time that she made a pie that she didn't complain that her crust wasn't just right, but it's very funny to me that we always ate it (and it ALWAYS tasted just right to me)!  I have many, many memories of my grandma and most of them have to do with food...a get together with family, a soup dinner after a basketball game, a fish fry on a summer evening, a birthday party, a quick snack after school, or a covered dish at the last minute for a school function.  Of all my memories, it is the one's of making Christmas cookies and candy that hold a special place in my heart.  It seemed like Grandma would start making candy the day after Thanksgiving, and by the middle of December every tin and tupperware she had were full!  While she made a little lot of everything, her fudge was especially good.  Here is one of my favorites that I hope you'll enjoy!

Double Decker Fudge

4 1/2 c. white sugar
1 (7 oz) jar marshmallow cream
1 1/2 c. evaporated milk
1/2 c. butter
dash of salt
1 (6 oz) package chocolate chips
1 (6 oz) package butterscotch chips

Combine sugar, marshmallow, milk, butter and salt in 3 quart pan.  Boil five minutes.  Divide mixture in half.  To one half, add chocolate chips.  Stir until melted and then pour into 9x13 pan.  To the other half, add butterscotch chips; stir until melted.  Pour over chocolate mixture.  Cool on your counter...do NOT refrigerate, as this will make the fudge extremely hard to cut.  After the fudge has been cut, you can store in refrigerator.

Kitchen Connection

This week's dish is Southwest Strata...absolutely delicious!  The good news is that this dish is full of flavor and protein but low on carbs and fat!  If you like a little spice, then you should definitely give this a try.

Southwest Strata
12-16 oz. lean ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained
4 eggs
1/4 c. milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 c. shredded fiesta cheese (I substituted 1/2 c. fat free cheddar and 1/2 c. fat free mozzarella)

In an oven safe skillet, brown ground beef.  Add onion and peppers and saute an additional 5 minutes; drain.  Stir in tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes.  While beef mixture is simmering, whisk together eggs, milk, salt and pepper.  Mix in cheese and pour over beef mixture.  Cook on medium heat until eggs are set around the edges.  Heat oven to broil.  Place in middle rack for approximately 3-5 minutes until the middle is set.  Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Is this my life?

After a wonderful Christmas break and a few days of peaceful vacation with my husband, it was back to reality.  This week, I found myself back in the daily grind...wake-up, get ready, take Ben to the babysitter's, go to work, pick Ben up, come home, play with Ben, cook dinner, start laundry, clean up kitchen, read books to Ben, get Ben to bed, lights out, and tomorrow...we do it all over again!  You get the idea.  Some may refer to this as:

• a typical day
• a routine
• someone that is on-task
• exciting (I'm sure there is someone out there that would find this exciting...please???  anyone???)
• someone who is extremely boring (yep, that's us) 

As for me, I refer to this as...life!  Yes, I know, a real epiphany huh!  Really though, this is my life and every once in a while I have to make myself stop and appreciate it.  Sometimes, when I'm mad at myself because I forgot about the dryer and now my dress pants are an inch to short, or when I get ready to walk out the door in the morning and remember that I forgot to pack Ben's bag the night before (and yes, I'm already 5 minutes late), or when Andy emails me with just a "few" errands for me to run after work, or when I'm so tired from a sleepless night with a toddler; all I can do is stop, relax, and try VERY hard to appreciate these moments. 

You know what I'm talking about, we all have these moments.  My life can be chaotic, but there are those that have more kids, more jobs, and less time than me.  I can complain as much as the next person, but the next person probably has something to actually complain about (I'm just feeling sorry for myself).  I can get fed up with my husband and my son, but there are those that probably wish they had a family to be fed up with.  Life is what you make of it, and it's something that needs to be celebrated, enjoyed and appreciated.

So, early this week when I was doing laundry (the third load that evening) and I begrudgingly went to get the laundry basket...this is what I found. 

It's amazing how this little moment in my life changed the mundane task of laundry that evening.  Did I want to fold the laundry, ARE YOU KIDDING ME???  Of course I didn't, but it was certainly a lot easier now that my heart was happy, I had a smile on my face, and I had a little "helper" beside me.

Yes, this IS my life...and I'm going to enjoy every minute of it!

Kitchen Connection

I'm going to try something new here on the blog...posting a recipe each week (hopefully on Wednesdays) as a middle of the week "pick-me-up". I don't know about all of you, but it seems like my dinner menus tend to lose some steam by the middle of the week. I always have good intentions to create beautiful, delicious culinary creations each night but usually end up with something along the lines of baked chicken and veggies (I know...a real show stopper, huh)!

Anyway, in an effort to rejuvenate myself each week, I'll hopefully be posting a dish (or two) that are favorites around our household.

This week - Quick and Easy Mustard Crusted Pork Roast

2 lb. pork roast
2 T. spicy mustard
1 c. garlic croutons, crushed

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Season roast with salt and pepper. Roast in shallow pan for 30 minutes. Cover with mustard and sprinkle with crouton crumbs. Roast for another 10-15 minutes more, or until the meat thermometer reads 155 degrees in the center of the roast. Allow meat to rest for 20 minutes before slicing.

Enjoy!