FAT TUESDAY DINNER

Our Fat Tuesday dinner menu...for info on how to create these fun, chalkboard place mats check out www.dollar3eighty.com

Teaching Responsibility...????

Lately I've struggled with helping our children learn responsibility. Specifically, when they forget something they need at school and call me asking me to bring it to them. A dear friend of mine from Provo used to let her kids (high school age) walk to school if they missed the bus, or she would charge them $5 for a ride. I've thought of her often lately, admiring her strength as she must have given her kids a hug and sent them out the door to walk (quite a distance) to school..Rain or shine.
I considered how to teach Cairo responsibility and organization when she forgot the valentines for her classmates on February 14th and then on Friday, February 18th forgot some homework and both times called from school to request my delivery of such items.
I'm a stay at home mom. I struggle with what part of "Mom" means I deliver forgotten items to school. If I were a Mother who worked outside the home, it's likely I wouldn't be able to break away to drive home, collect the items and deliver them. As all stay at home moms know, I WORK...AT HOME...all day long.
In the case of Cairo's valentines I said, "I'll see if I have any errands down that way today and if I happen to be in that part of town I'll bring them." Seriously, we live in a town where everything is about a 5 minute drive from home. So, that sounded mean as I said it. I COULD make time to take the valentines to school but I wanted to teach her a lesson..Tough lesson, ON VALENTINE'S DAY.
I ended up taking the valentines and letting her know I happened to be in the area and it was lucky I could bring them..
When, later that week, she called again, I thought I truly must have failed on Monday because she made the same mistake right in the same week.
I gave her the same line about not knowing if I could bring them because I have a busy day and that wasn't in my schedule...
When I took the homework I also spoke to her about how, if a friend or neighbor called and was in a bind I would likely find a way to help them. But, I'm not her friend OR her neighbor. If, said neighbor did request a favor and I was able to help, certainly that person would feel gratitude and likely send a thank you in some way.
Today, Sam came into my room about 40 minutes prior to leaving for school and let me know he needed a shoe box for school today...
I don't keep such things around but Charlie recently got a new pair of shoes and was keeping some things in the box. I asked Sam to ask Charlie if he could have the box. Of course Charlie said yes because Charlie would give anyone anything, always.
About 10 minutes after Sam left for school he called and let me know he left the shoe box home..hmmmm. What to do??? I do go right past his school on my way to the gym but how will I teach him to be more conscious of his responsibilities?
I gave him the same story I gave Cairo about not knowing if my schedule would allow it and if I had errands that took me that way, I would try to find time to drop it off.
Sam is 12. I decided when I delivered the box that perhaps his lesson would have more impact if there was a slight embarrassment associated with it..Not a lot, but a little.
When I arrived at his class he came to the door to retrieve the box. As he walked away I said, "Wait, I need a really special thank you for going out of my way to help you today. How about a big kiss and a thanks in front of your class?" (I would not have done this if the teacher was in the middle of a lecture, but the class was working independently and had already been totally interrupted.) So, Sam gave me a kiss on the cheek and a big thank you to the cheers of his classmates.
We will see how that lesson works.
Any suggestions for future issues?

"Homemade" Salsa

I put quotation marks around the homemade part because the tomatoes used are from a can...But, I do make it at home and at least 2 times a week. It appeals to all, even my sweet sister-in-law (who is living with us) that never has liked salsa before..
Ingredients:
1 Can Mexican Style Stewed Tomatoes
1 Anaheim pepper
1 Serrano pepper
1 Bunch fresh cilantro
1 tsp. Cumin
1 Tbl. Brown Sugar
1 Tbl. Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 clove fresh garlic
1 green onion
Recipe:
In a food processor, mix the following:
1 can Mexican style tomatoes
1" Anaheim pepper (the seeds add heat so I leave them out)
1/2" Serrano pepper (same info on seeds)
2 Tbl fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 Clove fresh garlic..(If you don't have this on hand just add a sprinkle of dried or leave it out...)
1" lower part of green onion
1 Tbl. Brown Sugar..(White will work too...I just always use brown when cooking with tomatoes)
1 Tbl. Apple Cider Vinegar
Pulse until desired consistency is achieved. I prefer it less chunky.
The results are delish!

Smoky Chicken Chili Rellenos

These are simply divine! I've made them twice in the past week. The family has decided they prefer non-fat plain Greek yogurt to sour cream as a topping. Of course meals like this are always served with homemade salsa which is a breeze! Recipe tomorrow!

Smoky Chicken Chili Rellenos

Ingredients:
4-5 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 limes
Bunch of fresh cilantro
1 35 oz. bottle La Sobrozita tomatillo sauce (found in Mexican food section of grocery store)
1 sm can diced mild green chilis
Olive Oil
Cinnamon
Cumin
Liquid Smoke
1 round Queso Fresco Cheese
1 round Smoked Gouda Cheese
3 eggs
1 C. Cream or Milk

4-5 Chicken Breasts trimmed and tenderized with meat mallet

Using ¾ of the following sauce, marinade the chicken breasts in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Sauce/Marinade:
Juice of 2 limes
2 Tbl fresh cilantro coarsely snipped into pieces
3 C Tomatillo Sauce
½ small can green chilis
2 Tbl. Olive oil
¼ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. cumin
1 tsp. liquid smoke

Reserve ¼ of the sauce to mix with the following cheeses, grated.
1 round of Queso Fresco
1 round of Smoked Gouda
(Reserve about ½ C grated cheese to sprinkle on top of rellenos before baking.)

After 30 minutes in refrigerator bake chicken and marinade sauce in preheated oven at 350° for 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

While chicken is baking, open pablano peppers and remove seeds. Over gas range or on grill, roast the peppers until tender.

Put cooked chicken in zip lock bag and use a tenderizer or a rolling pin to break the chicken into small pieces. Add to remaining sauce and cheeses and mix into a thick stuffing.

Fill the grilled peppers with chicken stuffing and lay in casserole pan.
Lightly beat 3 eggs with 1 C cream and 1 C tomatillo sauce. Pour over the stuffed peppers.
Sprinkle cheese on top of each pepper and bake at 350° until cheese is golden and bubbling.

Top with salsa and non-fat Greek yogurt or sour cream.

The dish tastes great with sweet corn bread.

A Few of My Favorite Things

A few people have recently asked me what make-up I use. So, I decided to do a few little segments of the blog and dedicate them to my drugstore make-up regimen.
We are all getting older...especially me! I've always had a love for beauty secrets, make-up and my own glam that is still simple enough for a busy mother. Also, I pride myself on shopping for "drugstore" items to make my regular treatments...Nothing special or expensive. (I save that money for Botox and other future upkeep)
The above pictured items are 2 of my favorite things that I swear by for the base of my daily make-up regimen.
The Neutrogena moisturizer can be found in any drugstore. I combine it with the Bioderma, tinted moisturizer which, unfortunately, I get from Abu Dhabi. I haven't tried to buy it here but I'm sure it can be found on the internet if not in stores. It can be substituted with any tinted moisturizer but I recommend using a darker shade than you would normally use because the Neutrogena will lighten the color of it.
Using just a drop of each covers my entire face (including eye-lids) for an even, all-over tone. The two of them together offer great sunscreen, alpha-hydroxy as well as coverage of any blotches or blemishes...OH NO...None of us like to admit to having those but the occasional spot does appear. There is something fundamentally wrong with a pimple in a wrinkle!
None-the-less, this is how I start my morning, or mid-day, or even 3pm make-up (whenever I get to it)..More later on the next step..It's all affordable and seems to work for me.

Max the Dog

My dear friend Megan came to visit last Sunday and brought 2 of her three daughters, leaving out her hubby Andrew, son Luke and other daughter Morgan (we missed them but we will take what we can get!). It was so great to visit with her and catch up. We have one of those friendships that picks up like no time has passed and we laugh and carry on like it was just yesterday.
While she was here, the subject of Max the Dog came up. She couldn't believe we have a dog. Neither can we when we really think about it.
I decided since I failed to take any photos of the darling Clark family while they were here that I would insert a pic of Max. He also is rarely recognized on the blog and he is, after all, part of the family!

Jello Playdough

Hey, I found something really great to do with Jello besides adding carrots and whipped cream and calling it a side dish. It's a MUCH better use.
Yummy smelling, soft and workable PLAYDOUGH!




1 cup white flour
1/2 cup salt
2 T. cream of tartar
...2 T. Vegetable oil
1 c. warm water
1 three oz. pkg. jello (any flavor)

Combine ingredients and cook over medium heat until it thickens and pulls away from the sides of pot and becomes dull. * Note: it burns easily so don't put over too high a heat and keep stirring. Mold and knead until cool enough to touch. Store in a closed plastic bag.
The Jello gives it the color and yummy fruit scent. Try it today...

Jack the Weatherman

Jack had an assignment to do a project about weather..It was wide open. We decided to research the use of green screen in weather broadcasts and did our best to produce one. He is a weatherman I'd watch everyday, all day long..what a cute kid!

My Latest KSL Studio Segment and Recipes

To view the segment cut and paste the link below to your address line.
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=204&sid=14376951

The following recipes have been approved by my most critical eaters, Team Cook.
All the recipes are winners at our dinner table.
One thing I love about quinoa is it’s versatility. It’s a grain that is packed with nutrients (think protein and fiber).
Almost anything in your refrigerator can be added to this delicious grain to create a meal. Left over asparagus, beans, corn, chicken, turkey, tomatoes, cheese and fruit, just to name a few.
Also, it’s interesting and tasty enough to serve at a luncheon. All your guests will know you are the gourmet cook that your are (or not)…. It’s simple to prepare, toss in some other tasty and nutritious foods and you have a one-dish meal ready in no time.

3 Great Recipes Using Super-Foods



Greek Quinoa Salad


Ingredients

• 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup water
• 2 grape tomatoes, cubed
• 1/2 cup shredded fresh spinach
• 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion (1 small)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Spinach leaves, chopped (reserve some leaves to place on the plate under the salad)
• 2 ripe avocados, halved, seeded, peeled, and sliced**
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
• roasted chicken breast, cubed
• Optional Extras to add “Superfood” value: Black beans (rinsed thoroughly) Edemame beans
Directions
1. In a 1-1/2-quart saucepan combine quinoa and water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
2. Transfer quinoa to a medium bowl. Add tomato, spinach, and onion; stir to combine. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, oil, and salt. Add to quinoa mixture; toss to coat.
3. Place spinach leaves on 4 salad plates. Arrange avocado slices on spinach leaves. Spoon quinoa mixture over avocado slices. Sprinkle with some of the feta. Makes 4 main-dish servings.
4. *Note: Rinse quinoa thoroughly before cooking to remove a bitter substance called saponin that coats the seeds.


Moroccan Quinoa Salad


Ingredients
• 1 cup quinoa (see Ingredient note)
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, coarsely chopped
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup Moroccan-Spiced Lemon Dressing (recipe follows), divided
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 8 cups baby spinach
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted (see Tip)
• Roasted Chicken Breast served on the side or incorporated into the salad in bite-size pieces
Directions
1. Toast quinoa in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until it becomes aromatic and begins to crackle, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a fine sieve and rinse thoroughly.
2. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 1 minute. Add apricots and the quinoa; continue cooking, stirring often, until the quinoa has dried out and turned light golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Add water and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the quinoa is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 15 to 18 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make Moroccan-Spiced Lemon Dressing. Transfer the quinoa to a medium bowl and toss with 1/3 cup of the dressing. Let cool for 10 minutes.
4. Just before serving, add tomatoes and onion to the quinoa; toss to coat. Toss spinach with the remaining 1/3 cup dressing in a large bowl. Divide the spinach among 4 plates. Mound the quinoa salad on the spinach and sprinkle with almonds.
5. Related Recipes: Moroccan-Spiced Lemon Dressing
6. Ingredient note: Quinoa is available in most natural-foods stores and the natural-foods sections of many supermarkets. Toasting this grain before simmering enhances its flavor. To toast nuts: Heat a small dry skillet over medium-low heat. Add nuts and cook, stirring, until lightly browned and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool.


Moroccan-Spiced Lemon Dressing
Ingredients
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Preparation
1. Whisk lemon juice, yogurt, honey, cumin, cinnamon and ginger in a small bowl until blended. Slowly whisk in oil so that the dressing becomes smooth and emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.

Steel-Cut Oats


This twist on traditional rolled-oats was introduced to me by my sister-in-law. Usually oatmeal is something I save for breakfast on vacation. After getting acquainted with the steel-cut version I could eat it everyday. Steel-cut oats are oatmeal before it would be rolled and cut into what most of us know as oatmeal. The process of rolling oats includes water and rolling the oats to flatten them. Every step in processing any food usually cuts some nutritional value from the item. Steel cut oats retain more of the original nutrients of the grain because soaking in water and rolling are not part of the process.
In addition to retaining more nutrients than rolled oats, steel-cut oats have a delicious nutty flavor and texture. Add the same toppings, fruits, nuts and milk you would to traditional oatmeal and you have a very healthy, delicious breakfast.
Usually I cook a large pot full and keep the cooked oats in the refrigerator to eat throughout the week.
Just a minute in the microwave and breakfast is quick and easy.



Steel-Cut Oatmeal

• Rinse Oats thoroughly through fine strainer or cheese cloth
• Add 1 part oats to 2 parts water with a pinch of salt
• Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer for 15-20 minutes or until water is absorbed

To serve, enhance with super-foods: skim milk, blueberries and almonds
Cooked oats can be kept in refrigerator for 5-7 days.

Chinese New Year Dinner

We decided to have a dinner to celebrate Chinese New Year tomorrow. We are going to have stir fry and homemade frozen yogurt with mochi (probably Japanese but it's too good not to). We will have fortune cookies with personalized fortunes inside for each person as well as some for the group.
Happy New Year 2011 the Year of the Rabbit