Absence

Hiya! Sorry I haven't been around nor have I shared any menu plans for this week nor any recipe. My aunt & uncle are here from IL and she is DS's favorite person on earth. So we've been spending a lot of time with them and menu plans are for the birds when you have company in town! And shhhhhh! Don't tell on me but I let DS stay home from school today. They fly back home tomorrow and I figured one missed day of school wouldn't be the end of the world if he got to spend the whole day with his favorite person.

Sunday I did make a yummy meal of marinated pork loin, roasted asparagus and mashed potatoes. It was the DESSERTS I spent all day on though and I will share those recipes with you now. I've been using a lot from the Williams Sonoma Essentials of Baking cookbook and attempting to bring my baking to the next level. So far, I am pleased with my progress! I've been making baking powder biscuts quite a bit and they are so easy and yummy. Then the other two desserts I made on Sunday were not exactly difficult but required me being careful and taking the time needed for each step.

Baking Powder Biscuts
2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3/4 cup whole milk

In bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the butter. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in the butter just until the mixture forms large, coarse crumbs the size of small peas. Pour in the milk and mix with a fork or rubber spatula just until the dry ingredients are moistened.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead gently a few times until it clings together. Roll or pat out the dough into a round about 3/4" thick (I make a rectangle and then just cut the dough into squares so I don't waste any bits).
Using a 3" round biscut cutter, cut out biscuts and place on prepared pan, spacing them 1" apart (prepared pan = 1/2 sheet pan lined with parchment paper). Then you can gather and roll out the scraps but by making a rectangle and square biscuts I eliminate this step and therefore do not have any tough biscuts from working the dough too much.
Bake in 425 degree pre-heated oven for 15 - 18 minutes until lightly browned.

Rich Tart Pastry
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter cut into 3/4" pieces
2 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon heavy cream
(and I added 1 teaspoon almond extract with the liquids)

In food processor combine the flour, sugar and salt. Pulse to mix. Add the butter pieces and pulse until mixture forms large coarse crumbs the size of peas. In a small bowl lightly beat the egg yolks then stir in the cream and extract until blended. Turn on the food processor and add the egg mixture in a steady stream. Process just until the dough begins to come together but does not form a ball.
On work surface, shape the dough into a 6" disk. Wrap in plastic and refridgerate until firm (45 min. to overnight).

Plum and Almond Frangipane Tart
Rich tart pastry
1 cup blanched almonds
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 large egg
4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temp
8 prune plums, pitted and quartered

Roll out tart dough and prebake partially (400 degree oven. Line tart crust with foil and weights. Bake about 15 minutes until foil will pull back from crust easily. If foil sticks to the crust, it is not done baking yet. Reduce heat to 350 degrees)
In food processor, process almonds and sugar until the almonds are finely ground. Add the salt, vanilla and almond extracts and egg and process until blended. Add the butter and process until it is smoothl blended into the mixture.
Scrape the mixture into the prebaked tart crust, spreading evenly. Arrange the plums quarters, cut side up, in a circular row on top of the frangipane. Sprinkle with 1 tablepoon of sugar (I used tourbinado (raw) sugar).
Bake the tart until the frangipane is goldend and set when you give the pan a gentle shake. 30-35 mintues. Cool on wire rack completely. Unmold tart and serve at room temp or cold.


Ok, my fingers are tired and that should keep you busy for awhile. I'll save the Quick Puff Pastry and Palmiers (Elephant Ears is what I always knew them as!) recipes for another day. Suffice it to say, they were EXCELLENT!

Menu Plan Monday

This week is yet again not too exciting but I do have a YUMMY recipe to share! For more ideas check out the menu plans at Organizing Junkie!

• Sunday - Fried Chicken, roasted rosemary & garlic red potatoes, corn, pecan pie bars
• Monday - Grilled burgers (yay! It's warm enough today for the grill!), asparagus, roasted potato wedges
• Tuesday - Balsamic pork chops, pasta, steamed broccoli, rolls
• Wednesday - Cubed steaks with grilled onions, mashed potatoes, veggies (didn't get to this last week)
• Thursday thru Sunday - my aunt and uncle are coming to visit from out of town so the rest of the week is up in the air. I'm sure we'll be at my parents house and out to dinner a few times. If they come over here I'll most likely make a baked ziti and some homemade bread and salad.

The pecan pie bars were a hit with FG and SMA. They both love pecan pie so I tried the recipe I got from my friend Shannon. Easy and YUMMY!! Here's the recipe - enjoy!

* Exported from MasterCook *
Pecan Pie Cookie Bars

2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt 1

1/2 sticks butter (cold -- cut in pieces)

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1 stick butter

3 large eggs -- lightly beaten 2

1/2 cups finely chopped pecans

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine flour, sugar & salt in large bowl; cut in 1 1/2 stick butter thoroughly with a pastry blender until mixture resembles very fine crumbs. Level and gently press mixture into a greased 13" x 9" pan. Bake, uncovered at 350 for 20 minutes ( or 325 for glass) or until lightly browned. Set aside
Meanwhile, combine brown sugar, corn syrup and butter in saucepan; bring to boil over medium heat, stirring gently. Remove from heat. Stir 1/4 of the mixture into the beaten eggs; then add back to the remaining hot mixture (so as not to scramble the eggs). Stir in the pecans and vanilla. Pour this stirred filling over the above-made crust. Level and bake again uncovered at 350 (or 325 for glass) for 25-35 minutes, until appears set and brown at the edges. Cool completely in pan and then refrigerate.
Prior to cutting & serving, remove from refrigerator for 20 minutes. Cut into desired size servings.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

All I seem to have time for are Random Thoughts

First off, my heart is aching for the family of this girl. They confirmed the body found was her. So very sad and I hope to God they catch the sicko and string him up by his shaven balls!

FG is out of town and you can bet I'll have some trouble sleeping tonight. They found her body waaaayyyy too close for comfort!

We had a good time last night. Once in awhile it's nice to get all gussied up and feel good about myself and how I look. I cut my hair yesterday - well *I* didn't do it, I had it done. Got my who-ha waxed. Visited my friend's wine shop and bought some wine and got an invitation to brunch for me & the kiddos to her house tomorrow (I have great friends).
Me and SMA last night with my new 'do. Don't ask me why FG took the picture all sideways but at least my double chin is hidden well. SMA needs to cut his hair - ugh.

You know, people who aren't familiar with him or FG think "THEYare friends?" Yep. Spend 10 minutes with them and you forget they look completely different when they start finishing each other's sentences and laughing at the same dumb shit. Anyway, it's all I got at the moment to show off my new 'do and it's not even a very good view of it!

I had to force my MIL to talk to me last night. She's still peeved from the other day when I told her off about stressing out FG and being pretty inconsiderate of his feelings. So I made her talk to me because I could tell she wasn't going to last night. Hee hee hee. FG noticed too and thought it was funny. I think he felt a bit embarassed that he was the "damsel in distress" with me coming to his rescue the other day. But at least he found it funny last night that I could be the bigger and better person than his mom who was going to hold a really silly grudge.

I need a nap.

What to blog, what to blog? Ok Random thoughts again!

Today is cold and rainy. After an amazing day yesterday of bright sun and warm temps, this is soooo depressing. I know, it could be worse. At least our snow is melting!

We have a missing girl in our community. This makes the mother of my babysitter VERY scared. See, she's a single mother doing the best she can. Thankfully she has lots of family around - blood related or otherwise. Since I am home she has asked me to collect her daughter from the bus stop and get her to her aunt's house safely. The Girl is not so pleased with that at all. I see both sides. Sure, The Girl only needs to walk about 1 block total in a very safe neighborhood full of kids and parents that stay home, work from home etc. But I also see Mom's side of thinking that her beautiful daughter could easily be a target for some psycho that sees her get off the bus and walk that block alone every day. So for the next few months, I'll collect her from the bus stop and get her home. Scary scary.

My son never ceases to amaze me. While he can drive us, his parents, absolutely INSANE, I hear daily from other parents how their kids adore him and they "just have to meet him, Mom. He's so funny and great!" Even the Angry Girl in his class is sweet to him. She's a little bitch to everyone else! Last night at a school function I heard it again a few times. They finally get to meet the Infamous ______. How the heck did it happen that *I* got this one? It does help me to hear those things because then when I want to wring his neck (like this morning) I remind myself that people would actually miss him if he was gone. I just can't do that to society.

Friday should be interesting. FG and his brother are SO different it's amazing they came from the same gene pool. FG is an independent businessman who doesn't do so well in the corporate world or having a boss at all. BIL drives a forklift in a warehouse and is one of the lowest on a large totem pole. FG thinks about other people. BIL hasn't a clue that other people exist. I could go on & on but suffice it to say that BIL's girlfriend and I are polar opposites as well. Size being the most noticable factor. So Friday will be very interesting when BIL's friends get to meet FG and I at his birthday party. We have in the past had to ban some of BIL's friends from coming to our home. BIl used to stop by with his friends and they frankly made me nervous with "FUCK YOU" tattooed on their knuckles and the long prison records to go with it. I guess that particular one isn't around again (back in prison I figure) so I'm hoping that his choice of friends has improved a bit over the years. Can ya tell I'm a bit nervous?

Alrighty, I must get off my blogger butt and go buy supplies for DS's Valentine party tomorrow. I somehow signed up to be in charge of it without anyone else signing up to help! Oh, I'm a lucky girl, yes I am.

Grocery Shopping made Easy

Big Brother is watching! Of course, "he" always is anyway but this takes it to a higher level. At least one that makes everyone aware that we are being watched 24/7. :)

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2005-05-03-smart-carts_x.htm

Karly's post over at Wiping Up Snot reminded me of this article. It also made me think of the monotony of grocery shopping. I usually like it but yeah, that is a lot of in & out, in & out. And I bag my own groceries!!! I take my own bags to the store too so I have to take the bags into the store and put the bags back into the car after I empty them. More in & out, in & out. This cart would at least eliminate the need to take it back out of the cart and onto the belt to be scanned. I could just pack it as I scan it. Cool. Too bad the article is from 2005 and I haven't seen one of these carts in my area nearly 3 years later!


Also, an update. I am now going to attend BIL's party this weekend as my sitter is just going to stay at our house for the evening. I told her mom that I appreciate that she wanted to take the kids and have the whole family help out but I would rather the kiddos just stay home for the evening. So if her daughter/our sitter wanted to go where the rest of the family was going, that was perfectly fine and ok with me, but I would just stay home with my kiddos. I guess my sitter decided she would rather have the $$ than go to yet another high school basketball game to watch her cousin (again) and will hang out at my house with my kids. :D Heck, if I was a kid who wanted to make some spending money and was sick of basketball games, I would too!!

~Menu Plan Monday~

This week I'm hoping to cook lots! I need to be creative and use up what is in the freezer too. We went out to eat a bit too much the past week and dang is it expensive! $100 for BAR FOOD for 4 adult meals and 2 kids who split a pizza??? Yikes!

• Sunday: BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, salad, scalloped corn, brownies
• Monday: Chicken & broccoli alfredo over whole wheat egg noodles
• Tuesday: Kielbasa sausage w/ saurkraut, mashed potatoes, veggies
• Wednesday: Cubed steaks w/ fried onions, spiral noodles w/ cheese sauce, veggies
• Thursday: the kiddos and I will have a baked wild salmon filet, roasted potato wedges and corn.
• Friday: BIL's birthday party dinner
• Saturday: I'm hoping it stays nice enough to grill steaks! roasted red potatoes, salad

A little of this 'n' that

Now onto the this 'n' that. I'm "homesick". Even though this is my home and I've lived here for 20 something years, I still get "homesick" for where I was born and where so much of my family still lives. Thankfully, my aunt is coming to visit next week! And we have plans to go back to the midwest at the end of June, beginning of July for my cousin's wedding. I'm dragging FG along this time. He doesn't really care for going back there the way I do and doesn't get any longing for the area like me. He says it smells there. I guess he just doesn't appreciate a good corn processing plant and the fermentation smell! He laughs because we always go to this dumpy place where they sell "unclaimed freight" and because I can wolf down a few chili dogs and ice cream treats at this awesome little independent ice cream place I've been going to since I was born. He rolls his eyes as I say I HAVE to get a gondola and a fried catfish, drive by my great grandma's house and take the back roads because the freeway wasn't there when I was 5 and could tell my parents how to get from one grandma's house to the others. But he'll go because he loves me. The kids love to go visit the family. DS wants to move in with my aunt (the one coming to visit - I have lots of aunts back there!). He's spent a lot of happy times with my family there so he has nothing but positive thoughts for the area and people. DD was a baby when we last went to visit so she doesn't remember anything.

I'm torn as to what to do about the end of this week. I am supposed to go to BIL's birthday party but my parents can't take the kids, MIL will be at BIL's party so she isn't an option and my sitter is going to watch them along with her whole family. But if she does that, that involves them going all over the place with our friends (sitter's family) for the evening. They all want to take them but I'm thinking they are nuts and it's really not that important I go to the party. My sitter's mom just emailed me back saying that she doesn't mind picking up the kids and taking them..... but still I'm thinking it would just be better if I stayed home with them. FG can go to his brother's party alone. So I'm not sure. It's not that I don't trust my friends with my kids I just think it all sounds like a huge PITA!

I'm feeling awfully spoiled right now! I'm getting my house cleaned once a week for the next month. And I'm not paying for it! It's a business deal-io that is just a great benefit. So I'm feeling so spoiled that I walked in after taking DS to school and running some errands and my house is sparkly clean. And I didn't have to do any of it! Ahhhhhhhh.

Save me, save my kids

Can anyone help me NOT freak out when DD has an accident? OMG, I was doing so well not losing it with the kids. I have actually found some patience with them lately. Until last night, I was upstairs doing the usual girl thing before we head out to dinner. I was thinking, "I should go downstairs and make DD go potty. It's been awhile. Ok, right after I put on my lipstick I'll go take care of her." I guess my own vanity could be what got me upset but next thing I hear is a sad "Mooooommmmmmyyyyy!!!!! Ohhhhhh I had an accident"
A few select words came flying out of my mouth before I raced down the stairs and said, "Where?!" "On the couch again." A few more choice words. In the playroom we have a great futon cusion on the platform that has hinges and serves as the couch and bed. Thankfully the fairly waterproof cover comes off. Thankfully I have a good carpet cleaner with upholstery attachments. Regrettably, it's a big PITA to deal with it all.
And DD got in major trouble. She had an accident because she didn't want to stop watching the SpongeBob cartoon she was engrossed in. So she lost cartoons today for it.

When I am calm and not cleaning up pee, I KNOW that she doesn't do this on purpose. I know that she's not sitting there thinking, "hmmm, Mom's had it a bit easy this week, I think I'll pee on the couch so she's got something to do. I know how much she loves to clean this couch." I know she doesn't want to get in trouble and feel all icky.
But when she does it I just completely LOSE IT. I mean, screaming and cursing and furious. I scare her, I scare DS, heck I scare me! I have got to find a way to calm down when this happens. Rationally, I know it's not good for her, for me or anyone. I know all of the psychobabble stuff about it. In the heat of the moment though, my brain goes down the drain.
I do think I will pick up a waterproof mattress cover for it though. The waterproofing is sure to wash off the decorative cover if I keep tossing it in the washer once a month!

Slacker Mom gets an A

"Mom, what are we having for dinner?"
"I don't know yet."
"Please Mom, NO MORE CHICKEN! We eat chicken chicken chicken. I don't want any more chicken!"
"Well, I was thinking of making us burgers."
"Yeah! In-N-Out!!!"
"No, I was going to make them, you know, AT HOME."
"In-N-Out! In-N-Out! In-N-Out!"
"Ok fine, give me your birthday money. I don't have any."

We hopped in the car and drove to In-N-Out with DS's cash in hand. I guess being a big sucker runs in the family.

"Ok, how about we watch a TV show tonight instead of reading stories before bed?"
"Yeah!!!"
"We've still got some Kid Nation to watch ok?" (we are soooo behind but my hairdresser's kid is on it so we had to record them and watch them. I DO use it for teachable moments with my kids - "see, no one likes her because she's acting like a brat and won't do her work. Everyone has to work together to get things done ya know. There's no mom there that will follow them around picking up the trash and doing their dirty laundry! You have it sooo easy kid.")
"Yay! Let's watch Kid Nation!"

Then after it was done, I made FG put the kids in bed. Yep, S-L-A-C-K-E-R M-O-M, that's me!

(In my own defense, I have a scratchy throat and voice and am so worn out from this cold. FG was gone for a meeting in the evening and came home at bedtime so it was also a way for him to get to see his kids for the 5 minutes it took to put them to bed. Am I redeemed?)

Eh, not feeling so well

I caught a Mommy cold. DD has a green snot nose too which preschool ever so politely told me if it is green on Wednesday I should keep her the hell away from there. Great. DS has a Dr's appt that morning for his 7 year check up and I have some heavy duty things to go over with the Dr. about him. I don't need the tiny tornado interruption! I've got my dried snot covered fingers crossed that FG can keep her with him. I also am hoping my head is cleared enough to rationally talk to the Dr.
So I have no menu plan this week. I know you are all terribly disappointed because they've been such winners lately! I did make a super easy dinner yesterday, knowing my poor body was not going to be up to cooking much and my family still expects food. I threw 3 frozen chicken leg quarters in the crock pot and dumped some BBQ sauce on them. By 6 pm, they were tender and juicy and everyone was happy. FG did all the dishes :D
This week is a bit crazy as far as FG's schedule so the kiddos and I are on our own for dinners a lot. I'm hoping to muster up the energy to cook some burgers for them tonight. DS has stated that he has never had meatloaf and would like to try it. I was going to attempt some mini ones in a muffin tin but no energy for that either. Frozen burgers will have to be a decent substitute. As long as there are pickles, the kids will eat them. I haven't had meatloaf since I was about 5 I guess. I can't say it sounds particularly appealing either! A loaf of meat? I love the cow and all but ewwwww. The things we do for a kid who doesn't usually branch out and try new foods!
I have to go over-exert myself and open a can of soup for DD for lunch now. Thank goodness she's being fairly easy on me and only made me play 12 rounds of her teapot game this morning. She patiently waited while I vacuumed the upstairs and sucked up the 3 inch layer of dust from everyone's dressers and nightstands and bookshelves. Amazingly enough, she didn't even ask for the TV on! That's a big struggle here as she is completely and utterly addicted and I feel terribly guilty about it 1/2 the time. I'm always a happy mama when she plays without her face glued to the TV!
She's back!!!! "Mom, make it right now. My soup. I'm waiting for it."