A Pound of Cake

     We leave for the beach in the Outer Banks in T-Minus 17 days and I still have 11 pounds of baby weight hanging out with me. I'm just like the next girl and I stress about my weight and jean size just like the next girl. I don't know what I was thinking when I agreed to the beach vacation being planned so close to having a baby! {I really did miscalculate the timing...I even bought CA the cutest yellow-polka dotted bathing suit that is going to be way too big for her}
     So, ever since I got the go ahead from my doc, I've been attempting to exercise. haha! Mostly I've been walking at least 2+ miles most everyday, sometimes pushing 70 pounds of pure preciousness. I think I've done about a gazillion lunges. I gained about 22 pounds while I was pregnant, you can do the math...
     So with D-day quickly approaching. (That's the day I have to actually get the bathing suit out and try it on, just to make sure I can squeeze it all in, I wonder if they make any suits out of Spanx?). I've incorporated the help of my sweet neighbor, Virginia, and my very ripped and focused husband to help me.
     However, neither of these people are being very much help! I'll elaborate...
     Virginia's great, she and I have been walking together all week, but she enjoys my love for Creative Cake Cupcakes just like me!!! Enough said!
     And Jim....OH MY WORD!!!!  He tried to teach me how to do a pull-up. But I think that bar in the closet is much better used as an extension to my clothes rack! I can't even do half a pull-up! I do good just to hold on! He told me if I would do those I would get ripped! RIGHT!!!! I'm sure he is right, but seriously. Tonight I asked him if he would help me work on my abs. He mentioned the number 500....500 what hun? Okay, we'll just do half.
     Then the nerve, oh the nerve....we got up off the floor and my sweet husband asks...Hey, we got the stuff to make that pound cake? Jim burns like 8,000 calories a day with all his running and all the other stuff he does. Eating a piece or two of pound cake right before he goes to bed can only help him! Me on the other hand, not only have no self control, I have no full factor since I've been nursing CA...I am always hungry! And the SUPERWIFE that I am, of course, I'm going to make him whatever he wants....because if I don't, he'll get my cookbook out and attempt to make it himself.
     He was hilarious! He smelled it when it was done baking. You should have seen his face when he saw it sitting on the counter. He made a beeline straight for it. That smile left real quick when I told him he had to wait 10 minutes. You would've thought he had gotten a bad time in a race. He was like a little kid. He walked around and around the kitchen island waiting for the thing to cool! He got the strawberries out and cut them up. Started to defrost the cool whip. He swung his arms back and forth. Like a kid at Christmas waiting for the grown-ups to stop talking and get on with the ripping open of gifts!
     The Pound Cake was surprisingly easy to make. All you have to have is:

1 1/2 cup     All-Purpose Flour

1/4 tsp         Baking Powder

1/8 tsp         Baking Soda

1/2 cup       Sour Cream

1/2 cup        butter

1 cup           sugar

1/2 tsp         vanilla

3                 eggs

Allow the butter, eggs and sour cream to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.  In a mixing bowl, mix flour, baking powder and baking soda, until well blended. In a separate bowl, blend the butter at medium-high speed for 30 seconds.  Slowly add the sugar. Continue blending until light and fluffy {about 10 minutes}.

Blend in vanilla.

Blend in eggs, 1 at a time, blending mixture for 1 minute after each. Scrape sides of bowl frequently.

Alternately add the flour mixture and sour cream, mixing at medium-low speed, just until combined. 

Pour into a floured loaf pan.

Bake for 60-75 minutes at 325 degrees or until the toothpick comes out clean. 

Let cool for ten minutes, remove from pan, cool.

Yes, I used a paper plate....this was a super simple dessert that needed a super simple plate...and besides...it was 10:00 p.m. by the time Jim got to eat it!!!

 I love you hun!!!!

Mommy, he's pooping!

    We've reached one of the many hard parts of parenting a pre-schooler. Where certain moments warrant some very careful parenting. I think it's one of those instincts that are natural in little kids, like blinking and sucking---TATTLING.
     Nobody likes a tattle-tale. I think it is sooooo annoying. Constantly it's, mommy, Andrew took my car. Mommy, he stole my cookie. It doesn't matter who it is or what it is. Mommy, daddy won't let me wear my football helmet to Church. Mommy, so and so pushed me. Mommy, mommy, mommy... It's hard to know whether or not the situation should be a teachable moment, especially if you did not witness the accused perpetrator of the wrongful act.
     Sometimes you see the actual shove. Do I say, Andrew, we don't push, that's not nice. Or do I say, Taylor, we don't tattle. Where do you find the balance? They are only 3 and 1 so I can't expect them to work all their problems out on their own, but a little lesson in conflict resolution can go a long way.
     Then, there are those situations where you wish your 3 year old would tattle. Like when the 1 year old is pouring out ANOTHER box of Panko bread crumbs on that blasted dry-clean only rug. Or when he's getting into the pantry for the fifth time, headed right for my flour. You really wish you heard that little whiny--mommy then!
     For instance...like tonight...Mommy, Andrew's pooping! Andrew's pooping! Andrew's pooping! I was in the kitchen, bathing Carrie Ann. It was hardly audible from there. Couldn't make it out very clearly, until the third time he screamed it. Jim was giving the boys a bath in our big bathtub. I think he was right there, but was taking care of some other business. I definitely couldn't leave what I was doing. I heard Jim taking control right away, telling them to stand here, stand there, do this...Obviously Taylor was telling the truth.
     That was one of those moments where being the tattle-tale was a good thing. We praised Taylor for telling us. Not that Jim wouldn't have noticed in the next few seconds anyway. But, we were proud of him.
    This parenting stuff can catch you off guard sometimes. So tell me, how do you teach your child the difference between good and bad tattling?

Singin' in the Rain!

     Back, oh so long ago, before our little people got here and sleeping-in meant sleeping past 9 a.m., Jim and I ran out the front door of our house into the pouring rain. We laughed and frolicked {wierd word}, like little kids. I remember like it was yesterday. There's a certain smile you get when you do something that makes you forget every stress, tug and duty you have on your mind, even if it only lasts a few minutes.
     Sundays are rough. If you have little kids on eating and napping schedules, you know exactly what I am talking about. It all gets messed up. We always seem a little more stressed on Sundays than any other day. Just something about getting all, ahem, 5 of us now, out the door on time in pressed clothes and shoes, oh, don't forget shoes, hun.
     So last Sunday, when the monsoons came thru the South, I had a huge grin on my face when I told Jim I had a GREAT idea!  "After lunch, let's put on our swimsuits and go play in the rain!!! The boys will love it!" That smile I mentioned earlier, came across his face! Yippee!

It took Andrew a few minutes. His look is priceless.

Daddy helped him out a little!

Taylor decided to go feet first.

He doesn't really know what to think!

Here comes the frolicking!

And splashing...

Yes, I see it too!

And running...

Here's that look I'm talking about...

The poor turtle had a full load that day! He kept losing his shell.

We created fun, simple, free memories! And no one has come down with pneumonia...yet!

Fly home little Birdie

Remember the birdhouse that Grandpa Adrian helped Taylor make...A House for the Birds....well, we finally hung them out for the birds!!!!

Jim scoped out a branch.

The boys helped too!

Jim filled the birdhouse with birdseed.    

{He looks cute using a screwdriver!}

Look!!! Tweet, tweet...come on birdies....perfect little house just waiting for you!!!

We got a hummingbird feeder as well! Jim doesn't have much faith in it attracting any hummingbirds, so watch for those pics so I can make a believer out of him! ha!

Our inner Rachel Ray!

     You never know what to expect when you head off to cooking club! Get 13 ladies together and over appetizers and around the table you'll hear topics such as- freon gas {yep, apparently it makes the air conditioners work}, the relationship between heroine and pacifiers, facebook, bullying and washing lettuce and cabbage. It's a blast and I look forward to it every month! We get to talking and going on and on about stuff and forget the clock! It's so much fun-we get to let our inner Rachel Ray's come out to play! Tonight, however, I was interrupted by texts from Jim that my little milkaholic needed her mama. So I had to head out, but not before indulging in a very very delicious dinner. {For the compiled list of dishes, click here}

Julie served the White Bean & Bacon Dip, pg 70, along with the Rosemary Pita Chips, pg 77.

Jennifer made the best beverage: Tao's Punch, pg 100. I couldn't get enough of this stuff!

Debbie brought Baked Potato Soup, pg 547. she didn't like it, but I thought it was GREAT!

{pic borrowed from cookinglight.com}

Tiffany paired her Simple Slaw, pg 463 really well with the main dish! It was great and I will definitely be repeating this one!

Wendy hit a homerun with the Crisp-Crusted Catfish, pg 283!!!!

Everyone raved over Lori's Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Browned Butter, pg 580.

Melanie, wow girl...I love me some mac & cheese and this one was a winner! Creamy Four-Cheese Macaroni, pg 331.

Sallie Belle's Parmesan and Cracked Pepper Grissini, pg 139, could be paired with just about any meal!

Lisa, oh Lisa...that Strawberry Shortcake, pg 168 was sosme kind of good!!!!

{And don't you just love Wendy's dishes...what a sweet Mother's Day gift!!!}

And we already saw my dessert{here}...the Molasses Cookies, pg 194 that were so yummy and yet so healthy!

I'll be soaking up the sun during next month's club meeting, but Wendy is filling in for me..thanks girl! Have fun at Julie's house!!! 

Good ole Molasses Cookies

     It's Cooking Club time tonight!!! I love the first Friday of every month! As I mentioned before we are going through Cooking Light, The Complete Cookbook: A Fresh New Way to Cook. This month I have to bring a dessert. This cookbook is full of fun dessert recipes, but I'm going to go simple tonight. I am headed to the kitchen right now to start on Molasses Cookies.
     One of the purposes of our Club is to try new things, and to see what something looks and tastes like and what worked and didn't work for certain recipes. I re-make at least one or two things from each month's club. It's sooo much fun!!! This month's choice for cookies is to remind myself to go back to something basic and simple!

    Here we go and I am sooooo glad that I didn't eat these things before I got to Wendy's house... they are just that good! AND....they are actually low fat!!! Yah, check out the recipe to see how these delish cookies can actually be considered a healthy choice!

   First though, I want to show you what you do when your oven is on 375, your hands soaked in cooking oil and all three of your kids wake up from their naps:

Yah, I know...she looks real excited to be there doesn't she!!

Anyway, back to the cookies... {I usually preheat my oven before I do anything, but wait...don't heat it up until you put the dough in the freezer. There will be plenty of time to heat it up then.}

You will need:

1/2 cup       applesauce

1 1/4 cups   sugar, divided

6 Tbs          butter, softened

1/4 cup       dark molasses

1 large        egg

1 cup          all-purpose flour

1 cup          whole wheat pastry flour

2 tsps          baking soda

1 tsp           ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp        salt

1/2 tsp        ground ginger

1/2 tsp        ground gloves

Cooking spray

From the picture that looks like a lot, but really these were super, super easy.

1. Spoon applesauce onto several layers of heavy-duty paper towels, let stand 5 minutes. {I used 3 regular absorbant paper towels on top and bottom} Scrape into a bowl using a rubber spatula.

2.  Combine the applesauce, 1 cup of the sugar and butter; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended {about 3 minutes}

Add molasses and egg; beat well.

3. Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups, level with a knife. Combine flours and baking soda, ground cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves, stirring well with a whisk.  {I used whole wheat flour, instead of ww pastry flour. If you do so, you can sub with 1 cup whole wheat flour minus 2 Tbs whole wheat flour for the 1 cup wheat pastry flour.} Add flour mixture to sugar mixture, beating until blended.

 

Cover and freeze 30 minutes or until firm.

4. Preheat oven to 375.

5.  With moist hands, shape dough into 32 (1 -inch) {My batch made 48} Roll balls into 1/4 cup of sugar.

Place 3 inches apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. {I heart my silpat pad!} That's a silicone baking pad that nothing sticks to!!! It realllly is the best thing since sliced bread!!! I use it for everything. If you don't have one, seriously, get off this computer and go get you one!!!

Bake at 375 for 8 to 10 minutes. {8 minutes makes them good and chewy!}

Cool on pans 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely on wire racks.

Now all you need is a very cold cup of milk and a comfy chair!!!!!

It's our choice, not theirs

     It's a sad, unhappy day in Santa Clara County, California. If you haven't heard by now, some crazy people have banned McDonald's Happy Meals from some McDonald's menus until they can offer healthier options.....you can read the full story {here}
    It's something that I always said my kids would NEVER do...recognize the famous golden arches and scream with delight for a Happy Meal!  Forget that plan I devised many moons ago. Yah...Taylor can spot those things a mile away!    
     I can't actually remember the first time I ever actually fed Taylor something from McDonald's, but I know it was in the last year, possibly, last July when we drove home from Illinois and stopped there for breakfast. The boys had eggs, orange juice, pancakes. I'm pretty sure Jim and I had something very similar as well.
    The next time the boys entered a McDonald's was 4 months ago, in January. I discovered the McDonald's amazing Playplace in the restaurant here in West Tupelo. It's inside the restaurant, but the tables and boothes are completely separated from the rest of the fast food joint. Not only is it so totally child-proof, there's a bathroom off to the side and inside, it has an itty bitty potty next to the adult one....You have no idea what this means unless you have a little potty-trainer!!! We like it because we don't have to constantly apologize to other patrons for spoiling their meal when my child throws an apple slice across to their table!
     Back to my point....We are fairly healthy eaters. Well, Jim and the kids are...Carrie Ann is a milk-aholic, and I don't eat veggies, but I cook healthy meals and we stay away from greasy and fried foods, except Chick-fil-A and that's usually no more than once a week, if that much. We have a salad with every supper, try for non-sugary, sometimes organic cereal and fruit for breakfast. I have cut out processed meat and never buy white bread. I use ground turkey for everything that calls for ground beef {we do love beef though, ground turkey is just way less expensive and we aren't red meat aficionados so we can't tell the difference anyway} We make up for the unhealthy parts of our meals by staying active. We don't live sedentary lifestyles, who can with 3 little kids. Jim runs and lift weights and I, well...I do what our foremothers did...I do laundry, prepare 2 meals a day, pick up after my kids constantly, just about everyday lug all 3 gabinos around our neighborhood , I sweep and mop our floors, load the dishwasher, usually don't sit down until 8 o'clock at night. And my kids...they make up for it too, they are up at 7 a.m. and down in bed no later than 8 at night. They take at least a 2 hour nap in the afternoon, but are constantly on the move the other 10 hours. If you've met my two boys, you know I'm not exaggerating!
      So when we {that's me, my children's mom, and Jim, their dad} choose to eat at a fast food restaurant, it's one we know offers healthy options for our kids. We extend the choices we make at home, right into that checkout line. A typical Happy Meal for my kids might include the 4 piece mcnugget or plain hamburger, the apple slices {I keep the caramel dipping sauce to use in recipes at home}, the jug of white milk or the 100% juice apple juice box and I get the yogurt parfaits in lieu of the ice cream to have for dessert.
    I have two solutions to the issue of kids eating poorly. 1.  Educate parents on making healthy choices. They are the ones placing the orders. My kid might kick and scream for a Dr. Pepper like mommy, but ultimately, I am the one the cashier is listening to. And 2nd...if government officials want to make a point about businesses offering healthy options, they should require grocery stores to remove all the candy and high calorie snack choices they have stocked at every single checkout line in America! Seriously! I'm not kidding.

     You know, they stock these aisles with the same mindset as they use to stock the cereal aisle....all the sweet, enticing sugary stuff is along the bottom. Perfect line of site for my little people. I got smart...get the cart with the up-high race car, so they can't put their grubby little paws all over the buckets of sugar. Oh no, these marketers got smarter...we'll put it up high too!

     We'll make all this sugar and lard a "point of sale" item...It's sold the minute you lay eyes on it! It's awful. You can choose what drive-thru you go thru, and for now my kids can't read, so they don't know that this restaurant offers french fries and ice cream and Big Macs, but I can't avoid the checkout lane.
     In the end, it doesn't matter what the restaurant or grocery store checkout lane offers, it's what I, as the parent, decides to offer my child. Don't be scared to tell your child "no," especially if it means nurturing healthy eating habits that they will one day take over themselves.