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Just a couple of things from yesterday I wanted to share 
Ok so I know our snowfall can’t even compare to Jill’s in Michigan…but, I’ll take what I can get.
Turkey Sugar Cookies. Not quite what I had envisioned…
…but entertaining nonetheless!
Here was our lunch yesterday:
Fruit has never been a problem for my girls to eat…but what a fun way to get them to eat their veggies!
The past two days have really been Autumn-like….cold, windy, with an occasional rain. Even though I don’t like venturing out into the cold, I’m so excited that the colder weather is here! I’d rather stay inside where I can feel the warmth of a fire, drink hot cocoa, and smell a cinnamon-apple-something baking. Speaking of apples, we still have so many apples from our apple picking outing about a week and half ago. I came across this apple bread recipe and, after trying it out, thought it would be perfect for the girls to lend a hand in.
Ingredients
1) In bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.
2) In large mixing bowl, place oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla and apples.
3) Stir into flour mixture - mix (I also add just enough water to allow all the flour to mix in.)
4) Divide mixture between two greased 8-in. x 4-in. bread pans (I used a muffin pan). Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until bread test done.
5) Cool for 10 minutes on wire rack before removing from pan.
What recipes do you like to make during the Autumn season?
These days, meals come in prepackaged boxes…everything from potatoes to cakes…just add water, perhaps an egg or two, and voila! - dinner is served. Our society is just go, go, go! Maybe it’s due to the fact that I live in the country, but I love baking from scratch. It’s less expensive, healthier (I know exactly what ingredients I’m putting into a dish…and can pronounce them for that matter), a great experience for the girls (educationally & emotionally…a wonderful chance to bond with my girls), and fun! If it can be done, I will do it - or at least attempt to :) I didn’t have the luxury of having this taught to me. Instead, through trial and error, I learned how to bake from scratch just in the past year - it’s become very important to me that I pass this down to my daughters.
On Friday, Lilli and I made chocolate pudding from scratch. We used the “Hasty Chocolate Pudding” recipe from Allrecipes.com. Here it is in step by step instructions, with photos
Ingredients:
1 c. white sugar
2/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
6T. cornstarch
4c. milk
4t. vanilla
(note that T.= tablespoon and t.= teaspoon)
1. In a microwave safe bowl (this can be done over the stove as well but it would just take longer - see my “go, go, go” comment above…lol), whisk together the sugar, cocoa, & cornstarch. Whisk in milk a little at a time so the mixture does not have any dry lumps.
2. Place in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes on HIGH.
3. Stir. Then cook at 1 minute intervals, stirring between cooking times for 2 - 4 minutes, or until shiny and thick. Stir in vanilla.
3. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming (the pudding will be HOT, so be careful!)
4. Chill in the fridge. Serve cold. Enjoy!
What do you like to pass down to your children?
The Mexican Baked Fish dinner I made last night brought on the tears…and not in a good way. One bite and Corinne was crying, “I n’wanna!!” She ended up eating a hot dog. Not quite Mexican, but it she was happy. Surprisingly, Lilli finished hers - perhaps our talks about being thankful for what God has given us has had an affect on her. Michael had a few bites but was full because he “ate a lot of chips and salsa.” Don’t worry family, this wanna-be chef threw this recipe in the trash. (As a side note, I will be trying it with a different type of fish…I know now that cod is just too fishy for us)
Mexican Cookie Rings were a success for dessert though. Corinne was quite excited - “Mmm…cake!” I guess that makes it all better
Around here, Fridays are “Clarke Family Pizza Party Day” where mom (that’s me) makes the dough and the rest of the family gets to decorate their own pizzas. Lilli really looks forward to Fridays because she “just loves pizza so much!” I wanted to add another theme to the week’s menu so I decided to look at what the rest of my family loves to eat:
Eleanor: Mommy’s Milk
Corinne: CARBS, CARBS, CARBS!
Michael: Mexican
Well, I’m not going to pass myself around to the rest of my family, and we sure can’t just have bread for a meal, so I decided that Mexican was the way to go. I had originally thought of “Taco Tuesday,” but Michael suggested “Mexican Monday,” which of course is brilliant because it leaves the menu open to other entrees other than just tacos. Yesterday was our first Mexican Monday:
The Enchiladas were a hit with the fam, but my Flan wasn’t. I guess not everyone can have an “educated palette” (right Dad?)
Let me first start off by saying YUM! The girls and I baked, or rather - did NOT bake - cookies today. In fact, they are called, “No Bake Oatmeal Cookies.” Lilli had fun making the little balls of dough, while Corinne had fun eating whatever Lilli mistakenly dropped 
This is a great recipe if you have kids…it calls for few ingredients, little hands are able to help out, they’re ready in about 20 mins, and since you don’t bake them, you don’t have to worry about cooling off time or anyone burning their little mouths. There is ONE problem though…they’re so addictive so watch out!
Okay, I have a sleeping baby in my lap and the rest of my family is playing outside - it’s a sunny 80 degrees with a nice breeze - I’m jealous. But before I run out to meet them, I just HAVE to blog about my super day (did I mention it was sunny, 80 degrees, with a slight breeze out??):
* Church this morning was wonderful! We had the amazing opportunity to hear Mike Licona speak. What an incredibly intelligent, not to mention quite humorous, man.
* Even though CVS doesn’t have any oh-my-gosh-I-have-to-run-out-the-door-this-instant deals this week, they do have a buy (4) 12 pack of Pepsi for $11.00, get (1) 12 pack free. That deal is great, but when I added my $2 off $10 purchase AND a $2 ECB, that brought it down to a total (including tax) of $7.17 for 60 cans of Pepsi! WOW! And yes, I will be heading back before the week is over to pick up some more 
Hey, when you’re hubby is a Pepsi-holic, you do what you have to do
* I baked bread. Yes, I’ve baked bread before, but this one is called Sweet Bread. Sweet and bread together? I had to try my hand at it…and I’m happy I did. Not only did I love it, but the fam did too. It is quite similar to a dinner roll type of bread, but it’s lighter and fluffier. YUUUUMMM!
* But where were the girls when I was baking bread?? SLEEPING! YES! All at the same time….incredible
Now I’m off to play outside with the rest of the Clarkes!
…sometimes means leaving your room a mess to go have a really cool muffin cup lunch.
(This post was inspired by Mandi…who makes awesome moments with her three girls)
Let me set the record straight-
I NEVER WANT TO BE A CHEF! I know I’ve blogged about being inspired to cook before, but I’m blaming that on Disney’s Ratatouille and their oh so cute slogan, “Anyone Can Cook.” Sure, people are physically able to cook…but to actually want to do it (over and over and over again…like our insanely-creative-chef-brother-in-law, Justin) is a different story.
In the past two days, I have made 9 different recipes to prepare for Eleanor’s arrival (note: this does NOT include daily cooking for the fam). I’m tired…my feet are swollen…I smell like cilantro.
BUT - Here’s what I accomplished today:
Broccoli, Cheese, and Rice Casserole
More Muffins
Chili (I like to add corn and green beans as well)
Corn Bread Muffins (thank goodness for mixes!)
If I can get one more dinner prepared, I think we’ll be set (thank goodness for leftovers!). I’m saving that task for tomorrow though
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