Dinner Challenge: Night 12

Today was a fun day. We stayed busy, which in turns means that Mason stayed happy (most of the time).  We started off by going to the gym.  I can tell you with complete honesty that I did not want to go at all, but I have realized that if we don't go and we stay home in the mornings by 11:30 I want to pull my hair out because Mason is being a monster.  Those girls at the gym are so great, they spoil him a lot.  I have them to thank for my mental and physical health!

Scott had duty today so it was just the two of us.  We had frozen yogurt, played with cars all afternoon, and watched football, a dream day for my little man. This also meant that supper was simple since Mason revolts if I am in the kitchen for more than 10 seconds without him.

Night 12

You may be asking yourself where are the pictures. The truth...

I've been lazy.  The memory card has been upstairs while the supper is downstairs.  I'm sure you can see my dilemma.

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded

4 eggs, hard boiled and chopped

1/4 cup light Miracle Whip

1/4 cup Dijon Mustard

2 tsp dill relish

Salt

Pepper

Whole wheat bread

Combine all ingredients except bread in medium bowl.  Mix to combine and refrigerate for at least 3 hours to chill and let flavors combine.  This version is a little heavier on the egg than I normally would use, we had one leftover chicken breast so I substituted more egg for chicken.

*Picky eater tip: I spread sweet potato baby food on Mason's bread before putting on the chicken salad.  This helps get more veggies into them without them realizing your trick!

Dinner Challenge: Night 11

Short post tonight because it's Saturday and I have a hot date.

Wait... I think I confused my life with someone else for a minute.

Anyway, I usually plan all of our meals for two weeks, but I dropped the ball this time and we were stuck with two days of nothing, which won't cut it in this house.  I decided to defrost a turkey we got for Thanksgiving and never used.  We smoked it...it was awesome.

Night 11

Smoked Turkey

I'm not posting pictures, I forgot to take them before we carved it and no one wants pictures of a turkey carcass, it's just nasty.

We rubbed the turkey beforehand with a mixture of brown sugar, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and chili powder.  It smoked for 3 hours and finished in the oven for 45 minutes at 375. 

Mason ate it with sweet potatoes and a piece of cheese.  Scott had two huge sandwiches; I decided to try to show some restraint after eating more than my share of cinnamon rolls yesterday and just ate the turkey with a little Dijon mustard to dip it in.  It was a success all around.

Dinner Challenge: Night 10

Is it possible that all of the trash collectors in Riverside county are monitoring my son's sleeping habits so they know to come by and make a ton of noise right as he falls asleep?  Seems questionable and yet it happens every Friday.

Tonight I am making one of our favorite meals.  We usually eat this when it is cold out, but I got tired of waiting for a cold snap (hear that East Coast, waiting for the cold, ha ha ha). Two of our friends just had the most adorable little baby boy and I decided to make extra to take over to them, which I haven't told them yet. So... Brandy if you read this, chili and cinnamon rolls is what I have to drop off.

Night 10

Chili and Cinnamon Rolls

Yeast, water, flour, and a little time.  Seems simple enough and yet it produces some of the most delicious things in the world, one of them being cinnamon rolls.  Oh how I love to bake!

This little ball of dough...

Mixed with a little brown sugar, cinnamon, and of course butter...

Topped with a little icing...

Turns into a pan full of gooey yummy pastry!

 And of course there is the chili too.



Click Here for Chili Recipe

Click Here for Cinnamon Roll Recipe

Cinnamon Roll Recipe

I originally found this in Bon Appetit Magazine, but I made a few changes so they come out how we like them.

Dough:

1 cup milk

3 tablespoons butter

3 1/2 cups (or more) flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

2 1/4 tsp rapid rise yeast (from two envelopes)

1 tsp salt

non-stick spray

Filling:

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

3 tablespoons cinnamon

1/2 stick butter

Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 tablespoons (or more) of milk

For Dough:

Combine milk and butter in glass measuring cup.  Microwave until butter melts and mixture is warmed to about 120 or 130 degrees, about 45 seconds.  Pour into bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment.  Add in 1 cup flour, sugar, egg, yeast, and salt.  Beat on low for 3 minutes, occasionally scraping the bowl.  Slowly add in 2 1/2 cups flour, scraping down the sides of the bowl.  If dough is very sticky add in a little more flour, a tablespoon at a time.  I have found I have to use 2 additional tablespoons.  Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead for 8 minutes.  (This is a very effective arm workout).  Put into large bowl that has been oiled with non-stick spray, turning once to coat.  Cover with plastic wrap and then kitchen towel, leaving in a warm place to rise for about 2 hours.

For Filling:

Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in bowl.

Punch down dough.  Transfer to floured surface and roll out to 15x11 inch rectangle.  If you can actually get yours to a rectangle, you are a genius, mine ends up more rounded, but it still works.

Rub the 1/2 stick of butter over the dough leaving a 1/2 inch gap along the border.  Sprinkle cinnamon and brown sugar mixture over the dough.  Starting at one long end, roll dough up into a log, pinching as you go along to keep it tight.  Cut, seam side down, into 18 equal pieces. 

Spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick spray.  Put rolls in cut side up, there will be no space between rolls.  Cover with plastic wrap and kitchen towel.  Let rise in a warm area until doubled in size, about 40 minutes. 

Bake at 375 for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.

For Glaze:

Combine powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk in small bowl.  Mix with a fork until smooth.  It should be pretty thin in consistency, if it isn't add a very small amount of milk at a time.

Drizzle over hot rolls fresh out of the oven and enjoy!



Chili Recipe

2 lbs ground turkey

1/2 a yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large can tomato juice (64 oz.)

1 can chili beans

Chili seasoning - We use a boxed kit that has chili seasoning, cayenne pepper, and masa flour to thicken it

Brown turkey, add in onions and garlic, cook until onions are soft. Add in seasoning, stir well.  Add in tomato juice and simmer for 1 hour.  Add in beans and simmer for an additional 30 minutes.  Top with cheese, crackers, and if you are like my husband, a cinnamon roll (gross I know).

Dinner Challenge: Night 9

Today I was really motivated. I started by cleaning, working out, and even making chicken salad for sandwiches for supper, all before 12:00.  I had a reason behind my motivation, it is Mom's Night Out with my group tonight.  So I had a great time talking and eating with my friends right??

Wrong.

Scott had to work 48 hours straight and was in a horrid mood when he came home.  I ended up not going and fixing a different supper, it's a double win for me, huh.

Night 9

Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes with Vanilla Brown Sugar Syrup

again inspired by the wonderful Joy the Baker (I really love this girl)

The syrup in this recipe is so delicious I want to figure out a way to bathe in it. I'm dead serious.

Pancakes

1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/3 cup cornmeal (I actually used polenta and it turned out great)

1 Tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, separated

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cup non-fat milk

1 ripe banana, mashed

Whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl  Whisk together yolks, oil and 1 1/2 cups milk in another bowl and add to the flour mixture, whisking until smooth.  Let batter stand for 5 minutes to allow flour to absorb liquid (batter will thicken).

Fold in banana.

Beat egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer at moderately high speed until they just hold stiff peaks. With a whisk, gently but thoroughly fold into batter.

Cook on a griddle sprayed with non-stick spray until golden brown on each side and set in the middle.

Syrup

1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar

1 1/2 cups water

3 Tablespoon unsalted butter

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine brown sugar, water, butter, and salt in a 2-quart heavy saucepan and bring to a oil, stirring until sugar is dissolved.  Boil until syrupy and reduced to about 1 1/2 cups, about 12-15 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, then let cool to warm or room temperature.

Dinner Challenge: Night 8

If intelligence is a deciding factor on whether or not you can donate eggs most of the women in the room with me last night are out... seriously.  When someone sits a nice color coded packet full of information in front of you and then proceeds to go over that information with you and you still ask the same question that was covered on page 3 ten times you do not deserve to give your eggs away.  I'm just saying.

Scott had to work late again tonight, by late I mean all night :(  Mason and I had a late lunch at, where else, Subway so we weren't really that hungry.  Mason ate leftover chicken (poor child will probably revolt one of these days), yogurt, and sweet potatoes.  I made a delicious spinach and pear smoothie. Do you think I'm being sarcastic when I say delicious...

I'm not.

Night 8

Spinach and Pear Smoothie

inspired by Joy the Baker

1 cup spinach leaves

1 pear, diced

1 frozen banana (I sort of forgot this step so mine was just a really really cold banana)

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 cup milk

Handful of blueberries

Combine milk and spinach in a blender, blend until there are no noticeable spinach pieces left.  Add in remaining ingredients and pulse until combined. Enjoy right away... trust me on this, it solidifies and gets grainy within 30 minutes, yuck!

Dinner Challenge: Nights 6 and 7

Whoops, I'm a bad blogger.  I forgot to post last night, I didn't take pictures of dinner, and I am posting early for tonight.  Please forgive me, or not, just keep reading.

Night 6 started off with one of the funniest incidents to happen in this house in a while.  Mason was sitting on the couch in just his diaper (he had just woken up from a nap and was hot).  He was all slumped over, undoes his diaper, reaches down and starts saying, "My wiener, my wiener" over and over.  I should have stepped in immediately but I was laughing so hard.  My first thought was, oh god, I thought I had at least 13 more years before this started.

We then move into the kitchen and prepare supper, which is what they are eating tonight as well.  Isn't my family so lucky, leftover night!

I'm posting early because I am going to a meeting in San Diego to learn about becoming an egg donor.  I have all these extra eggs, why not help a family in need??  Hopefully it goes well.

Nights 6 and 7

Chicken and Black Bean Tostadas

A lot of this meal can be made ahead and assembled at dinner time.

1/2 yellow onion, caramelized

1 can black beans, smashed

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 chicken breast

Whole grain tortillas

Shredded Cheese

Lettuce

Tomato

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Start by caramelizing your onions.  Here is a great recipe for that.  After the onions are done pour the black beans on top of them and smash them with a potato masher, add in garlic and cook for about a minute.  While the onions are cooking bring a pot of salted water to a boil.  Drop in chicken breasts and cook through, about 10 minutes depending on the size of the chicken.  Remove from water and let rest for 5 minutes before shredding.

Lay out tortillas on a sheet pan, smear black bean mix on tortillas, top with shredded chicken and cheese.  Put in the oven for about 5 minutes until cheese is melted and tortillas have crisped up.  Pull out and top with lettuce and tomatoes.  So easy.

Dinner Challenge Night Five

Onion rings and cake for dinner?  Yep, that's right. Why?  Because I'm an adult.

Mason isn't so lucky to have this choice so he ate blueberries, corn, and left over fajita chicken.  He was satisfied with a few bites of Mommy's cake though.

Football Sunday is becoming quite the tradition around here. We eat some sort of snack food in the living room calling it a "picnic" when it is really what Scott and I used to do for every single meal before Mason came along.  Today was no different.  Lunch was deviled eggs, chicken nuggets, and baked onion rings.  Onion rings that were so good we had them again for supper.  That's what adults do.

Night Five:

Baked Onion Rings and Vanilla Cake with Buttercream

Breading Station

The absolute best buttercream frosting ever. Yes, I'm bragging.



Baked Onion Rings

1 large yellow onion, sliced into rings

2 beers or 2 cups buttermilk

2 eggs

1 tablespoon milk

Panko breadcrumbs

Salt

Pepper

Heat oven to 450 degrees

Place sliced onion in large bowl cover with beer or buttermilk.  I used beer today and I really didn't like the taste as much as I thought.  Next time I will definitely use buttermilk.  Let the onions soak for 30 minutes.  Beat the eggs and milk together in separate bowl.  In a large bowl combine 1 package Panko breadcrumbs.  Season with salt and pepper.  Spray cooking sheet with non-stick spray before hand.  Drain the onions and pat dry with paper towel.  Dredge them in egg, then breadcrumbs, shaking off excess.  Repeat until sheet pan is full with an even layer. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Yummy and rather healthy, yay!

Vanilla Buttercream

1 stick butter or margarine for baking, softened

1 16 oz package powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Milk

In a mixer cream butter until fluffy.  Add in powdered sugar in small batches and mix slowly.  Add in vanilla and a very small amount of milk at a time.  Whip until the desired consistency is reached.  The buttercream I made tonight was thick and fluffy, perfect for a cake, but add a little more milk and it could be a glaze or a easier spreading frosting. 

Dinner Challenge Night Four

I tried on a pair of skinny jeans today and laughed out loud at myself in the dressing room... true story.  This trend is obviously not meant for my body type.  They fit okay, but I felt like a major idiot.

Anyway, after our Subway supper last night Mason asked for it all day today, which always happens.  We would eat there for every meal if it were up to him. 

Night Four:

Chicken Fajitas

I really love Mexican food, but I don't really know how to make it that well.  Scott and I have a few friends that are Mexican and literally make the most delicious food I have ever tasted.  I hope they don't think we abuse their friendship since every time they want to hang out we offer to pay for the ingredients as long as they cook!  This really can't be called Mexican by any means, more of Meximerican.

Mason's dinner

( he didn't touch the peppers, barely ate the tortilla, and would chew each piece of chicken into mush before spitting in out and saying mmm, gum.  I guess they can't all be a success.)

My "Fajitas" without the tortilla

Ingredients:

2 boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into strips

1 green bell pepper, strips

1 yellow bell pepper, strips

1/2 a large yellow onion, strips

2 Roma tomatoes, sliced

Fajita Seasoning (I use McCormick)

 1/2 cup Tomatillo Salsa (Ours is from Henry's, so yummy)

Whole grain tortillas

Mix Fajita seasoning as directed and pour over prepared vegetables.  Let sit for 30 minutes.  Pour Tomatillo salsa over chicken and let sit for 30 minutes as well.  In two different skillets cook veggies and chicken.  Cook chicken through and veggies until very soft and tender.  Load them into tortillas that have been warmed on the grill. 

We usually top ours with cheese, guacamole, lettuce, and sour cream but we decided to do a healthier version tonight.  Scott ate his with tortillas but I felt completely satisfied without one.

Dinner Challenge Night Three

Scott had to (unexpectedly) work late tonight.  I decided that trying to work with raw chicken and a large chef's knife is not the best idea when there is a wild child underfoot.  I can just picture my finger being cut off or me giving us food poisoning; not to mention that Mason most likely wouldn't have eaten what I was going to fix anyway.  I took Mason to his favorite place in the whole world: Subway!  He loves this place so much he asks for it every time we drive by, he was thrilled.

Night Three:

Subway Sandwich

Mason enjoying his supper - he ate the entire 6 inch!

My Sandwich:

Wheat bread

Spinach

Tomatoes

Red Onion

Jalapenos

Cucumber

Regular mustard

Mason's Sandwich:

Wheat bread

Provolone cheese

Ham

Light mayo

Dinner Challenge: Night 2

Last night the tuna casserole was such a success that it barely made it to today! Mason and Scott ate almost the entire pan, piggies that they are.  At least I got a small serving for lunch today.

Night Two:

I decided that after carb filled cheese covered night we had it was time for some veggie action.  Salmon salads! Well mine is a salad, Scott's is questionable.  Mason being the two year old that he is tends to throw things like lettuce and spinach at me if I even place them in front of him so he had a turkey sloppy joe on a whole wheat hamburger bun.  He also had a side of his new favorite food in the world, Cascade Organic Blueberry Yogurt from Henry's.

Spinach Salad with Salmon

Scott's "Salad"

There are veggies in there I promise 

Spinach Salad Ingredients:

Spinach

Salmon, cooked and flaked

Diced Roma tomatoes

Sun dried tomatoes with garlic

Scott's Salad Ingredients:

Iceberg lettuce

Red bell peppers

Shredded Cheese (a lot of shredded cheese)

Two hard boiled eggs

Salmon, cooked and flaked

An overzealous amount of Zesty Catalina dressing

What's For Dinner Challenge

In an effort to be more active and interesting in my blogging skills, since you know, nothing big has been going on here; just a cancelled birthday party, a three day stay in the hospital for Mason's pneumonia, and the temper tantrums that come with a two year old, I have decided to post thirty days of what I am making or eating for supper.  I love to cook and I have had people ask me for various recipes and I have seen this challenge done on other blogs as well.  Maybe after looking at proof of what I have eaten in a month I will be inspired to eat better, or who knows, even realize that I eat better than I thought!

Night 1:

Tuna Casserole

I am admittedly not a huge tuna casserole fan, but Scott made this for me about two years ago and I love it.  However I did not eat it for supper tonight,  my family did.

My supper:

It's not that I didn't really (really) want to eat the delicious cheesy tuna casserole, its that I spent the entire afternoon gorging myself on Goldfish crackers and caramel corn (damn those Boy Scouts).  I felt it was in my best interests to refrain from any more carbs, although now that I think about it fruit has lots of carbs, just the good kind.  Oh well...

Recipe:

3 small cans tuna (packed in water)

1 can fat free condensed cream of chicken soup

3/4 a 16 oz. box of whole wheat pasta (I used rotini)

Shredded Cheese

BBQ Potato Chips, crushed

Cook pasta in boiling salted water, drain

In 9 x 13 baking dish combine tuna and soup

Add in pasta and mix thoroughly

Top with shredded cheese and crushed chips

Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 for 15 minutes

Remove foil and bake for 5 additional minutes

Two Years Ago Today...

Mason is 2 today.  I am so sad to see that he really is no longer a baby, but I am also excited for what has yet to come.

Two years ago I was on the way to the airport to drop off my family that had been visiting for Christmas (they were really here to see the baby, but they disguised it as a Christmas visit).  The entire week they were here was a great time for visiting, but the baby didn’t show.  I was feeling a little sick that day, just thought it was because I had eaten too much, remember it had been months since I had even been triple deuce, who knew how much I weighed by then!  We dropped them off and started back towards base, about 45 minutes away.  By the time we got to our house I was really hurting, I thought I would lay down.  I began to get really uncomfortable (which was usual) and I decided to have Scott call the Dr. to see what we should do.  At this point I was expecting the pain to get much worse, so I thought I better not be a baby about it.  Right after he got off the phone I threw up, which I now know is a sign of transitioning, but I didn’t know that then.  I made Scott do laundry and clean the house up, since I knew family would be visiting right after I had the baby.  We then drove clear across base to the Naval Hospital.  I am yelling at Scott to drive faster, which he can’t, no one wants a ticket on base.

We arrive at the hospital and I am in quite a bit of pain, but I still am expecting much worse, I was terrified.  We get to labor and delivery and they check me and I am dilated to a 7!!! Out of 10!!! They said if I would have waited any longer I wouldn’t have been able to get an epidural.  I am not one for pain so I wanted as much epidural as they could give me. “HURRY” I said, I want the drugs!  I got all hooked up to the machines and the Dr. came in for the epidural.  It was sweet sweet relief.  I felt nothing!  About three hours later after they had broken my water I began pushing, again I felt nothing, this was wonderful, what in the world was the lady next door to me screaming about, I was carrying on a conversation about the movie that was on T.V. “Do you want to see?” the Dr. asked.  “NOO” my husband and I both said.  “Do you want to cut the cord?”  “NOO” Scott said again. “Do you want to hold him first?” “NOO” I said, please clean him off first. Thirty one short minutes later, my sweet Mason Scott was born!

What a difference two years makes!