Christmas pictures

Christmas was awesome! The kids got what they wanted. And so did Juts and I!!! I hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year!

#366 Christmas Pasta

Hey!!! This is the last one!!! Heidi or my dad-in-law was taking the picture I can't remember, but they were all there for me to support me and party on with me. The crappy part was that Alyssa was really sick that day, and so Justin had to stay home with her, and Jensen didn't go either, so it was just me. A lot of people might think that's weird to hang out with your in-laws without the person that GAVE you in-laws. But I am really close to Justin's family and them being there for me and helping be a part of some dumb thing I did meant more to me than they will ever know. They could have said, "dude I don't care about Rachel's stupid blog," but they all made sure they were there they brought stuff to share and didn't even blink an eye. That's how important family is to them. And I was really touched that they seemed to be as excited as I was to celebrate it with me. So, thank you guys. I love you all very much. I never realized how lucky I am to have such loving supportive fun in-laws to share my life with!

So, now that that is out of the way (and enjoy it, 'cause I won't probably say that too often. =) Let's talk about how dinner was. We did a pasta party. I provided all different kinds of pasta along with the #366 dinner, and I had every family bring a different kind of pasta sauce. We had lots of martinellis, salad, garlic bread, and the best fudge I've ever had, thanks to Emily.This was a pasta sauce paired with rigatoni. The sauce had the basis of a very deep flavorful sauce, with SPOG, olive oil, carrot, crushed tomatoes, beef broth, with some other stuff. The meat was sirloin, sweet and hot sausage, and----ground veal! Never bought the stuff in my life. I had to have the butcher ground some cutlets for me at Harmons. Veal is baby cow and light in color and to me has a mild flavor. Mostly because I couldn't taste it in the dish amongst the other meats. The top was sprinkled with a very expensive block of Romano cheese. I've had a lot of meat sauces that were much better than this, but that is a-okay! I had the traditional Italian anti pasta salad of fresh mozzarella, fresh Roma tomatoes, and fresh basil seasoned with salt, pepper and drizzled with olive oil. Aromatic, but the fresh moist cheese gave me a tummy ache. My stomach is not used to nice fresh food. It's much more happy with junk!

Elf Yourself Dances! Funny!

http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/jsB1Q15rdo1EX5ME

http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/JxU0fAviYVB2IhbI

Dances with Jensen, Alyssa, and their cousin Seth. Click on the window to make it bigger.

#238 Sweet and Spicy Salmon with Pineapple Mango Chutney

Hey, Dad was in town so after the "Christmas Pasta" blog party, this was the last one. But I had to wait to post it until this one was over. I have been saving this one for my dad, that's why it's in the middle of the book. I had so much fun with him. My dad and I have really grown close this year from doing this together. So, we won't stop with here! We'll keep going. About the dish, the only thing it was missing was rice, I put in a little too much liquid, so the chutney wasn't as thick as it was supposed to be even after cooking it down. Oh well, it was still really good. The salmon was seasoned with salt pepper and coriander and the chutney was just a simple tropical salsa with mango, lime, pineapple, cilantro, red onion, jalapeno, and some other stuff. Very Very flavorful. Butter in your mouth! I couldn't decide on the pic so I put a few on.

Sick kid??? Don't waste your money going to the doctor.

Sometimes it's necessary to end up taking your kid in if their very ill, but a lot of the times, people take them in when they can take perfectly good care of them at home. They waste money, and hubbub getting your kids to the doctor and waiting at the doctor's office for who knows how long, exposing them to more germs that could get everyone REALLY sick. And taking kids to the doctor is just plain annoying, especially when they end up not doing anything and sending 'em home. Here's a few tips to do most of the things a doctor will do at a sick child visit, at home.

1.) Get yourself a stethoscope, most doctors offices will let you have one. If you can't get your hands on one, no need. You can feel their pressure points, but sometimes it's unclear, so I just put my ear on the kids sternum. It's always loud and easy to hear and count. If your child has a fever or is unwell their heart rate will be higher. The older you get the slower a normal heart rate is. For babies and toddlers 100-140 is about normal, in older kids 80-120 is good range. Teenagers are even lower. Watch a clock with a second hand and count the beats for ten seconds then multiply by six. Just because it's high doesn't mean you need to rush them in, however if it doesn't go down after the fever goes down, it's worth at least a phone call. Also when you are checking a heart rate, you always want to make sure the rhythm is constant. Hearts with skipping beats are not good.

2) You can also use the stethoscope or your ear to detect fluid in the lungs that may be pneumonia, or wheezing, or other respiratory problems. The lungs have four quartects. You need to listen to all four. Have the child sit up and take deep breaths while you listen for sounds in the upper left and right, and lower left, and right. Sounds you don't want to hear are a high pitched whistling sound. This is wheezing and only occurs when the child is breathing out. Most sounds where the chest or throat are concerned are very apparent, and most can be loud and scary, but usually their are not a big deal. Stridor is the loud noise when they breathe in and out and it sounds like someone is pinching their airway. Again, very scary but as long as their is no history of asthma, and they can breath, a little steam, or some fresh air is the best thing for the kiddo. Croup is the seal bark cough and again, is usually the same treatment, but sometimes if it doesn't go away throughout the day, as the mucus breaks up, then the child may need a steroid shot.

3) Ear infections. Does she have it? Does she not? Go to doctormom.com and order an odoscope for ten dollars and never have to go in for false ear infections again. Use a wise nose to protect the ear drum, pull up on the top of the ear, and stick that dog in there. Don't' be afraid to really get in there. Keep the top of the ear pulled up as you angle the nose down and get a good look. If your doing it right, you will be able to see all the wayyyyyy dooownnnn. Pink is good, no infection. Red, or draining is bad, take him in.

4) Fever. Keep lots of Motrin, Tylenol, and especially Pedialyte on hand, so when your kid is sick you have what you need on hand for a good couple of days. The important thing to remember with a fever is that keeping your child hydrated is more important than getting their calories. Don't worry that they haven't had anything to eat for breakfast lunch or dinner that day, or even the next. THEY WILL BE OKAY!!!! TRUST ME!!!! What they need to flush the bug out of their system is fluids and keep them peeing. You would rather have them lose a couple of ounces than be barfing up everything they try to eat and make them miserable, nauseous, and uncomfortable, and draw it out. If they have not peed for 24 hours or is not tearing take them in immediately. If they are well hydrated, usually there is no need to take a child in. That is what the doctor is going to be concerned about most. If your child is very sick and the fever is very high, you can alternate tylenol and motrin every two hours instead of one or the other every four. Also, if your kiddo is doing really crappy, do not give meds "as needed". Keep up with the doses and set the clock. Don't miss a dose. This keeps them happy and feeling better and you have a better chance of them staying that way if you don't miss a dose. If you don't do this, you run the risk of them feeling great and suddenly feeling like complete death again, and it's harder to bring them back up to happy land when their pain level is like a roller coaster. Keep it constant. Again, this is for when they are REALLY BAD. As they get better as needed is the way to go. If the fever seems to go down with meds, just keep doing it as long as it takes, even if it is a couple of days. But if the meds aren't helping with the fever, it might be bacterial, and that you need antibiotics for, so take them in.

5) Look for rashes

6) Diarrhea. Sometimes you can get their stool tested without having the go to the doctor, if you think that's where the problem is. C-diff is a common but very contagious infection in the stool and a very fun thing to deal with on a plane with no diapers!!!! But you can call your doctor, she can order the lab tests, if they come back with something, they will prescribe the meds without out an initial trip to the doctor.

7) I've got more, but that's enough for now. Last one............WASH YOUR BLOODY HANDS!!!!

sorry, I say that word a lot. I'll try to stop =)

#363 Nacho Bread

This was simple, not weird and really good! All the stuff you love on your nachos stuffed in crispy french bread. The refried beans was seasoned with SPOG, a little hot sauce, and 1/2 cup taco sauce and cooked it until it's soft and saucy which made it much yummier than than regular refried beans. It's a great idea for dinner! =)

We are so close to being done! Last recipe is...............CHRISTMAS PASTA!!!

Christmas lights at Temple Square

We went to see the lights at Temple Square. It was really foggy that night so the pictures turned out like a Christmas postcard. It was cold! We had the kids so bundled you couldn't even see Jensen's eyes. No wonder he couldn't walk that night! Merry Christmas Everyone!

#361 Honey Chicken over Snow Pea Rice

I am so proud of myself tonight!!!!!! This was so good, I just about cried! I was running around the house like a loonie yelling "I made this! I made this!" Alyssa thought I had gone nuts and then she and then Jensen felt left out, so they all danced with me. It was like real Chinese take out. All of the Asian foods Rachael made in this book turned out great, but this was so freaking good! I almost didn't make this because I wasn't sure how it would turn out. I would've have someone over if I had known it was going to be so good. I have to calm myself down.........................

Okay I'm calm. so, I learned more things tonight. She cooked the rice with stock, add extra liquid and a few minutes before it was cooked, you put your snow peas(or any veggies you are going to cook) and place them on top of the rice and put the lid back on, don't mix it in. The moisture from the rice steams the veggies, and times it great so that when the rice is finished, the peas are perfectly cooked with just the right amount of crunch. Then you toss the rice and snow peas together. I sliced them thin so I could get Jensen to eat them.

The chicken was cooked in SPOG, ginger, onion, red pepper flakes, and honey. After the chicken is cooked, you put some stock in and make a paste with a splash of cold water and some cornstarch in a bowl, at the cornstarch mixture and it immediately gets nice and saucy just right for this kind of thing. Add some lemon juice and scallions and that is your awesome chicken. It tastes so good, just don't put in too much ginger. Only two recipes to go, and I am finished. I actually made one last week, but I was in a rush and it ended up being so different.

#356 Ham and Spinach Pasta Bake

This was freakin good! I couldn't stop eating it. I learned some tips from Rachael tonight(which was the main point of this).

Tip #1-if you are making a casserole with the base as just pasta and the top is not shloopy enough to incorporate into the pasta, take a block of whatever cheese you like and cube it up and toss with the pasta and then add your topping, so when you bake it or broil it, the cheese melts into the pasta just perfectly and you never have the dry tasteless boring bottom of your casserole

Tip #2- spinach(frozen and defrosted), ham, mozz. cheese, cream cheese, and milk taste amazing when mixed together. I will never forget this little mixture. You don't even have to bake it, just toss that mixture with a simple white sauce(butter, oil, onion, garlic, flour, stock/milk) and pour it over yourself, yum!

#353 Crispy Rosemary-Orange Chicken with Parmigiano String Beans

I made this a week ago, so it's really late. This dinner I loved loved(didn't like the green beans so much). There was a lot of onions and they were sliced, so they were totally standing out disgusting everyone. But they were cooked so long, that they were sweet and tender and didn't even taste like an onion. It was a casserole with big chunks of chicken cooked with the sliced onions and sliced carrots in a thick sauce of orange juice and rosemary. You sprinkled lots of Parmesan and some parsley for the crust and baked until golden. It was served alongside a decedent side dish of barf. They were just what it sounds like, string beans sauteed in Parmesan cheese, that looked like green and white slop. Aside from the yucky green beans, I really liked the taste of everything else, and it seemed to have a Christmas aroma to it! Happy Thanksgiving y'all. t

#331 Sweet Lemon Salmon with Mini Carrots and Dill

Now that's what I'm talkin' about! Ka-chow! The salmon was perfect, it was basted with lemon juice, salt, pepper, and brown sugar that I cooked in a little bit of water. I brushed it on a few times while it was cooking. I also sprinkled some lemon pepper on the fish before I put it in the oven. Dang! I am liking salmon more and more. And the carrots were just cooked in a water bath, drained and quickly sauteed in butter and dill. Not as good as the fish but still great. Thank goodness for my comeback tonight. Not many more recipes to go!

#248 Bean Burritos

I really botched this one up big time. The picture was an embarrassment to food and cameras so, no picture. I had a nacho bar party a few days prior, so I had all these nacho condiments that were going to go bad, so I figured I would use them up in this dinner. Didn't go well at all. Are you ready for it??? It called for Monterrey Jack Cheese for the top of the burritos, but I had a lot of extra nacho cheese leftover, so what did I do??? I poured nacho cheese all over the burritos, thinking I was a genius! That was not so smart. It ended up being slime central. I didn't have enough beef with the sauce to, it was slime central inside too. Yucky. Just take my word for it. It would've been nice to have a pig to feed that night. Oh, wait that's Jensen's job! Thank goodness for Jensen! Better luck next time.

Pumpkin Patch and Halloween

We had a blast at the pumpkin patch. The kids both picked out their punkins. For Halloween this year Jensen was Nacho Libre and Alyssa was the nun from the movie. Encarnacion. I butchered the spelling. Hope you guys are enjoying the weather wherever you are.

#341 Stroganoff Noodle Toss

This was stroganoff with chicken and the sauce was made with a classic rouge with cream and mustard. If you make this kind of dinner a lot, and put different variations in it to change it up, then you might like this twist. She had cornichons or baby gherkin pickles in the recipe. I couldn't find any but, that would have been good I think. Too bad. It was paired with pumpernickel bread! Fun, huh?

#239 Grilled Shrimp Scampi on Angel Hair Pasta

BOO-YA! I'm back in the game. This dinner tonight was very refreshing. I loved it, and I think everyone else did too. Juts never even got himself a plate, he just hung over the pan for ten minutes eating out of the skillet with a fork! The flavor was incredible. There wasn't much to it, just parsley, garlic, lemon, butter, salt, pepper, oil, stock(she used white wine), and some pasta water which thickened it up so it wasn't so watery. I like a little more substance in my pasta sauce, so I added some Parmesan cheese and half-n-half. It made all the difference I think. Yummy yummy yummy!

Want a useful way to use up your nasty food storage potato flakes?

When you are making gravy, sometimes it can be too thin, if you don't want to risk the lumps with flour or cornstarch, put in some instant potatoes or potato flakes that no one will eat, and there are no lumps in your gravy, it's nice and thick and it tastes even better!

By the way, I've had to put the cooking part of the blog on hold until after the Halloween craze is over. I'll start back up in a week.

#322 Chicken Francese Picatta

Rachael likes to combine two dishes in one when she can't decide what to make. So this is Francese which is an egg battered cutlet, and Picatta is a flour dredged cutlet sauteed with lemon and wine (I used stock of course, I bought white cooking wine, but I chickened out). Both are cooked in butter not oil for a much better and more of a French taste. My sister-in-law Lori makes a killer version of this with slivered almonds sprinkled on top. Even as talented as Rachael Ray is, she'll never make it as good as Lori. So this chicken dish is meant to be very light and fresh and it's a very small plate that may not fill you up but that's why you bring on the cheesecake afterward! Pound the chicken, or whatever kind of meat you want, veal, turkey, or fish until it's thin and flat. Dredge in flour, dip in a mixture of half-n-half and egg, and fry it in a couple T. of butter not oil. It goes quick because they are so thin. After they are cooked on both sides, take them out while you deglaze the pan with your stock (or wine if you want to go to hell) =) just kidding! Whisk in flour if you want the sauce a little thicker, add lemon slices, with a little fresh squeezed lemon juice, capers, more butter and parsley. Pour the sauce on top. Bon Appetit!

#333 Sweet and Sour Pineapple Pork

I love sweet and sour anything. I used chicken instead of pork. Oddly enough, her version of sweet and sour pork is the same as mine. Chicken, SPOG, bell peppers, oil, cornstarch, a little brown sugar, stock, pineapple chunks with juice, and finish it off with parsley. Serve with white rice. Easy, breezy, beautiful, Cover Girl.....I mean sweet and sour pork! =)

#325 Creamy Chicken and Asparagus on Toast

This was yummy yummy yummy. You cook chicken pieces with SPOG (if you don't know what that is, read my last post =) and then whisk in some flour so when you add your liquid it gets think and creamy. The liquid is stock and cream or half and half. And asparagus, some Parmesan cheese, ham, and parsley. This is good just by itself or with rice I'm sure, but she tells you to gut some french bread, butter it along with garlic and parsley and toast it (that way it doesn't get soggy when you fill it). After it's toasted then pile the chicken goodies and the sauce on the toasted bread, grate lots of tangy Gruyere cheese on top and melt it under the broiler. I would order this at a bistro. It was a fun way to use up bread and a new spin on chicken. Loved it!

#247 French Fish in a Sack

Hey, so notice that I went back way far? Well I had been saving all the seafood recipes to cook with my Dad but I will be done with this "adventure" soon and we won't have time to make all the fish dishes left to do, so I did this yesterday. The dinner was fish with some veggies, seasoning, and lemon cooked in a paper bag. Two things I had to change, I didn't have any Sole fillets so I bought Talipia and I couldn't find any paper bags so I made foil packets. Here's the deal. I hated Talipia four years ago when I first tried it, and I thought maybe my taste buds had matured enough to like it now. It turned out to be a vomit-induced NO. I don't know what it is about Talipia. I don't get it. I like trout, I like Sole, and lots of other sea critters I can handle, but HOLY CRAP it was bad! Lucky for us Jensen liked it and ate all the leftovers. Yeh!