Daily Gobbles

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Monster Superbowl Cookies

A few years ago, I made monster cookies when the Cardinals and Steelers played in the Superbowl. I think it was 2 years ago. Anyway, I wanted to make them again because it was a fun little project; but of course, I waited till the last minute and they were out of the color "black" M&Ms at my local candy store (For those of you not interested in Football - the Green Bay Packers are playing against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Superbowl Football Championship.) I managed to scrape the last few out along with the other team colors and got to baking tonight. Looking forward to some pierogi and cheese fondue for tomorrow night (on top of other goodies). I'm trying a new recipe for the pierogi (new recipe nothing: I've never made them in my whole life) so I'll have to let you know how they come out.
I'm cooking the cinnamon rolls I finally got around to making tonight...but that is for another post.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Toddler won't eat

Ugh. Tonight is no fun. I'm listening to my 2 year old cry "I want mommy" from his bedroom. We have been waging a "food" war with my son and I'm at my wits end. My husband and I have tried patience, reasoning (although is there really with a 2 year old?), Santa threats back at Christmas, removal of toys, sent to room, rewards of cookies, etc., time out, ...everything. I don't know what to do. He does eat sometimes and we felt like we were making progress with removal of toys...but tonight he just absolutely would wave bye to them and tell us "take them away." Oh, boy, do you feel like you lost as a parent (on top of the fact that my husband and I were staring at each other with OMG looks) when you've lost with a two year old.

What to do? They say that kids eat when they eat, but he'll eat one night and not the next. but it's been a fight every.single.night. I don't want to deal with this anger about it. Some parents say that they give their kids a mandatory three bite rule, but it's a battle just to get that.

Thoughts? Suggestions? I need help!

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Must've read my mind!

Oh happy day! Work was closed today because we have gotten a big snow storm. After taking care of a sick child for 5 days straight, I was absolutely exhausted. Thank God that we got a big snow storm and I not only didn't have to go to work today, but the office is also closed tomorrow! Talk about a great way to get refreshed and recharged. I spent the day resting, but cleaning my kitchen. It isn't all that glamourous (it's a early 80s kitchen), but I scrubbed down the stove, wiped the counters all down and mopped the floor. We're in the process of updating the hardware on the cabinets. There's something about sitting on my barstool here and staring at this corner of the kitchen that just makes me so happy and feel accomplished. It isn't often that my kitchen looks like this...oh, there's a pot in the sink, grrrrrrrr. Right now, I am finishing up some yummy oatmeal raisin cookies. Tomorrow, I'm going to try my hand at Cinnamon Rolls. Maybe I'll get real crazy and clean the bathrooms. :)

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies: (from my good friend Ashleigh)

2 sticks of margarine (I had to use butter since we're snowed in; they are better with margarine)

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 white sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups Quaker Oats (quick or old fashioned) uncooked

1 1/2 cups raisins

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees

2. Beat together margarine and sugars until creamy

3. Add eggs and vanilla, beat well

4. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; mix well

5. Stir in oats and raisins; mix well

6. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheet

7. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown

8. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet; remove to wire rack

About 4 dozen.

Thanks for stopping by!

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Menu for week of January 31st

I'm so tired tonight. My 2 year old is sick with a fever and has been miserable since Wednesday night/Thursday morning. Luckily, it was my Friday off...but it has hardly felt like a weekend. I'm probably staying home tomorrow because he's still stick. My husband is sick too, but he has to go into work tomorrow because he also teaches class. I am having these bursts of pregnancy hormones that make me OCD in cleaning, organizing, etc...yet I'm so worn out from taking care of my son. It's a vicious cycle.

THIS IS LUNCH:

Monday	Spaghetti Carbonara Jello, Pears, Yogurt
Tuesday	Broccoli/Spinach Quiche with bacon; Spinach Salad;
Wednesday	Sloppy Joes, Pasta Salad; Jello, Carrot Sticks, Pineapple
Thursday	Quiche, Spinach Salad;
Friday	Left Overs

THIS IS DINNER:

Monday	Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
Tuesday	Steak, Sweet Potatoes, Caesar Salad
Wednesday	NBA Game Night - Stadium Food.
Thursday	Manicotti, Italian Sausage Tomato Sauce, Bread
Friday	Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry with Rice
Saturday	I don't know ...I really don't know. Maybe I'll get some ideas from This week for dinner menu.
Sunday	Super Bowl Dinner - mmm. Mini Sliders...(King Hawaiian Dinner rolls with ground beef); 7 layer dip, shrimp with cocktail sauce, Monster Cookies with Packers/Steelers Colors; The list goes on.

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Potstickers!

Yum! I made Potstickers this afternoon. I've made wontons lots of times, but potstickers...er....scared me. They seemed so hard. Well, turns out they weren't!!! I checked out some different ones online and made my own. Here's what you need.

3/4 head of medium cabbage - I shredded in Food Processor
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 small can of water chesnuts, diced up
1-2 tsp Chinese Five Spice
2 tsp Sesame Oil
1 tsp ground ginger (I used fresh grated....that was interesting to do, it really sticks to the grater!)
1 tsp salt
1-2 tsp sugar
Wonton wrappers
Water, divided some in ramekin...some in 1/4 cup at a time.
Vegetable Oil

Mix this all together...with your hands tends to be best....and really get all the cabbage blended in. Yes, the pork is raw...so wash your hands I stuck in the freezer about 45 minutes to an hour. I read that it helps that it's all cold, and I think that made a difference.

Once it's cold - I used my hands again to grab a little glob at a time. Place on the wonton wrapper, floured side up. Sometimes it's hard to tell, but if you flip it over and back - you'll be able to tell which one is which.

Next get your fingers dipped in the water and spread along the outer edges. Rather than folding in triangles, I folded straight up and sort of "half mooned" shaped it around the wrapper. You gotta be a little careful because too much inside it'll tear. This recipe used all the wrappers from the package..It helped me some to fold in the edges to help continue shaping.

I made 6 at a time (yes, I know there are 7 on the plate)...place in about 1 capful of vegetable oil on medium-high heat, flat side down. This will start the sizzle, cover immediately. It really helped me to set the time for 1.5 minutes. Once it has reached that, dump 1/4 cup of water into the pan and recover...cooking for another 2.5 minutes.

Remove...BUT DO NOT place on paper towel to drain..they'll stick. I made a little sauce too with some soy sauce, sesame oil, ground ginger, cider vinegar and a little sugar/salt. But I don't think it came out right. I'm trying to find one that would be more syrup-y (my lingo) like the restaurants have.
These also made it just fine being re-heated in the oven for a bit.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Traditional Correspondence...

In these modern times of email, texting, facebooking, tweeting...what have you.... it's becoming a lost art (at least for me) in the thoughts of sending a note...aside from the nice thank you notes every now and then.

A few days ago, a family friend popped into my head. I hadn't been thinking of any particular memory, or any circumstance...it was just boom! I thought of her. Well, in that instant I thought "Hey, I should send her a thinking of you card." And she's not on facebook - even if she was - I should still send a note. Maybe it would make her day. And that's when I realized that part of the reason snail mail is so unpopular is because it quickly entered my head that I didn't have time to sit and write a card. But then I proceeded to think about her 4-5 more times...and realized in the time it took for me to remind myself that I didn't have time..I needed to just do it. And low and behold I did it the next day - TODAY. I got back from lunch a few minutes early, and wrote it at my desk. Lucky for me, I keep a sheet of stamps in with my box of stationary. This is a good habit to keep (especially now that they sell those forever stamps!) So I dropped it in the mail and we'll see.

I came up with a cute little poem since I didn't exactly know what to say. Perhaps if you have a nice card or something, you may send someone special a note to brighten their day. Just sit down and do it! Getting mail these days that is something happy - and not junk or advertisements - is always a nice surprise.

A small little note
because I thought of you today,
and so I said a short prayer
hoping everything's okay.
I send you this card
that I'm thinking of you,
and hope your day is a little more cheerier too!

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Menu: January 24th

I came up with a new plan this weekend. Why should I continue to pay $2.50 for 6 cups of Jello pre-made...when I could use those cute cups and make my own and choose my own flavor for 33 cents! So I only have one package of those GLAD containers...gotta go get more today if I'm to do this.

Second, snacks are really hard to figure out without resorting to Potato Chips and other junk (i.e. cookies, brownies, etc). Sure, we have a bag in our pantry every now and then...but if you have other snack ideas, let me know. I like to keep a good variety on my list to choose from.