January, 5th 2014
We are supposed to be heading for the deep freeze today. We are predicted to have temps in the single digits and possibly below zero. I am a bit concerned for my kitties and kiddos. We only have a wood box with towels and sheets in it that the cats can squeeze in thru the narrow opening to keep warm, but that is for 20 degree nights not zero! And my kids were supposed to be out tomorrow still for school but since we had an ice event in December, that cancelled my chance to see a neat homestead at Christmas, this is our first make up day. We also now have one on Presidents day. But with this frozen tundra outlook and if the rain that came thru this am freezes, it will be slicker than con artist at a packed mall and we will miss again! That means our April day off is out too. I worry my kids will get frostbite just going from car to building! Thankfully, the school won't let them out for recess, but then again they are cooped up and driving the teachers mad if they don't'. Lets face it, the south is NOT used to, nor do we want to be, this type of cold weather. And with our humidity, it is colder than these types of temp up north and we whine a lot...and for some odd reason buy up all the milk and bread. Must be french toast cravings or something!
For some odd reason, when it gets cold, I get the urge to bake like a mad woman. I am totally hooked on the Pioneer Woman shows on Food Network (thepioneerwoman.com) and have made many of her meals of late and man are they good. (I want to be her when I grow up minus the cattle. Been there done that growing up and do NOT miss it except for the access to lots of land!) The meals are a bit richer and more in calories but since it is homemade and also done with veggies or beans, I still win out over eating processed meals. I have a recipe, not sure where I got it probably off a soup can, for Mexican chicken spaghetti. I ad-libbed and used the Pioneer Woman's recipe for making Alfredo in my own recipe and man was it awesome. I reserved a bit back for lunch but froze the rest for a later day. I have been better this year about freezing my left overs and then I have a list on the side of my fridge so I don't forget what is in there. I also keep some in my freezer drawer inside and then the rest in the garage freezer.This has turned out well and provided some nice meals when I am not inspired, which is often...
I have had fun all week baking. I made white bread in the bread machine that the kids devoured. I made PW's homemade granola bars that the kids liked. (If hubby and I like it that is awesome, but if the kids also like it, then I score big time.) I made Green Goddess Dressing that the Lawyer liked and then I made Ranch and used it on some local Romaine I bought at the farmer network. She ate it and it was not crunchy lettuce! I tricked her into eating spinach one day so now she can handle the leafy greens better as long as I cover it in ranchy like dressing (she at the green goddess dressing and liked it too but I didn't tell her it was not exactly ranch dressing...). I think I found our her texture issues are like mine. A lot are in our head but we can find ways around them to trick our gag reflex with flavor. For her, it is good tasting ranch and I didn't want to have to buy it anymore so I make it. I also made another dressing but haven't used it yet as it is more oil based. I plan to use it today as I pattied up some hamburgers the other day while on a freezer meal kick. I may use the dressing on the burgers and salad as hubby doesn't eat the buns due to the gluten issue.
Lately, I have been trying to utilize leftovers in some fashion for the next meal. That is a bit harder for me so far but I did manage to use some left over crushed tomatoes from an enchilada recipe in my chili. I hate having things go to waste but never have been good thinking it thru. Now I find if I just do that, which is think or watch food shows, I get ideas and can either use what I saw or modify it to what I have or like. It just takes a bit of effort from me and I tend to prefer to procrastinate! Sometimes my ideas flow so much that I keep notepads lying everywhere so I can write them down.
With the weather and the fact that activities start back up next week with school, I need to get more ideas so I can have options in the freezer to whip up on those busy and uninspired nights. I have left over chicken that I think I might go Asian with or maybe Indian flare with a mix of Asian. See, I just have to sometimes force myself to look in the pantry and use what I have which also gives me ideas. I learned that from a food article about pantry waste. I need to reread it as my pantry over floweth right now! I use ides from shows mixed with what I am currently craving. The hardest part is getting the kids to eat what we are eating. I have successes but not every day or even week. I did manage to make PW's quesadilla's and both girls liked them so that is good. I bet I could make them with chicken and they might be a hit.
Lawyer is my picky eater and I took her to a chicken place before Christmas while out shopping and got her to eat the strips with success. We then ran to Buffalo Wild Wings on New Years while out shopping and she ate the strips there. Now my goal is to get her to eat chicken from home that I cook. I have yet to do that but my chicken nuggets do not have a crispy texture generally since I use a GF flour and sometimes a corn meal. I need to work on that a bit as the key might be the outside coating. Monkey already loves them so anything to get us all eating the same meal is my goal and I am getting closer and closer!
I am trying to raise our kids on as much whole and natural food as possible. It takes a bit more effort on my part but not that much and if I plan ahead on a weekend, I can prepare for the week and still have time to relax and unwind on the weekend. I keep having the girls try new things (Monkey prefers butternut squash and sweet potato raw versus cooked...I will take what I can get!)
Figured out the comments! :)
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