Hearty and Healthy Turkey Chili

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This is a great cold night or football game watching dish. It’s great because you dump all the ingredients together and let it simmer until you’re ready to eat.

1lb of ground turkey

1 small can of tomato sauce

1 packet of ranch dressing

1 packet of chili seasoning

1 can of condensed French Onion Soup

1 can of kidney beans

1 can of canalleni beans (sp? white kidney beans is what I’m looking for here)

1 white onion

3 garlic cloves, crushed

 

In a stock pot, heat olive oil with the garlic. Add in the turkey and brown and then add in the diced onion. Salt and pepper and let cook until the onions begin to become translucent. Add in the ranch and chili packets.

Partially drain the beans and add them in. Then the onion soup and tomato sauce. If it seems too thick, add a little hot water, but it should be pretty dense. Reduce the heat and really scrap the bottom of the stock pot to get all the bits off the bottom. Let simmer for at least 20 minutes or until you’re ready to eat.

Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese and crackers. Also cornbread would be delicious!

What Did You Call Me?!

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I realized the other day that Peter and I have a lot of stupid names we call Baylor. They are all funny names that have come up from the various stages in her life and the activities that happen during those stages.

For example, when she was first born I made the mistake of calling her “crib” in the hospital (which is more like a big, clear plastic bucket) her crate – as in the dog crates we use at home. I found this hilarious but the nurse did not. We found ourselves calling her Puppy for a while after that.

She was also referred to as the Drool Monkey for a while. The drool part is obvious, don’t ask me where the monkey part came from. We were sleep deprived and found stupid things hysterical. Angel Baby evolved to Angel Puff and then to Puffer until she started eating Gerber Puffies and then that stopped.

We’ve always affectionately called her Baby Man Hands because she has well, really big hands for a kid. And they seemed really large when she was very small. She has always been Toots McGoots and Stinks McGinks for obvious reasons.

And lastly, she is Crayon Eater. While sweetly coloring with Peter last weekend, she randomly picked up her crayon, observed it, and then bit off the tip. And so, a new nick name is born.

(Bear is really trying to look pathetic in this one…and you see where the Puppy name comes in..!)

Kids V. No Kids

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When you don’t have kids and have a lazy Sunday morning, you get up around 10am. When you do have a kid, you get up at 6:30, have pancakes, water plants, play in the play house, read books, put stickers on the dogs, have a snack, get soaked by the house, change, have a glass of milk and then go back to sleep at 10am.

The Power of No

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A very novel thought occurred to me the other day: I could just say “no” when asked to do something. Not “I’m soooo sorry, but I have an appointment and I don’t have a sitter for Baylie but please keep me in mind next time you need help, again so so sorry!!”. But rather just a plain and simple “no, I can’t”.

I think it’s funny that this didn’t occur to me before this point – it’s not a novel idea, but it struck me like one. I think when you’re a kid and a teenager and more importantly a young adult, you’re never allowed to say no. You don’t want to be impolite or incorrect or worse, a bitch, so you always give in and say yes. When I had my first and second jobs and my real career, I never said no. And it was that “go getter” attitude that got me where I wanted to go, but I think also the reason I was so burned out when Baylie was born and what spurred me to decided to resign and stay home.

When I can pay taxes, get an umbrella policy on the home I own and give birth to another human being, I can say no to something if I don’t want to do it, consequences be damned. If the other person doesn’t like my answer, oh well. They will either get over it or they won’t and that’s ok by me.

Don’t panic, I haven’t turned over a new, cynical leaf. But I have realized that sometimes for my own sanity I need to back off and not be the “go to” person for all friends, family and everyone else. Peter is laughing at this post right now thinking that this is A. not true and I never say no to anyone but him B. there’s no way I’m going to start saying no to people because it’s not in my vocabulary and C. that I need to stop writing about him in my posts. And he has a point, it’s my nature to be the fixer in most situations. But I’ve learned that there are limits and saying no is something I need to do more – even if it’s just to doing the dishes.

My Meatballs Are Better Than Your Meatballs

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I like to cook with ground turkey a lot – however, my recipes always need a little tweaking. The extra lean turkey is a little dry because of the lack of fat so it needs a little extra work to make it tasty. I hit pay dirt with my meatball recipe last night. The proof? I thought they were delicious and Baylie ate an entire meatball!

1 lb of ground turkey – lean or extra lean

1 packet of ranch dressing mix

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 mozzarella cheese sticks

1-2 eggs

bread crumbs or cracker crumbs

Combine the turkey, garlic, 1 egg and ranch packet. Chop the cheese sticks into small quarters (cut lengthwise into 4ths, then dice) and add to the turkey mix. If the mixture seems dry, add the second egg. If it’s too wet, add some bread crumbs. It should be very moist, but hold a ball shape.

In a big skillet, heat some olive oil. Roll the meatballs and drop them into the pan. If you leave them alone until  you see browning on the pan, then you can easily roll them to the opposite side to continue browning (i.e. if they stick, they aren’t ready to turn). Cover with a lid and reduce the heat until cooked through.

Sauce:

1 small zucchini or yellow squash OR 1/2 a large one

1 pint of grape tomatoes

1 jar of  your favorite red sauce

Dice the zucchini into small chunks. Add zucchini and tomatoes to a sauce pan with a tablespoon of butter. Saute until soft and a little brown and the tomatoes are popping. Add sauce and let simmer until you’re ready to eat.

Combine whole wheat pasta shells, meatballs and pour sauce over all of it. A little sprinkle of parmesan and you’re ready to eat a delicious and healthy meal! Some fresh basil or parsley would be a great addition too. It makes a ton and is awesome for lunches the next day (and probably the day after!). Bon appetite!

 

I Do! I Mean, They Did!

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Gorgeous, right?

I had the distinct honor of attending my good friend and Alpha Phi sister and her lovely fiance’s wedding this past weekend. Kristin and Jack tied the knot (literally – I’ll get to that) this past weekend in Prescott. To say this wedding was typical couldn’t be further from the truth. While it appeared to be a traditional event, there were too many amazing details that made it nothing short of fantastic.

To start, Kristin anticipated every guests needs. There was a shuttle to take you from the hotel to the ceremony. Got a heavy gift? The gift table was 1 step away from where the bus stopped. Chilly? An array of pashminas (spelling?) in deep purple, copper and cream, the colors of the wedding. Shoes killing your feet? Yup, there were copper sparkly flip flops so you could kick off your heels and keep dancing. Thirsty? I literally almost knocked over a guy with an entire tray full of wine selections. Not sure what kind of cake you’re in the mood for? Don’t worry, there were at least 4 different and delicious varieties to choose from.

While all of these things alone would make any event special, it was the usual things that Kristin and Jack made perfect. Most couples when getting married at sunset would have the guests face the sunset. But these two had the guests face away so you could watch the landscaping change from tan to warm pinks and oranges, thus providing an amazing back drop for the beautiful bride and groom. And the knot tying business; Jack’s sweet sister, Stormy, was the officiate of their wedding. Part of the ceremony including taking several silk ribbons and tying J and K’s hands together. There are several theories on where the term comes from, but many believe this old Christian ritual is the origin. Not to mention adorable and very pretty! The couple also held a stone from a mountain they visited in Switzerland, thus setting their vows in stone. The guests were all given a bell tied with ribbons to shake and the couple was pronounce husband and wife – you can see them in the picture above. It is so far, Baylie’s favorite toy this week.

The best part, in my opinion, was that Jack and Kristin did a lot of their pictures prior to the ceremony. And also because it was a smaller wedding, we got to see them! They were at cocktail hour, dinner and dancing – not being whisked away for pictures. It was so nice to get to tell them how beautiful it all was and dance the night away, rather than wondering when they would join everyone.

Due to the excessive amount of wine and dancing, Tyler husband of Megan, left his coat at the table. When we retrieved it to take with us on the bus back to the hotel, we realized he left his glasses in the pocket. And thus, a sunglasses montage ended what was a truly memorable evening.

Congrats Mr. and Mrs. Thomson!



Coffee, Coffee, Coffee

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Like most people, I like to start the day and mid day and sometimes late afternoon with a coffee. And again like most people, going to Starbucks once or twice a week is not in the budget let alone three times a day. So I make my own delicious drinks at home.

At an after Christmas party last year, a  friend of a friend’s college (I kid you not, that’s actually the connection) began telling me about a great coffee shop in North-ish Scottsdale that roasts their own beans. She detailed how amazing each of the blends were and how unique each of the types of beans were in flavor, color and scent. I don’t fancy myself someone who knows a lot about all that jazz, but I do like a really delicious iced coffee. So Bay and I ventured out to the Village Coffee Roastery and were very pleased with the results. Not only is the shop its self adorable, but they offer a variety of pastries and sandwiches in addition to great beans. The best part is the coffee is really noticable better than something you buy in the grocery store or, dare I say it, Starbucks. I tried the Mexican blend this time and it has a very noticable chocolate flavor to it. It is delicious with some Truvia sweetener, two shakes of cinnamon, milk and ice for an afternoon jolt.

The manager is always there and might be one of the nicest ladies I’ve ever met. She knows about each bean and what it tastes like and is more than helpful with trying something new or bagging up your long time favorite. Try it for breakfast and take a bag home to keep your caffeine addiction fed.

Village Coffee Roastery

http://www.villagecoffee.com/index

You Know You’re a Mom When…

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1. You can tackle almost any house hold task silently. Dishes, laundry, ironing,  vacuuming, mopping, etc all produce some kind of noise. A mom can do all with ninja like stealth.

2. Your purse weighs as much as your baby

3. The contents of your purse would help you through any imaginable scenario from a runny nose to a hungry kiddo to defusing a nuclear missile.

4. You can carry a baby, a purse, push a stroller and a coffee with ease.

5. When you hear classical music, you know which Baby Einstein dvd it’s from.

6. You speak in sing songy voices to adults by accident.

7. You can make a game out of folding clothes, doing dishes and eating vegetables.

8. You know that no toys is as fun or holds attention like a cell phone, keys or a random item in your purse can.

9. You measure lengths of time by nap times. “I got the entire yard trimmed, raked up AND a shower in one nap!”.

10.You have a ridiculously amazing ability to suck it up.

My Solemn Vow

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I have decided here and now that no matter how many kids we have, no matter how tired I am and no matter how much they hate to have their hair brushed, my children will never look like they have a rat nest for hair.

We always see the same family at church and even when their kids are split up by age into their religious class groups in the front, you can spot them. They all have crazy hair. And I don’t mean like it’s a little messy in the back. I mean the girls have creases from various pony and pig tail combinations coupled with a severe case of bed head and atrocious lack of conditioner. I want to bathe them all, slather their heads in Pantene and comb their locks into neat little pig tails with ribbons.

On a side note, I tried to play “beauty shop” with Baylie this week. She has neither the hair nor the patience to do so.

Today makes me envy working moms…

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Look, I know I have it amazing, ok? So no snarky “I would love to be home with my baby!!” comments, ‘kay?

Because the truth is, yes, 9 times out of 10, you would like to be home with your kiddo full time. But that 1 time out of 10, you’d rather be at the office and let someone else deal with your earpiercing screaming, klingy, so tired she can’t stand it but refuses to nap, kid. For the last 2 hours I’ve tried everything to get Baylie to go down for her afternoon nap. After the first 45 minutes, I gave up only to have her run around screaming and hitting because she’s exhausted. She even kicked Bear the dog. Not that I haven’t thought about that once in awhile, but he wasn’t doing anything to deserve it so it was unfair (trust me, she has lots of opportunities when he’s being bad to kick him so we need to be sure to praise when he’s not being bad). So I fed her a snack, broke down and gave her a bottle (after no bottles for the last 2 days, arg!!) and no sleepy. But when I release her from her swaddle, she instantly melts down. I bounced and rocked her in her cool, quiet and dark bedroom for an hour – she finally closed her eyes and when I put her down, they popped back open. At this point I would hold her if she would just fall asleep, but noooo. So how am I writting this post right now? Well, we’re all in a bit of a time out. Bear and Travis are in the laundry room having their dinner, Bay is in her crib with classical music on and lots of toys and books and I am writting in an effort to vent my frustration and then off to fold the 3+ baskets of laundry that have been waiting for the last several hours.

Don’t think this is a great solution – there are spurts of screaming, loud and sad “Momma!!’s”, yabbering and even calling for Bear (which comes out more like “Baaah!!” like she’s from Boston). The quiet timeout is going to continue for at least as long as it takes me to finish the laundry. Hopefully by then everyone will be in a nicer place and we’ll all be able to play hide and seek and “Where’s Travis??” in a nice, non dog kicking manner.

If not, the wine opens early.