Colinisms

Colin is a funny kid. He amuses us daily with his crazy antics and new tricks. Unfortunately I can't capture his noises on camera but suffice to say he's a character. From his evil laugh to his numerous grunts (of which I understand 90%), he keeps us on our toes, laughing all the way (okay most of the time).

I've noticed for a while now that his tongue has never extended beyond his teeth. He has never stuck his tongue out, licked his lips, or any other activity involving his tongue leaving his mouth. Since I'm a first time mom, I originally thought this was normal and perhaps he just hadn't reached that milestone yet (is it really a milestone?). However, Colin's girlfriend, Sidney, has been sticking her tongue out since she was born practically. Of course she does rival Gene Simmons for the longest tongue so maybe it was just too hard for her to contain that beast in her mouth all the time. So Wes and I, being the concerned parents that we are, have been trying to get Colin to stick his tongue out for several weeks now. I know, some parents try to teach their kids to say please and thank you, or pick up after themselves, while we're busy trying to teach the terrible habit of sticking out his tongue! Finally after months of waiting, we got our wish this weekend. And he promptly did it in the correct context, at lunch. What normally he would have woofed down, he decided to stick his tongue out at and refuse to eat. Be careful what you wish for! That was short lived and his belly won out. When you see the picture below, how could you help but encourage him to stick it out every chance you get?!

This is the closest I could come to capturing the rotten laugh he makes. And by the way, that laugh ensues every time he goes to get this enormous duster. It's like it's his staff or something and he's proclaiming dominance over our house.

Bill Meck's Dream Come True

I realize that title is lost on any of you that don't watch the Lexington news. We have a very excitable weatherman who, pardon my terminology, "gets off" on any form of severe weather. He has made no effort to hide the fact that he loves snow and probably prays for snow, thus negating those of us praying for the snow to miss us. A coworker of mine saw on channel 18's website that he was forecasting 10 inches of snow before this front was said and done. Pa-leese! Note that the other channels ranged from 1-3 inches. Hmm. While we didn't get the 10 inches of snow, we did get a lovely coating of ice. Colin and I looked out the window this morning so that I could show him the dusting of snow and the coat of ice. His response, "Brrrr". You got that right kiddo! Of course I couldn't pass up the chance to whip out my new camera and snap away (I wasn't brave enough to actually go outside so these aren't quite as clear as they could be). At one point Wes told Colin that I was staring out the window at who knows what. No, I was just trying to capture the ice on the trees in the right light. Geesh, no appreciation for fine photography.

I hope everyone is safe today, tonight, and into tomorrow. It sure would be a good day to curl up with a mug of hot chocolate and watch HGTV/Food Network all day! Maybe you'll be so lucky but not me.

Warm up with a nice big bowl of chili!

In our house there are two soup-type dishes that exemplify winter, chili and vegetable soup. I prefer chili, Wes prefers vegetable soup. Luckily, we both tolerate either but that doesn't stop us from trying to persuade the other to cross over to our side. In an attempt to get Wes to cross over to the dark side, I made this All-American Chili that both the Review Lady and 142 of my closest friends on Cooking Light said was exceptional. I have grown to whole-heartily trust the review/opinion of The Review Lady, so I couldn't wait to dive into a bowl of this chili. The weather was perfect, we had no where to go, and so we were able to just sit back and relax with our nice warm bowl of chili.

This chili did not disappoint! It has a subtle sweetness coming from both the brown sugar and the Merlot, yet a thick meaty texture from the meat, beans, and tomatoes. I used fire-roasted crushed tomatoes for some added flavor as well as the benefit of not having to cut the tomatoes. I didn't have the 2 types of chili powder so I just used 2 tablespoons of regular chili powder. This is my new favorite chili recipe and as the recipe suggests, it was even better the next day. You can find the original recipe here on Cooking Light or the adapted version, that I used, here at The Review Lady's blog.

Going, Going, Gone!

I can't tell you how saddened I am to report that the title refers to Colin's hair, or lack thereof! The boys both needed a haircut so we decided to make the appointment when all of us could go. Colin's hair had spiraled (aren't I clever with my word choice?) out of control and Wes was pretty adamant about getting it cut. Besides the birds nest effect after sleeping and rustling in his crib, I thought it was just fine. It wasn't down in his eyes and it just gave him character, not to mention the luscious curls in the back.

When we got there we were asked the typical hair dresser questions, "What are we doing today?" I was prepared to tell her to trim it as she had in the past but for some reason I decided to ask Wes. Seriously, what was I thinking? Now was not the time to welcome his opinion! The hair dresser asked if we were doing what we had been doing or if we were going to cut it, cut it? Wes said...dum, dum, dum...CUT IT, CUT IT! I guess I was in such shock that I just went with it. I was holding him so I really couldn't see what it looked like until it was all over and I looked down on the ground. There they were, the precious curls all scattered about on the floor. I wanted to cry but I knew that wouldn't put the curls back on his head. Suffice it to say, I hated it. He looked like a different child, one that was much older than 19 months!

When we got out to the car I told Wes I didn't like it and he wanted to know why I didn't say something. What was I supposed to say, glue it back? The damage was done and now I just have to wait and hope that it will grow back just like it was before. Wes told me that he couldn't have kept the curls forever. I'm not so sure about that but apparently that's part of the man code that I'm not well versed in.

Here are some pictures of my not-so-little-boy and his new haircut. Both Wes' and my hair grows really fast, so here's hoping Colin's does too!

Before his hair was so long I could put curlers (at his request) in his hair!

A side view of the curls in the back to go with the overall disheveled look.

And the after....

are you ready for this?

He almost looks sad himself that it's gone. Never fear, he was not the least bit phased by the loss.

And finally a side view. Someone tell me the curls will grow back! Please?!!

Freeze Frame

Ever since Colin was born I've been experiencing faults with my camera. I have a relatively new Canon PowerShot, which up until 19 months ago, was a perfectly acceptable camera. The unfortunate thing about it is the lag-time between when you push the button to take the picture and when the camera actually takes the photo. When you're trying to capture the actions of a small child during their many milestones, you don't have the luxury of waiting 5-10 seconds for the camera to finally take the picture. And by the time you finally get to take a second picture, the infant has no doubt decided not to perform any more tricks right then. So I longed for a camera with a faster shutter speed. After hearing others rave over their DSLR cameras, I began looking on Ebay for a steal. Well I found one and am now the proud owner of a Canon Rebel! I was so anxious to try it this weekend and I felt like such a professional as I snapped everything in sight. I must admit, I love the clicking noise it makes when you snap a photo, thus, contributing to the professional photographer feel. I had a very willing subject as I began my quest to be the next Nigel Barker - you might not have guessed but it was Wes! After his posing he said, "Let me guess, these will be showing up on your blog, right?" Oh you know me so well! Without further ado, I present my first attempt at my new career, using my ever-willing subject! If anyone would like to hire either of us, you know where to find me!!

Time Off, Will Cook!

Some people look forward to a day off from work so they can rest and relax. Not me, I use it as an opportunity to get in the kitchen! Usually Sunday's are my days to prepare more elaborate, time-consuming meals because I have all day to prepare them. So when a day off comes, that means I have TWO days to prepare what I refer to as "fancy" meals! This past weekend was no exception; Sunday I prepared a modified version of Monte Cristo sandwiches, Apple Cowboy Slaw, and sweet potato fries. Monday the weather cooperated with my menu of Mushroom Seafood Chowder, Bacon and Apple Spinach Salad, and Pumpkin Scones. They were all hits! I would have to say the Apple Cowboy Slaw was probably my favorite because it was so different from the typical cole slaw recipe. With the addition of apples and grapes, this slaw really escalated into a higher level taste wise. The Pumpkin Scones were good but I think I'll stick to sweet scones and leave the savory ones for someone else. The Mushroom Seafood Chowder was a delightful treat on such a cold, snowy day. It was a very mild soup yet chock full of veggies and seafood delights. I'm posting that recipe below because it's from a cookbook (Yeah, do you remember those days when you actually got recipes from books and not the Internet?!), The Gooseberry Patch "In the Kitchen With Family & Friends".

MUSHROOM SEAFOOD CHOWDER

2 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled, drippings reserved
3 cups mushrooms, sliced
3 leeks, white parts only, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 med. Potatoes, chopped
2 14.5oz can chicken broth
¼ tsp pepper
1 large carrot, shredded
3 T. butter, melted
3 T. all-purpose flour
2 cups half-and-half
8 oz fresh shrimp, peeled
8 oz fresh scallops

In a large skillet, combine reserved bacon drippings with mushrooms, leeks and garlic. Cook over medium heat until mushrooms and leeks are tender. Add potatoes, broth and pepper to skillet; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until potatoes are tender. Add shredded carrot to skillet and bring to a boil. Blend together margarine and flour, add alternately to chowder with half and half. Bring to a simmer; add shrimp, scallops and bacon. Continue to cook until shrimp are pink, 4-5 minutes. Serves 10-12. (I cut the ingredients and only made about 2/3 of the recipe. However, I found this only served 4 as a main entree.)

Here are a few photos of some of the other recipes:

Monte Cristo Sandwiches

Apple Cowboy Slaw











Pumpkin Parmesan Scones

An Historic Day

Wow, I'm so proud to be an American today! Not that I'm not proud everyday but today commemorates one of the biggest milestones in our Nation's history. Today Barack Hussein Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States, being the first African-American to be elected as our country's leader. I wasn't sure I'd ever see this in my lifetime, let alone when I was 31 years young! I'm so proud of the citizens of the United States of America that we could look past the divides in ethnicity in order to elect the best person for the job. Despite any religious, ethnic, or political differences, we as a nation have come together in unity to welcome our new President. I have the utmost respect and confidence in this man, as he has no small task in his hands. Our country is faltering in so many aspects and to take over as leader of these problems is not for the faint at heart. Obama is full of vigor, determination, and has the intelligence needed to lead our country back on a level playing ground. I'm so excited to see the changes he'll bring forth as he embarks on this 4-year journey!

Bear Cub

You might know him better as Jodie Meeks, but to me he's been Bear Cub ever since he came to UK. I have this thing where I pick out players I like before the season ever begins, based on their looks, like-ability factor, and their drive - no, not too much emphasis is placed on raw talent in my selection process, although it is a bonus! I also have a tendency to nickname said favorites from time to time. Jodie was chosen as a favorite when he came to UK three years ago because he's cute as a button, seems so innocent, is so eager to learn and take direction, and is a real go-getter! When he was hurt last season and had to sit out most of the year, I could just see the look of frustration on his face. He wanted to be out there so badly. Well boy howdy how a year can change things! He's on FIRE this year. In case you missed last night's game (and it was a blessing in disguise that Colin kept me up for 2 hours coughing so I didn't miss it), Jodie broke all kinds of records - the most 3-pointers in a single game (UK's record), the most points scored by any player in TN's gym, and the most impressive, he scored a school-record 54 points! He also went a perfect 14-14 from the stripe. I just couldn't be more proud of my little bear cub! He deserves every accolade he receives and will hold a special place in my heart along with the likes of Ravi Moss (I'm so sorry I forgot you initially, you're still in my heart and I still love you!), Chuck Hayes, Erik Daniels, Gerald Fitch, Derrick Anderson, and the list goes on. Congratulations Jodie!!

When I Grow Up...

I want to be just like my Daddy! Colin was "helping" Daddy put his shoes away when he decided it would be fun to try them on first. I heard Wes laughing and then they both came in the kitchen to show me Colin's latest trick. He was so proud of himself. He has big shoes to fill (pun intended) to live up to the man who wears those shoes! Wes had to hold him up because his little feet couldn't maintain their balance in those clodhoppers.

And then...

I want to love KY sports as much as my Daddy. So far I'm enjoying my autographed Tubby Smith ball that Mommy and Daddy have already had to put up because I was wearing the signature off.

I love you Daddy!

The Making of a Great

This weekend I had the pleasure of watching my youngest niece, Elise, play basketball with a team of 5 and 6 year olds. I couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry. One minute I was as proud as her own mother as I watched this precious little girl follow all instructions and yet be so helplessly lost. I just wanted to run out there and help her. Mind you, she was certainly not the only lost sole out there, they all were. She actually knew more than any of her peers and showed a lot of promise. The coaches turned to her every time they gave instruction. She's a great listener and very athletic, so things come naturally to her. It was a barn burner - 4 to 6 (although no official score is kept). Her team lost but she scored one of their only 2 goals and she also had a steal and dribbled the ball all the way down the court without any mistakes. The whole event was basically mass chaos but I think the kids had fun and that's all that matters. Elise looked so grown up and as I looked at her out on that court, I kept thinking to myself that one day that would be Colin out there and then I'd really be an emotional wreck! It seems like just yesterday Elise was this toddling little girl and now she's the tallest one on the court and has more energy than I do in an entire week! Here are some pictures from her first big game. Mark my word, this little girl is going places!!

In the first picture, she's in the middle in blue. I just loved her stance in the second picture and I love that they have their names on their jerseys. The last picture is an action shot of her dribbling down the court, in the right direction I might add, since that was a big challenge for most of them!

Off to a Good Start

Despite me saying I don't make resolutions for a new year, I realized that I did make a promise of sorts several posts ago when I said I planned to incorporate the crockpot into my menu at least once a week. That's more of a goal, something to make my life easier and allow me to spend more quality time with my family. In an attempt to be true to my word (see that's why I don't like resolutions because you feel like you've let someone down, namely yourself, if you break or deviate from the original goal), I've already used the crockpot twice this week and both were successes in their own right.

First up was a Moroccan-style Chicken Stew. This is not for the picky, non-adventuresome eater. You must like ethnic dishes that invoke a new flair on the traditional American foods. This recipe combines cinnamon, cumin, and ginger for a true middle-eastern flavor. The inclusion of dried apricots and raisins add to the authenticity of the dish. While I wouldn't want to eat this every day, it was a nice change. Served over quinoa for a good dose of daily grains, and paired with peas with mushrooms, this meal was hearty and nutritious. Since I didn't deviate from the original recipe, I'll save the time of copying it, but you can find it on Better Homes and Gardens website (here).

That's actually steam on the left side not a blurry lens!

Last night we had our weekly Mexican meal. I told Wes I feel like we have Mexican all the time and his response was, "No, if we lived in Mexico, then we'd have Mexican all the time." Gotta love his quick wit. On to the meal. I had bookmarked this recipe from Cara's blog months ago but just remembered it last week. Cara had altered the original recipe to utilize her crockpot and I followed suit. Aside from the slight mixup with Fresh Market and their mislabeled spices, this turned out great! Yes, I thought I was buying ground cumin and couldn't understand why my car smelled of licorice the whole ride home. Even when I got home and opened the package, I noticed the smell was slightly off but I still used a little. Nope, it wasn't cumin. I still have no idea what it was but it was returned and I will wait until they have something that smells closer to the cumin I'm accustomed to using! But I digress. I served this shredded pork (I only bought about a 2lb roast and that was enough for 5-6 servings) with corn tortillas, shredded Chihuahua cheese, mexican rice with cilantro dressing (using some of the extra to drizzle on the tortillas, and my go-to corn and black bean salad. We were all too busy feeding our faces to stop for photos, so I snapped one of my leftovers today!

My Little Butterball!

I am thankful every day that Colin is such a good eater! I was a picky eater as a child and can only imagine the frustration my mom faced on a daily basis. The few times Colin has been recovering from stomach issues and won't eat, I have gotten to experience the agony parents of picky eaters must face on a daily basis and I'm not a fan! Wes and I have little patience for the curled up nose, tight lips, and other forms of refusal. I have a feeling we better get ready because if and when we have another rugrat, I'm not so sure we'll get this lucky twice! I guess this is our reward for having dealt with colic and sleep issues. We all have our issues and we all manage to survive.

To give you an example of my Hogatha (I just Googled that name to see how to spell it and found that I've been using the name in the wrong context for quite some time. I thought the "hog" part of the name referred to something large. Nope, it was a witch on the Smurfs, who used her magic to lure unsuspecting suitors. She is large but that clearly wasn't her claim to fame.), I would like to share what Colin ate for dinner Saturday night. We went to Tony Roma's and because I feared a long wait time, I packed a tangerine that I had cut into pieces. Despite my efforts to hide the bag, he spotted it soon after we were seated and immediately wanted some. I tried to space them out but if food is involved, Colin has no patience and wants it all NOW. Then our waitress brought us bread. Of course they have to have it some fancy, eye-catching gadget that Colin spotted immediately! Then the grunting and finger pointing switched from the oranges to the bread. I broke off the smallest pieces I could, as it seemed we were going to have to wait a while for our food. After eating the ENTIRE orange and nearly half the bread, our food arrived. I had ordered him a cheeseburger and steamed broccoli (yes, my child eats anything!). I cut the burger in half thinking that's all he needed or would want. Well after eating the entire half and over half the broccoli, he was grabbing for more. Although Wes and I have never said a word about the "Clean Plate Club", Colin somehow knows about it and feels he needs to clean his plate at all costs. As long as there's food on his plate, he still wants more. I asked our waitress to bring us a to-go box so I could hide the food and get it off his mind. In waiting for the box, I had to cut the remaining half of the burger and give him another slice it. His belly was tight as a drum, it protruded like an old man with dun-lapse disease, but he was content. I feared that he would need to expel some of the excess before the night was over but instead, it just made for a good night's rest! I share with you a few pictures demonstrating his ever-expanding gut.

If you could only see these pj's in person! They are skin tight and really accentuate the belly. Nice!

The side profile!

Further evidence that my child will eat anything, yes, that is a golf ball in his mouth!

Up close view of the golf ball. I sure hope he doesn't get lockjaw!

Turkey (Beef) Enchilada Casserole

One good thing about this blog is that it's forcing me to find good, repeat-worthy recipes. It's exciting when I find a recipe that is a star because I get to share it with you. I've actually tossed the idea around in my head of making a 5-star, go-to cookbook. I wouldn't be selling it, I'd just pass it out to my friends so they would have a good source of tried and true recipes. The thought it there, now I just have to find the time!



I used to shy away from recipes that didn't turn out so good. Now I tend to be determined to find cures for these flops, whether it be another recipe entirely, or just tweaking the existing recipe. I'm not really one to break out and create my own unique recipe, although that is something I strive for! One day, hopefully you'll see me on the Pillsbury Cook-off...as the winner!



In keeping with overcoming my fears of bad recipes, I'm determined to find an authentic-tasting recipe for enchiladas. I think my biggest complaint for any recipe I've tried is the enchilada sauce. A friend of mine, suggests making your own using this recipe from the Food Network. However, time is an issue for me and therefore canned is much easier and time saving.

I found this recipe when looking for something else entirely, but thought I'd give it a whirl. It received top ratings from Southern Living/Cooking Light's readers and I've found those to be right on. From previous trials and errors with ground turkey, I decided the recipe needed some ground beef as well to add flavor. I believe some of the reviewers comments indicated to add more seasonings and even a can of green chiles. I suspect both of those recommendations were to boost up the turkey, but I followed the suggestions nonetheless. Wes has become somewhat wary of any recipe including ground turkey, so for him to say this dish "was pretty good" was a big step in the right direction. While this recipe isn't exactly enchiladas, it's a start. I think the key was the enchilada sauce I sent Wes out to get. I had already been to 2 grocery stores and couldn't find it in me to go back! My loving husband gladly obliged and went back to Whole Foods (I swear those people know us by name we're in there so frequently!). He came home with a $4+ can of enchilada sauce, Hatch brand. Knowing how I would react (being the cheapskate that I am), he prefaced this by telling me he hoped this would work because it's all they had. Well I guess sometimes you do get what you pay for because this was so much better than Old El Paso, Frontera, Meijer brand, Archer Farms, and any other brand I've tried. I'm anxious to try (well not too anxious because of the price) this again with another enchilada recipe. Until then, I'm still in search of the perfect enchilada recipe!



Here's the recipe as I doctored it:

Turkey Enchilada Casserole

Ingredients

1/4 pound ground turkey breast
1 1/4 pounds ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic (2 cloves)
1 can of diced green chiles (with liquid)
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon olive oil (you can omit this if you're using ground beef)
1 can (29 oz.) red enchilada sauce (Hatch brand if you're willing to spend the extra $)
Salt
12-14 corn tortillas (6 in. wide)
2 cups shredded reduced-fat jack or Chihuahua (our personal favorite)cheese (8 oz.)


Preparation
1. In a saute pan over high heat, stir ground beef, turkey, onion, garlic, oregano, chili powder, and cumin in oil until turkey is crumbly and no longer pink, about 4 minutes. (I had to drain mine here because of the grease from the ground beef and the liquid from the chiles. You might want to add back in some spices if you feel a lot get drained away.) Stir in 1 cup enchilada sauce. Add salt to taste.
2. Meanwhile, cut tortillas in half. Arrange a fourth of the halves evenly over the bottom of a shallow 3-quart casserole (no idea what they're referring to here so I used a 13x9 pan), overlapping to fit. Sprinkle a fourth of the cheese evenly over the tortillas, then top with a third (because I used a bigger pan, I only got 2 layers of meat) of the turkey mixture and a fourth of the remaining enchilada sauce, spreading each level. Repeat to make two more layers of tortillas, cheese, turkey mixture, and sauce; top with another layer of tortillas and sauce, then cheese.
3. Bake in a 425° regular or convection oven until cheese is melted and casserole is hot in the center, 18 to 20 minutes.

Happy New Year and Yummy Meatball Sub Recipe

Happy New Year's to everyone! As I said before, I'm not one to get overly excited about New Year's Eve or making resolutions. To me, this is just another day, a day off from work that is. Woo hoo! I will be celebrating the holiday in my warm and cozy bed at about 10pm. Don't be too jealous of me when you have a throbbing headache and a nice hangover tomorrow. Meanwhile, I'll be taking down all my Christmas decorations, running errands, and going to the grocery. Hmm, maybe I should rethink the partying, it sounds much more exciting than my day ahead. Oh well, I'll be so glad when it's all packed up and the house is back to normal. Isn't it amazing how big your house seems after the Christmas tree and decorations come down? Even the smallest of spaces seems gargantuan once the space is bare. As a parting toast, here's hoping this year is a great one for you and be safe!

I leave you with a great and mostly healthy recipe from the magazine All You. I realize most of you probably haven't heard of this magazine but I needed to add some SkyMiles to my account and thus my subscription to some random magazines. I'm usually somewhat skeptical of recipes containing ground turkey because they tend to lack flavor. However, this one, with the addition of a little ground beef mixed in, didn't lack for anything! I modified the recipe slightly, as I didn't think I needed quite the quantity of meatballs it yielded. I'll post the original below and note my modifications in red. I served these on whole-grain hoagies from Meijer, mac-n-cheese, and sugar snap peas with mushrooms.

Turkey Meatball Subs

2 large eggs
1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
½ cup chopped parsley (I used a combo of dried parsley, oregano, and basil, totalling about 1-2T.)
2/3 cup grated Parmesan
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 lbs ground turkey (I used 1 1/2 lbs turkey and 1/4 lb ground beef.)
1 24-oz jar marinara (I used Muir Glen Fire-Roasted Tomato Sauce and it was exceptional!)
8 crusty sub-style rolls
2 ½ T olive oil
12 oz sliced provolone

Whisk eggs with 3 T. water. Stir in bread crumbs; let stand 5 minutes. Add Parmesan, parsley, garlic and turkey; mix gently until well combined. Moisten hands and roll mixture into 24 1 ½ inch balls. Transfer to a dish large enough to accommodate all meatballs. Refrigerate meatballs for 30 minutes (I made mine the night before and they were just fine).
Pour marinara into a wide, deep pot with a lid and warm over med-high heat. Add meatballs (sauce will not completely cover meatballs), cover and cook 10 minutes. Uncover and turn meatballs. Cover; cook 10 minutes longer, until meatballs are no longer pink inside (cut one to test). Watch the temp because mine started to burn on the bottom at this high temperature. I ended up cooking them on medium.
Preheat broiler to high. Cut rolls lengthwise and drizzle inside of each with 1 tsp olive oil. Divide cheese among rolls and place on baking sheet. Broil until cheese is melted and bread is lightly toasted, 1-2 minutes.
Place 3 meatballs on each roll and spoon sauce over. Serve immediately.

This recipe yielded 19 fairly large meatballs for me. The original recipe says it yields 24.