S'More Brownies

S'More Brownies

10 graham crackers, broken in half, divided
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter
12 tablespoons baking cocoa + 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (or 4 squares unsweetened baking chocolate)
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
2 1/2 cups mini-marshmallows
1 cup semi-sweet chunk (or Hershey's special dark chocolate chips)

Heat oven to 350. Line 9X13 pan with foil, grease foil. Place 15 grahams in pan, overlapping slightly. Break remaing grahams into pieces; set aside.

Mix baking cocoa and vegetable oil until smooth. Put in large bowl with butter and microwave on High for 1 minute or until butter is melted. (If using baking squares just melt squares and butter in microwave) Stir until melted. Add sugar, eggs and vanilla; mix well. Stir in flour. Pour over grahams in pan.

Bake 30-32 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs. Do not overbake. Sprinkle with marshmallows and chocolate chunks. Bake 3-5 minutes or until marshmallows begin to puff. Press reserved grahams gently into marshmallows. Cool. Use foil to remove brownies from pan before cutting to serve.

-- The original recipe used baking squares. I never have those on had so I used the baking cocoa as a substitue. It works exactly the same and is much cheaper. 1 baking square = 3 tablespoons cocao + 1 tablespoon vegetable oil.

Caramel-Apple Squares

1 3/4 cups flour

1 cup quick oats

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup cold margarine

20 caramels, unwrapped

1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (20-oz) can apple pie filling

In large bowl, combine flour, oats, sugar, baking soda and salt. Cut in margarine until crumbly. Reserve 1 1/2 cups crumb mixture - press remainder in bottom of 9x13 pan. Bake 15 minutes at 350.

In heavy saucepan, over low heat, melt caramel and milk, stirring constantly until smooth. Spoon apple filling over prepared crust; top with caramel mixture, then reserved crumb mixture. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. You can warm with ice-cream or cold.

Best Rolls Ever

My mom won the Idaho state fair with this roll recipe. This is the roll recipe of choice in our family.

2 cups milk
1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp yeast
1/2 cup warm water
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp salt
6 1/2 cups flour

Scald milk, butter, and sugar. Let cool. Mix yeast in warm water. Pour yeast mixture into milk mixture. Make sure the mixture is completely cool, and then add 2 beaten eggs and vanilla. Slowly add dry ingredients. Raise for at least 20 minutes (I usually let it rise 1 hour). Knead for 3 minutes. Roll out the rolls and let raise at least 10 minutes (I usually let it rise for another hour). Bake at 425 for 10 minutes. Rub butter across the tops right when you take them out of the oven to make them look golden brown.

Lydia's Jello-Salad

Ricky and I never eat jello. However, my family serves this jello salad every year at Thanksgiving and I LOVE it. We decided to make it this year, and I think we'll make it from every year now on too. The topping is so delicious.

1 large pkg lemon or lime jello
20 oz can crushed pineapple (save juice)
12 oz bottle 7-Up
3 cubed bananas
2 cups mini-marshmallows

Dissolve jello in 2 cups boiling water. Add the drained pineapple. Let the mixture sit until it gets syrupy (about 15 minutes). Then add 7-UP, bananas, and marshmallows. Pour into a 9x13-inch casserole dish and let the jello set.

2 beaten eggs
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup pineapple juice
2 cups whipped cream (Cool-whip works great)

Beat eggs. Add flour and sugar. Add hot melted butter. Add pineapple juice (left over from draining your 20 oz can earlier). Boil until thick, stirring constantly. Let cool completely. Add whipped cream and spread over set jello.

Hand-Foot-Mouth Disease

Our poor little Finlay is sporting this face right now? What are these little dots you may ask? Sadly, it's hand-foot-mouth disease; a highly contagious virus common among infants and young children. Here is some information about the virus in case you happen to get it in your family. I found a lot of great information on the CDC's web site (http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/enterovirus/hfhf.htm). Go there if you want more detailed information.
Basically the virus causes fevers, mild diarrhea, and little bumps/eruptions/rashes all over the body. The most painful eruptions are in the mouth and make it difficult for some children to eat and/or drink. My boys had the bumps all over their chins, knees, elbows, hands, feet, and diaper area. Their bums looked they had been dragged over the pavement. It was scary the first time I saw it. They also had the eruptions in their mouths, but it didn't seem to affect their appetites.

The illness begins with a high fever. Children are usually pretty lethargic during the fever. This is Finlay when he had the fever, but we didn't know he had the virus. This is the point at which children are the most contagious. A few days later the eruptions start to appear. I took the boys to the doctor and she told me there isn't really anything that can be done. The virus just has to run its course. Since it is highly contagious, the main way to deal with the disease and keep it from spreading is to keep the babes at home.

My boys had colds the week before they got sick, so they had already been home bound. I wasn't sure how they got the virus. However, it has a germination period of 3-6 days so they probably had the virus at the same time they had their colds.


Tips on Preventing the virus:
- Just use common sense good hygiene techniques. Wash your hands before and after meals, after using the bathroom or changing diapers, after playing with toys or playground equipment, etc.
- Don't let children give other children kisses during this season. Don't let them share cups or eating utensils with other kids.
- Even if you do everything possible to keep them from getting the virus, they can still get it. Just let it run its course.

Tips of dealing with home bound children who are going stir crazy:
- Read lots and lots of books.
- Dance and sing to as much Christmas music as possible.
- Let them jump on your bed, or inflate an air mattress and let them jump to their hearts content.
- Let them play your keyboard or make homemade drums.
- Check out lots of Elmo, Thomas the Train, and Little Einstein DVDs from the library and let them watch the movies throughout the day. They think this is a treat (at least our boys do who aren't usually allowed to watch more than 15 minutes of TV a day and none on the weekends).
- Have them "help" you make banana bread (I let them put their hands on the measuring cup while I pour the ingredient into the bowl). Don't feed the bread to anyone who doesn't live in your house.
- Let them color.
- Watch birds through the window.
- Let them take every book in the house off every bookcase.
- Let them take lots of baths with lots of bubbles and bath toys.
- Have Dad come home early from school/work to rough-house with them.
- Grin and bear it!

How to Use a Pumpkin

I love fall and the fun and flavors that come with it. I especially love pumpkins. Here are some ways to get the most use out of your pumpkins. First - use them as chairs for your children. My boys loved to sit on their pumpkins while they read books or played. They sat on the pumpkins for weeks before we actually used them
Second - make dinner in a pumpkin. This is a fun Halloween or fall recipe to try.

Dinner in a Pumpkin
1 small to medium pumpkin (we used a large pumpkin and just increased the cooking time)
1 small onion, chopped
1 lb ground turkey
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 (4-0z) can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 (10 3/4-oz) can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups cooked rice
1 (8-oz) can sliced water chestnuts, drained

Cut off the top of the pumpkin and throughly clean out seeds and pulp. Save the seeds for later. Preheat oven to 350. In a large skillet, saute onions in oil until tender. Add meat and brown. Drain fat. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, mushrooms, and soup. Simmer 1o minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cooked rice and water chestnuts. Spoon mixture into the cleaned pumpkin shell. Replace pumpkin top and place entire pumpkin on baking sheet. Bake 1 hour or until pumpkin meat is tender. Remove pumpkin lid and serve meal.

Third - roast the seeds. Even the little boys liked to snack on these.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
seeds from 1 pumpkin
1 Tbsp butter per cup of seeds
salt to taste

Wash seeds thoroughly in a colander and put on paper towels to dry. Place them in a skillet with butter and salt. Cook and stir until all seeds are well coated with butter. Bake in a shallow pan for 30-45 minutes in a 250 degree oven.

Fourth - Make pumpkin doughnuts using the cooked pumpkin flesh (puree it first). These doughnuts are easier to make and we think tastier than regular doughnuts.

Pumpkin Doughnuts
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup sugar
1 cup pumpkin
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
4 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
vegetable oil for frying

Combine the eggs and sugar. Beat until fluffy. Combine the pumpkin, buttermilk, and oil. Beat into the egg mixture. Stir in the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger. When well mixed, refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour. The dough will be very soft and wet. Turn the dough onto a WELL-floured sufate, roll to a thickness of 1/2-inch, and cut with a doughnut or cookie cutter into rings. Pour the vegetable oil into a heavy skillet to a depth of about 4 inches. Heat the oil until it reaches 375. Use a candy thermometer. Using a spatula, ease the doughnuts two at a time into the hot oil. When one side is golden and the doughnuts float to the surface, turn with a spatula. When golden on both sides, take the doughnuts out of oil and place on paper towels. Coat with cinnamon and sugar or powdered sugar.


Fifth - puree the rest of the cooked pumpkin and freeze to use later on. We look forward to using the rest of our pumpkin in breads, cookies, and pies!

Football Cookie Recipes

Victory Sugar Cookies:

Cream together: 1 cup butter and 2/3 cup sugar
Beat in: 1 egg
Combine and Add: 1 tsp. vanilla, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 2 1/2 cups flour

Mix until all ingredients are well blended. Chill dough 3-4 hours before rolling. Preheat oven to 350. Bake 8-10 minutes or until barely colored. Frost cookies.

Frosting: 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1 Tbsp. butter, 1 Tbsp. milk, 1/2 tsp. vanilla, 1/4 tsp lemon juice

Combine. Beat until smooth. Add food coloring. (I love this frosting - it's really more of a glaze and slightly hardens on the cookies so you can stack them on top of each other without the frosting coming off).

Chocolate Nutbutter Cookies

1 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup milk

• Heat oven to 400.
• Beat sugar, shortening and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and eggs.
• Stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Beat into sugar mixture alternately with milk.
• Drop cookie dough onto greased baking sheet. Flatten in crisscross pattern with a fork dipped in flour.
• Bake 6-10 minutes or until bottoms are light brown.

Dark Chocolate Molten Cakes

Once a week Ricky and I like to experiment making fun desserts. For his birthday I got him some custard cups. We tested them out last night and found a new favorite. We made our own version of molten cake from various recipes we've seen. It was so yummy! The perfect ratio of cake to "molten" chocolate. It was perfect served straight from the oven with a scoop of ice-cream (or two or three) on top. It was even better than Chili's molten cakes. We had to dump the boys in the tub immediately after eating this because they were both covered in chocolate.


1 - 6.8 oz Dark Chocolate Hershey's Bar (milk chocolate would probably work too, but the dark was excellent)
1/2 cup butter
1 cup powdered sugar
3 eggs
6 Tablespoons flour

1. Preheat oven to 425. Spray four custard cups with cooking spray. Place cups on baking sheet.
2. Microwave chocolate and butter on HIGH one minute or until butter is melted. Stir with a whisk until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in powdered sugar until blended. Blend in eggs. Stir in four.
3. Bake 13 minutes or until sides are firm but centers soft. Let stand one minute. Run small knife around edges to loosen cake. Invert cakes into dessert plates or bowls.
4. Serve with ice-cream.
   

How to Shop a Dollar Store

In our quest to live within our limited budget Ricky and I try to be as frugal as possible. We have found that shopping at the local dollar store saves us a lot of money. However, dollar stores are only great bargains if you know how to shop them. Here are the tips we've discovered for shopping dollar stores:

• Make a list before you shop: We like to keep a running list of the supplies we are running low on. That way when we head to the store we only get the items we actually need. Since everything is so cheap at a dollar store its easy to end up buying a lot more things than you need. Even at $1 a piece it can add up.
• Buy cleaning supplies: Most dollar stores offer name brand cleaning products for much cheaper than other stores. We buy window cleaner, dish soap, furniture polish, and other cleaners at the dollar store. Avoid cleaners with weird names like "LA's Totally Awesome stain remover" and things like that. Stick the names you know.
• Buy bath supplies: You can get great deals on shaving gels, bubble bath, hair brushes and combs, hair gel, toothbrushes, bath grips (so kids don't slip and fall), bath toys, etc. Dollar stores tend to carry most of these items in name brands. We buy our toothbrushes at the dollar stores and see the same brushes in the regular stores.
• Buy children's seasonal toys: You can find cheap sand pails, water toys, big rubber balls, Christmas toys, books, etc. Just make sure they are age appropriate and look sturdy enough for your child to play with.
• Buy craft supplies: Thing like felt, thread, coloring books, construction paper, finger paints, and other art and crafts supplies are cheap at dollar stores. We have used them for numerous projects.
• Be careful about buying food: Usually dollar store food isn't as fresh as buying from the grocery store. If you want to buy food, drinks, or candy just make sure to check the expiration and use-by dates. Make sure you can use the food quickly. We like to buy dollar store candy to make homemade ice-cream.
• Never buy batteries.
• Buy holiday decorations: If you want your house to look festive, but you don't have a lot of money dollar stores are the way to go. They have cute decorations for the right price. You can buy Christmas stockings, wrapping paper, garland, figurines, window clings, etc. You can also buy birthday banners, fun tablecloths, balloons and more.

Happy Shopping!

Cookie Dough Brownies

If you love brownies and cookie dough - you will love this!

Bottom Layer:
1 (9x13-inch size) brownie mix and ingredients listed on the back of the box
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Filling:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour

Topping:
1 Tablespoon butter
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Make brownies according to package directions. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour batter into greased 9x13 pan. Bake 25 minutes or until done. Allow brownies to cool completely.
3. For the filling, mix butter and sugars together. Stir in milk and vanilla. Mix in flour. Spread filling evenly over cooled brownie layer.
4. In a small saucepan, melt butter and chocolate chips. Spread melted chocolate over filling. Refrigerate at least two hours. Keep refrigerated. Makes 24 brownies.

I'm a slacker

I know I've been a huge slacker this summer, but never fear, I will be back in business now that school is in session.

Pound Cake

This pound cake tastes great with strawberries and the pudding/whipped cream mixture on it.

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
2 cups flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 325.
2. Beat cream cheese, butter, sugar and vanilla on medium speed until well blended.
3. Add eggs, one at a time. Mix well after each egg.
4. Gradually add flour and baking powder; mixing until well blended.
5. Pour into greased and floured 9x5-inch loaf pan.
6. Bake 1 hour 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
7. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely.
8. Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.

Pudding/Whipped Cream Mixture:

1-1/2 cups milk
1 package (4-serving) vanilla pudding
1 tub Cool Whip

1. Mix milk and pudding.
2. Add Cool Whip and stir until mixed.
3. Refrigerate until serving.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

6 Tablespoons butter, softened
1/3 cup shortening
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1-1/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/3 cup (1 package) peanut butter creme filled baking pieces

1. Heat oven to 350.
2. Beat butter and shortening. Add sugars; beat. Add egg and vanilla, beating until well blended. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into butter mixture. Stir in baking pieces. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

German Chocolate-Chip Oreos

These are a twist on the ever-popular homemade oreo.

1 package German Chocolate cake mix
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 cup chocolate chips
1 container vanilla frosting (or you can make homemade frosting)

Mix cake mix, butter and eggs together. Stir in chocolate chips. Shape into quarter-size balls. Bake 8-10 minutes at 350 (they will be soft). Let the cookies cool. Frost a cookie with vanilla frosting and stick another cookie on top to form an "oreo". Repeat the frosting step until all cookies are used.

Ricky's Cheesecake

Ricky is a great cook. We had some friends over last Sunday and look what he whipped up. It was delicious!

Crust:
1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted

Filling:
2 packages (8-oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 Giant Hershey bars with Butterfinger bits chopped into chunks

Topping:
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 Tablespoons milk

1. Heat oven to 300. Mix crust ingredients. In ungreased 9-inch springform pan, press crust mixture in bottom and 1 1/2 inches up the side.

2. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating until smooth each time. Gently stir in candy chunks. Pour into crust.

3. Bake 50-60 minutes or until set. Turn oven off, leave door open 4 inches. Cool cake in oven for 30 minutes.

4. Put cake on cooling rack. Run spatula along inside of pan to loosen cake. Cool 30 minutes. Run spatula along inside again. Refrigerate at least 3 hours.

5. Microwave chocolate chips and milk on high 20-30 seconds or until chips can be stirred smooth. Cool 5 minutes. Spread evenly over top of cheesecake. Sprinkle top with powdered sugar if desired. Refrigerate 15 minutes.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bread

If you love peanut butter and chocolate, you'll love this bread. Ricky, the boys, and I snacked on it all weekend. I've taken it to white elephant gift exchanges before where it was a highly sought after item. I usually double the recipe and make two loaves.

2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (I usually use low-fat PB)
1 beaten egg
1 cup milk
1 cup chocolate chips or chunks

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3. Cut in peanut butter with a fork.
4. Add egg and milk, stir just enough to moisten dry ingredients.
5. Pour into greased 9x3x5-inch loaf pan.
6. Bake for about an hour or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Invert and remove loaf to cooling rack.

Cinnamon Raisin French Toast

We have breakfast for dinner once a week (because Emerson and Finlay love it so much and its easy to make). Here's what we had this week. It's so easy! You just make this yummy bread in the bread machine. The machine does almost everything for you. Then you let the bread cool, whip up your favorite recipe for making french toast using this bread instead of your normal bread and, ta-da, yummy food.

Bread:
1 cup water
3 cups flour
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 1/2 teaspoons yeast
3/4 cup raisins

1. Pour water in bread pan.
2. Sprinkle flour over the water.
3. Put the butter in one corner of the pan, sugar in another corner, salt in one corner, and cinnamon in the fourth corner.
4. Make a little well in the flour and put the yeast in it.
5. Select the white bread cycle, medium crust and let the machine do its magic.
6. Add the raisins 5 to minutes before the kneading cycle ends.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

We made his last weekend and ate it while watching March Madness. It was so RICH and yummy.

Crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening
3 Tablespoons cold water

Filling:
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup chocolate chips (add an extra 1/4 cup if you want it really chocolaty)
1 cup chopped pecans

1. Make the crust: Mix the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in shortening, until pieces are the size of peas. Sprinkle with cold water until all flour is moistened (you can add extra water if you need). Toss with a fork. Gather pastry in a ball. Shape into flattened round on lightly floured surface. Wrap pastry in plastic wrap and refrigerate 45 minutes.
2. Put crust in pie pan: Roll pastry, using floured rolling pin, into a circle 2-inches larger than an upside-down pie pan. Fold pastry into fourths; place in pie pan and unfold. Trim overhanging edge of crust.
3. Preheat oven to 325.
4. Beat eggs in large mixer bowl on high speed until foamy. Beat in flour and sugars. Beat in butter. Stir in chocolate and nuts. Spoon into pie pan.
5. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between outside edge and center comes out clean. Serve warm with ice-cream.

Ooey Gooey Cake

This "cake" is delicious. The texture reminds me more of a caramel brownie. I had the Peanut Butter version at a Relief Society fireside and the person who made them emailed the recipe out so I made the Chippy Gooey a couple weeks ago. They were both delicious. I think the original recipe comes from Paula Deen. Even if you normally don't like cake, I bet you'll like this kind.

Cake:
1 (18.25-oz) box yellow cake mix
1 egg
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

Filling:
1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease 13x9x2-inch pan.
2. Combine cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with electric mixer. Pat into the bottom of the baking pan.
3. Still using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth; add eggs and vanilla. Dump in sugar and beat well. Reduce mixer speed and slowly pour in butter. Mix well.
4. Pour filling onto cake mixture and spread evenly. Bake 40-50 minutes. You want the center to be a little gooey, so don't bake past that point!
5. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Cut into squares.

Variations:

Pumpkin Gooey: Use a spice cake mix instead of yellow. Follow the original recipe, adding a 15-oz can of pumpkin pie filling and an extra egg to the cream cheese filling. Bake as usual. Top each square with a pecan half. Serve with whipped cream

Pineapple Gooey: Add a 20-oz can of drained crushed pineapple and an extra egg to the filling. Proceed as directed above.

Lemon Gooey: Use a lemon cake mix in place of the yellow cake. Add the juice (about 1/4 cup) and zest of 2 lemons to the filling. Proceed as directed above.

Carrot Gooey: Use a spice cake mix, and add 1 cup chopped nuts and 1 1/2 cup finely grated carrots to the filling. Proceed as directed above.

Peanut Butter Gooey: Use a chocolate cake mix. Add 1 cup creamy peanut butter and an extra egg to filling. Sprinkle top of batter with 1 cup chopped peanuts.

Chocolate Chip Gooey: Use either yellow or chocolate cake mix. Sprinkle 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 cup chopped nuts on top of filling.

Banana Gooey: Prepare filling as directed above, beating in 2 ripe bananas and an extra egg.

Nutty Gooey: Add 1 cup chopped nuts to cake mixture.

Chippy Gooey: Stir 1 cup white chocolate chips, peanut butter chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, or Heath bits into the filling. (I used the Heath bits and it was delicious!)

Toy Tips

It seems that my house has been taken over by toys! And its a good thing - toys are what keep the boys busy all day. Emerson and Finlay are too little to go to school, but their toys are great learning tools. Ricky and I don't have a ton of money to spend on the latest and greatest toys, but the boys haven't been deprived. Here are some tips on how to build your toy collection on a budget.

• Raid your kitchen cabinets: Some of the best toys are in your kitchen. Children love to bang on unused pots and bowls. Metal bowls make great drums. You can use plastic serving spoons for drum sticks. Give your children different size plastic or metal bowls to play with. The bowls can be used as musical instruments, places to put other toys, or even hats.

• Evaluate boxes, plastic jars, etc before throwing them away: Some of the best toys come from empty cereal boxes, cracker boxes, empty water bottles, and empty jelly jars. Plastic jars make great bath toys. Kids love to pour water out. Kids also like to carry around old cereal boxes.
• Let your kids have your old phone books: Kids love turning the pages (and sometimes tearing). It gives them practice looking at "big kid" books without ripping the pages of your favorite children's stories.
• Cut fabric pieces from old clothes and blankets before you throw them away: Teach your children about different textures by cutting squares of fabric from clothing and blankets your are discarding. Put the fabric pieces in a box your children can play with. They have fun feeling the different textures and taking the pieces out of the box and putting them back in.
• Make bean bags and/or snakes: Cut squares from old fabric. Sew three sides and part of the fourth side, fill with rice, stitch up the hole, and you have a bean bag. You can cut the arm off an old sweater to make a snake. Just sew on some eyes and a tongue, fill with rice or dried beans, and then stitch the opening closed.
• Join the Toys 'R Us birthday club: Go to the toys 'r us web site and sign your child up for the birthday club and they'll get a $3 gift certificate in the mail before their b-day. Our boys used their money to buy these fun rubber balls and a Dr. Seuss board book.

• Make your own toy "boxes": Homemade toy boxes make clean-up more fun. Just take an old box (we like the boxes Sam's Club wipes come in) and cover it with contact paper. We just used an old roll left over from a project. We have four boxes like this for the boys to keep their toys in.
  
  

• Take advantage of freebies: Kids love cheap toys. They don't expensive gadgets. Finlay got these little toys from a Toys 'r Us Easter egg hunt. Watch the news paper and neighborhood bulletins and bring your children to the fun events in the areas.
  

• When you do buy toys, but ones that have multiple uses and can grow along with the child. For example, if you buy nesting cups they can use them to build towers, hold small toys, nest inside of each other, etc. If you buy toys that are very age specific they will only last a short time. However, if you buy something like a ball or blocks the children can adjust the way they play with the toys as they grow.

Leprechaun Pizza and St. Patrick Parfaits

I love holidays and the color green so of course we had to have a fun St. Patrick's Day dinner. All four of us gobbled it up.

Leprechaun Pizza

1 tube jumbo biscuits

1 cup alfredo sauce (colored green with food coloring)

mozzarella cheese

broccoli (cooked)

bacon bits

cheddar cheese

parsley

These are so easy. Just flatten the biscuits (flat enough that you can barely get 8 to fit on a cookie sheet). Spoon Alfredo sauce onto each biscuit. Cover the sauce with mozzarella cheese - however much you like. Sprinkle the cheese with bacon bits. Place a few pieces of broccoli on each biscuit. Sprinkle broccoli with cheddar cheese and parsley. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes or until biscuits are done.

We served the pizza along with Shamrock spears (green beans) and St. Patrick Parfaits. The parfaits were just crushed Graham crackers and pistachio pudding with coconut and pecans on top.

Fajita Enchiladas

Can't decide whether to make fajitas or enchiladas? Make them both! This is a flavor and nutrient packed dinner that tastes sooooooooooo good. Emerson and Finlay even loved it. You can alter the recipe however you like. I just looked in my fridge and tried to use all the fresh produce that needed to be eaten. The measurements are just approximations. Have fun and use whatever amounts you like.

2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 cup fat-free sour cream
2-3 cups cheddar cheese
6 whole-wheat flour tortillas
1 can green chili enchilada sauce
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
1/4 medium onion
1-2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup fat-free Italian dressing
Light Ranch dressing (optional)

1. Boil the chicken until done (approximately 30 minutes). Shred or cube the chicken.
2. Cut the peppers in half (save half the red pepper and half the yellow pepper for later). Cut half of each pepper into bite-size pieces.
3. Mix the chicken, pepper pieces, sour cream, 1 cup cheese, and 1 Tablespoon taco seasoning in a mixing bowl.
4. Pour enchilada sauce into small bowl. Dip each tortilla in the sauce and then fill with chicken mixture.
5. Place enchilada in 8x8 baking dish. When all six enchiladas are in the dish pour remaining enchilada sauce over the top. Sprinkle with 1 cup cheddar cheese. Sprinkle the cheese with 1 Tablespoon taco seasoning.
6. Bake for 30 minutes at 350.
7. While enchiladas are cooking, slice the remaining pepper halves into thin strips. Dice the onion and garlic cloves. Put into a bowl and pour the Italian dressing over the top. Let the veggies sit in the dressing for about 20 minutes.
8. About 5-10 minutes before the enchiladas are done baking saute the pepper/onion mixture. Cook until the onions are translucent.
9. Serve each enchilada with the fajita mixture on top. It is also yummy with a little Light Ranch dressing drizzled over the top.

Carrot Raisin Pecan Bread

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup oil
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots
1/2 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup raisins

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Beat eggs, sugar and oil.
3. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Beat well.
4. Add carrots, pecans, and raisins and mix.
5. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan, and pour in batter.
6. Bake one hour.

Tisha's Banana Bread

We eat a lot of banana bread at our house, and each time I make it I use a different recipe. Now after 3 1/2 years I have finally come up with a recipe for banana bread that I am going to stick with. Ricky and I made this version on Saturday and we loved it. The texture and taste were perfect. This recipe makes one loaf, but is very easy to double.

1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 ripe bananas
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
Optional: 1 cup Ocean Spray trail mix (or your own combination of dried cranberries, honey-roasted peanuts, flaked coconut, dried pineapple, and dried mango).

Mix shortening, sugar and eggs in mixer. Add bananas and mix. Add flour 1 cup at a time. Next add baking soda, vanilla, and trail mix. Mix until well blended. Pour into greased and floured bread pan. Bake for 1 hour at 325 (you may need to cook a bit longer),

Peanut Butter and Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

This recipe is so easy to make, but so tasty. I had it at a Relief Society activity last year and then Ricky and I altered it a little bit and made our version last night. It is best served warm with vanilla ice-cream.

Combine:
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder

Then add:
1/3 cup milk
1 Tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix well and then add:
1/2 cup low-fat creamy peanut butter.

Mix all the ingredients and then pour into crock pot.

Mix together:
1/2 cup sugar
3 heaping Tablespoons cocoa powder

Gradually stir in 1 cup boiling water.

Pour over the batter in the crock pot. Cook on high 2-3 hours.

The Nine

The picture of the book turned out pretty small - oh well. This one is a must read! Ricky and I both tore through it. It is an interesting look at the Supreme Court and the justices that serve on it. Maybe we found it interesting because Ricky is in law school, but I think it would be good for everyone to read. It gives interesting background information about each justice and some of the big cases from the past few decades.

Team of Rivals

This book was amazing. I learned so much and thought it was especially appropriate as we approach the upcoming presidential election. The book delves into the inner workings of Abraham Lincoln's ascension to the presidency of the United States and then how he picked his cabinet members and orchestrated the country through the Civil War. The book talks a lot more about the cabinet members and their interactions with Lincoln than any book I have read. Therefore, I learned lots of interesting facts about this time period I never knew before. The book left me with the impression that Abraham Lincoln truly was a political genius. I think he was the perfect man for the times. I enjoyed the book so much that I would recommend buying it. It is very thick with small print and is not the kind of book you just sit down and read until you're finished. It's best digested in small chunks with time to think about. Ricky and I both enjoyed it.

The Testament

This is a good book to read for pleasure. The plot is interesting, but doesn't make you overtax your brain. It about an extremely rich man who dies and doesn't leave any inheritence to his family members. Instead he leaves all of his money to an illigitimate daugher no one knew he dad. Unfortunately she is a Christian missionary deep in uncharted territories of Brazil. A lawyer who has just been released from drug and alcohol rehab is sent to Brazil to try and find her. The book is about his struggles to find her and all of the legal proceedings surrounding the will. It was different from other Grisham books I have read. I found it to be a great read for the end of the day when I needed to relax.

I Am America (And So Can You!)

Ricky bought me this book for my birthday, and it has been enjoyable.

Read it if:

• You are a Colbert fan - the whole book is written exactly as he would speak. I can hear his voice as I read.
• You enjoy political comedy.
• You need a good laugh.

Beware of:

• There are some parts of the book that you wouldn't want to read to small children (a little bit of language and somtimes some innuendo). However, if you want to read a completly clean version come to me. I edited mine :).
• If you haven't watched Colbert the book might not seem as funny/clever to you as it was to me. Watch the show (free episodes online) and become a fan before the open the book and it will be so much better.

No-Knead to Roll Dinner Rolls

If you don't feel like kneading dough, and you don't have the energy to roll out dough and cut individual rolls this is the recipe for you. It is so easy. You can cut this recipe in half if you don't want to make quite so many rolls.

4 tablespoons yeast
1/2 cup warm water
2 cups skim milk
1 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs, slightly beaten
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups whole-wheat flour

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water and allow to rise for about 5 minutes.

2. Heat milk until it almost boils. Remove from heat and combine with other all other ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add the yeast and flour last.

3. Place dough in a greased mixing bowl. Allow to rise one hour. Punch down dough after one hour.

4. Drop by tablespoons into greased muffin tins, filling each about 3/4 full. Let rise one hour.

5. Bake at 400 for about 8 minutes or until lightly browned. When I made the recipe it produced 24 regular sized rolls and 18 mini-muffins.

Hot Fudge Cake

Here is the dessert Ricky and I made for V-day. It made so much though, and we have been eating it nearly every day since. The recipe comes from the Top Secret Restaurant Recipes book again. It's a very easy dessert to make.


1 18.25-ounce box devil's food cake mix
3 eggs
1 1/3 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 half-gallon box ice cream (MUST be in a box) (the cookbook suggests plain vanilla, but we used vanilla ice-cream that had chocolate covered peanuts and pieces of waffle cone in it - use whatever ice-cream you prefer)
1 16-oz jar chocolate fudge topping
1 container Cool-whip or 1 can whipped cream
12 marachino cherries

1. Mix the batter for the cake as instructed on the box (use the cake mix, eggs, water and vegetable oil).

2. Measure 4 cups of the batter and pour it into a well-greased 13x9-inch baking pan. This will leave about 1 cup of batter you can either discard or use to make cupcakes (we added white chocolate chips to the extra batter and made chocolate mini-muffins).

3. Bake the cake according to the instructions on the box. Allow the cake to cool completly. (I let it cool for half a day).

4. When the cake has cooled, carefully remove it from the pan, and place it right side up onto a sheet of wax paper. With a long knife (a bread knife works great) slice horizontally through the middle of the cake, and carefully remove the top.

5. Pick up the wax paper with the bottom of the cake still on it, and place back in the baking pan.

6. Take the ice-cream from the freezer and, working quickly, tear the box open so you can slice the ice-cream like bread.

7. Make six 3/4-inch-thick slices and arrange them on the cake bottom in the pan. You might have to cut some of the ice-cream slices to make them fit on the cake. Do whatever you need to do to make it fit.

8. When you have covered the entire bottom cake half with ice-cream, carefully place the top half of the cake onto the ice-cream layer. You now have ice-cream sandwiched between two layers of cake. Cover the whole pan with tin foil and pop it into the freezer for at least a couple of hours. It will keep for weeks as long as you keep it covered.

9. When you are ready to serve the dessert, slice the cake so that it will make 12 even slices. You may not want to slice what you won't be serving at the time so that the remainder will stay fresh. Leave the cake you are using out for 5 minutes to defrost a bit.

10. While the cake is defrosting heat the hot fudge topping.

11. Pour the hot fudge over the cake slices and then add a mountain of whipped cream.

12. Top each slice with a cherry.

Alice Springs Chicken

The picture doesn't do it justice. I promise this chicken tasted like heaven in your mouth. It was so good! It's adapted from a recipe found in my Top Secret Restaurant Recipes cookbook (a great cookbook). We had this chicken along with smashed potatoes, salad, and garlic bread for Valentine's Day dinner.

Honey Mustard Marinade:
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup honey
1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Chicken:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups canned mushrooms (or 10-12 sliced fresh mushrooms)
2 tablespoons butter
pepper
paprika
1 cup bacon bits (or 8 slices cooked and crumbled bacon)
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
parsley

1. Use an electric mixter to combine the Dijon mustard, honey, 1 1/2 teaspoons oil, and lemon juice. Mix for about 30 seconds.

2. Pour 2/3 of the marinade over the chicken breasts and marinate them, covered, in the fridge for at least two hours (we did our's overnight). Chill the remaining marinade for later.

3. After the chicken has marinated, preheat the oven to 375. At the same time heat a frying pan large enough to hold all of the chicken and 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Sear the chicken in the pan for 3-4 minutes per side or until golden brown.

4. As the chicken is cooking, drain the canned mushrooms and them saute them in a pan with the butter.

5. Put the chicken in a baking dish and brush each piece with a little of the left-over marinade (do not use the marinade the chicken soaked in). Be sure to save a little extra sauce to serve on the side of the chicken.

6. Season the chicken with pepper and paprika to your liking (you can add salt too if you want).

7. Sprinkle the chicken with bacon bits.

8. Spoon the mushrooms evenly onto the bacon.

9. Spoon the cheese onto the mushrooms.

10. Bake the chicken for 7-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and starting to bubble.

11. Sprinkle each piece of chicken with parsley before serving. Put extra honey mustard in a small bowl to serve on the side. (We mixed the extra sauce in our potatoes instead).

PB & J Muffins

If you ever run out of bread, don't worry you can still have your PB & J -- in the form of a muffin.

Muffins:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup creamy low-fat peanut butter (I'm sure regular creamy PB would also work)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup jam, jelly or preserves of your choice (I use grape jelly)

Topping:
1/4 cup sugar

1. Heat oven to 375. Spray muffin pan with no-stick spray. Stir together flour and baking powder. Add milk, eggs, sugar, PB and oil; combine ingredients on low speed with electric mixer, just until moistened. Do not over beat.

2. Fill muffin cups evenly with half of the batter. Place two level teaspoons of jam in the center of each muffin. Evenly divide remaining batter between muffin cups. Sprinkle tops with sugar. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool in pan.

2/3 cup sugar

Tag --- I'm It!

I've been tagged by my friend and cousin Heidi (actually our husbands are cousins, but that makes us cousins too right?) at heidi'recipes.blogspot.com. It's got tons of great recipes and links to other great food sites, so if you've never visited the site check it out now. I've been asked to list 5 facts about myself. Anyway, here are the rules:
1. Link to your tagger and post these rules. 2. Share 5 facts about yourself. 3. Tag 5 people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them). 4. Let them know they've been tagged by leaving a comment at their blogs.

MY FACTS

• I never add salt to food I am cooking. Even if a recipe calls for salt, I don't add it. Nobody has ever noticed. I also never put butter/margarine on toast, rolls, etc. I just like it better that way. However, I could add ranch dressing, salsa, or cheese to just about anything. As far as desserts and quick breads go, I could add chocolate chips to just about anything. I always add a full 12-oz bag of chocolate chips to any recipe even if it calls for less chips. I love chocolate!
• I edit the books I own. When I buy a book I use a special felt-tip gel pin thingy to cross out any words, phrases sections I don't really like (because of bad language or inappropriate scenes). This sounds weird, but I have so much fun doing it. So in the books I own no one swears, takes the Lord's name in vain, or uses sexual innuendo. If you want to read profanity-free versions of your favorite books just borrow them from me.
• I love everything about grocery shopping (except for paying). I think I inherited this love from both of my grandfathers. They loved to look at the ads and then go to grocery stores. So do I. I love the entire process. I love searching through cookbooks and on the internet for recipes to cook in the upcoming week. I love looking in my cupboards to see what ingredients I already have and then making a list of the things I need to buy. I love looking at the grocery ads when they come. I love the trip to the grocery store. I go down every aisle and look at all the food. I love bringing the food home and putting it away and having a full pantry. I love cooking the recipes I have found.
• I am NOT accident-prone. I've been fortunate in my life to avoid many common injuries and maladies. I've never had a broken bone, concussion, broken nose, bee sting, etc. I never had stiches until my C-section last February. I haven't had anti-biotics since 1st grade.
• I have to multi-task. This sounds weird, but I have a hard time doing only one thing at a time. It is virtually impossible for me to just sit and watch a TV show or movie. I have to be doing something else at the same time (reading, using the computer, working on a project, cleaning, etc.). When I was in college I took a ton of notes, not because I needed them, but I because it was too boring to just sit and listen. At home with the boys right now I generally have NPR on in the background or have a list of topics in my head to think about. I am usually in the middle or 4-5 different books and a million projects. I just have a hard time only doing one thing at a time.

I tag: Amber http://ambersonlinejournal.blogspot.com/

Tiffany http://tiffanymeetsworld.blogspot.com/

Carolyn http://mattandcarolyndetro.blogspot.com/

Mindy http://adayinthelifeofthegratnys.blogspot.com/

Brynn http://br2stewarts.blogspot.com/

Gigantic Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies

I made these Saturday night and Ricky and I ate the entire batch by Sunday night. Yum!

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups rolled oats
1 bag butterscotch chips

1. In a large mixing bowl beat butter on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add both sugars, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Beat until combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Beat in flour until combined. Beat in oats. Stir in butterscotch chips.
2. Use 1/4 cup measure to drop mounds of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Press down slightly. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until edges are golden brown. The middles should still be kind of gooey. Let cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer to wire rack to finish cooling.
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Healthy Meatball Soup

This meal is a pleaser for the whole family. Our little boys love to eat this.

5 ounces whole-wheat pasta (any shape you like)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (28-oz) can diced peeled tomatoes, with their juice
1/4 cup shredded carrot
2 cups chicken broth (preferably the reduced-fat, low-sodium kind)
3 slices whole-wheat bread, cubed
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup sweet potatoe puree
1/4 cup skim milk
2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 pound lean ground turkey

1. Cook the pasta according to directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. Coat a large pot with cooking spray and heat on medium-high heat. When the pot is hot, add the oil, onion and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened but not browned (about 3-4 minutes).
3. Add the tomatoes with their juices to the pot. Next add the broth and reduce heat to low. Simmer covered for 10-15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, put the bread in a large bowl. Add the egg, sweet potato puree, milk, Parmesan, pepper and paprika, and let soak until the bread is very soft. Stir to break up the bread, add the turkey. Mix until smooth. Form into mini-meatballs (1/2-inch in diameter).
5. Add meatballs to the pot. Simmer, covered, until the meatballs are no longer pink in the middle (12-15 minutes). Stir in the pasta. Serve with extra Parmesan sprinkled on top.

Angels and Demons

I finished reading this book a couple nights ago and really enjoyed it. I had previously listened to it on CD's in the middle of the night when the boys were in the NICU. I guess I must have been more asleep than I thought while listening to the book, because the plot twists and turns still surprised me. I like this book a lot better than Da Vinci Code. I thought the storyline was more interesting than Da Vinci - it deals with physics and the election of a new Catholic pope. I found myself drawn into the story. I could easily picture the characters and what they were doing. In fact, Robert Langdon looked exactly like Harrison Ford in my mind. What movie character does Robert look like in your mind? The book was also interesting to read because a new leader of my church was just sustained. The book made me very grateful for the way my church leaders are chosen. So all in all, I would recommend this book as a fun read. It's good for vacations, plane rides, or just curling up on the couch to read a book that makes you think (but not too hard), has surprises (but not too many) and is just about the right length.

Banana-Flower Bread

This moist bread has two kinds of flour and one kind of flower. It tastes great and packs a nutritional punch.

3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups smashed bananas
1/2 cup cauliflower puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray 9x5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

2. In a bowl, mix the flours with the baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon.

3. In a mixing bowl, mix the sugar and oil with a wooden spoon until well combined. Mix in the egg whites, banana, cauliflower puree, and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and mix just until combined.

4. Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Bake 55-60 minute or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Let cool on a rack for 5 minutes, then turn the bread out of the pan to cool before serving.

Ultimate Double Chip Cookies

These cookies taste great right out of the oven or cooled. I bet you can't eat just one of these.

1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup shortening
2 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup (or more) semi-sweet mini chocolate chips (I added almost the whole bag)

1. Heat oven to 375. Combine sugar, shortening, milk and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat egg into mixture.

2. Add flour and baking soda. Mix until just blended. Stir in butterscotch and chocolate chips.

3. Drop rounded tablespoonfuls of dough onto ungreased baking sheet.

4. Bake 8-10 minutes for chewy cookies (the way I like them) or 11-13 minutes for crisp cookies.

Makes 3 dozen cookies.

A Thousand Splendid Suns

I am always on the lookout for good books to read. In case any of you are also looking for books to read I will periodically write a little about the books I have been reading. This book by Khaled Hosseini was a very sad, but informative book. The author's web site says this about the book: " A Thousand Splendid Suns is a breathtaking story set against the volatile events of Afghanistan’s last thirty years—from the Soviet invasion to the reign of the Taliban to the post-Taliban rebuilding—that puts the violence, fear, hope, and faith of this country in intimate, human terms. It is a tale of two generations of characters brought jarringly together by the tragic sweep of war, where personal lives—the struggle to survive, raise a family, find happiness—are inextricable from the history playing out around them. A Thousand Splendid Suns is at once a remarkable chronicle of three decades of Afghan history and a deeply moving account of family and friendship. It is a striking, heart-wrenching novel of an unforgiving time, an unlikely friendship, and an indestructible love—a stunning accomplishment."

What I liked about the book: The book was very thought provoking. Previous to reading this book I didn't really know much about Afghanistan's history and all the war it has experienced. We hear snippets about the country in the news, but the book brings to life the terror its citizens are living with. It also show how its citizens can love their country so much even though it is dangerous to live there. The other thing I liked about the book is that it truly helped me to understand why we cannot judge others. I realized that the way people are raised and the events they go through impacts the way they do things in ways we don't understand. Only God can judge people because he is the only one who truly understands everyone's situations. The book made me feel so fortunate to be born and raised in the United States in a time and age where it is a great thing to be a woman.

Other thoughts on the book: The book is extremly sad. Almost nothing good happens in the book. Don't look for a happy ending here. That being said, I think the book needed to sad/depressing in order for it to get its point across. Just don't read this book if you are looking for something happy and fun.

Expanding Your Book Collection - On a Tight Budget

I collect three things - postcards from the places I visit, bookmarks, and books. Luckily postcards and bookmarks are very inexpensive. Unfortunately, books can be expensive. Here are some ways I have been able to add to my book collection without subtracting much from my bank account.

1. Go to library sales: Many libraries have special sales once or twice a year where you can get used books for low prices. This past weekend Ricky and I went to our library's sale and were able to get all the items seen below for a grand total of $5. We were able to pick up some nice board books for the boys, a few holiday books for them, two children's videos, and six novels for Ricky and I. Just ask your librarian if your library has any sales. In addition, sometimes local elementary schools have used book sales. Just watch the newspapers or ask parents of elementary school students if their schools have used book sales.

2. Go to garage sales. Garage sales are great because people are usually trying to get rid of clutter they don't want anymore. You can barter with them and come away with some pretty cheap books. Last year I was able to get about 20 children's books for the boys for less than a dollar. Make sure you look through the books before you buy them. If you are buying children's books make sure all the flaps, pop-ups, etc are there. Also, make sure there aren't any big stains or missing pages. For adult books just flip through the book to see if it is in good condition.

3. Shop at amazon.com or half.com: If there is a specific book you are looking for these web sites are great places to look. You can type in the title of the book you want and it will bring up price for new and used copies. I usually look at regular book stores to see the going price of the book(s) I am interested in. That way when I shop online I know if I am getting a good deal or not. Also, half.com has a section titled "paperbacks for $.99 or less". I have found brand new popular books for less than a dollar here.

4. Take books your parents and/or friends are getting rid of: If your parents are cleaning out their house or you have friends that are moving - look through the books they are getting rid of and claim any you want to have.

5. Buy thrift editions of classics: If you go into most bookstores you can find classic books for $1-$5. I think they're called Dover Thrift edition or something like that. They are brand new books. You can get such authors as Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and others.

Tisha's Gnocchi

Here is the way I make gnocchi (Italian potatoe dumplings). This dish is fun to entertain with because it isn't something people eat every day, and it is pretty inexpensive to make. So if you want to impress your husband, wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, or friend (or you just want to eat something extra delicious) make these.

3 medium potatoes (baked)
1 can chicken broth
1 cup skim milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups whole wheat flour (use more as needed)
1 jar chunky spaghetti sauce
1 green pepper cut into strips
parmesan cheese (to sprinkle on top)

1. Bake the potatoes. Do NOT peel the potatoes. Cut the potatoes into pieces and mix with the chicken broth and milk until you have smooth mashed potatoes. Add more milk as needed.
2. Start boiling water in a stock pot or other large pot.
3. Add white flour to the potatoes and mix. Add whole-wheat flour and mix. Continue adding more whole wheat flour until you have a uniform and tender dough. The dough should not be sticky. If the dough is sticky add more flour.
4. Divide the dough into 4 sections. Roll each section into a long skinny rope (about 3/4-inch thick). Then cut each rope into 3/4-inch pieces. Take each piece and roll it into a little ball. Push your thumb into the center of each ball to make a little dent.
5. Drop the balls into boiling water. The balls will fall to the bottom of the pan. When balls float to the top of the pan they are done. Remove the cooked balls from the water and put in a strainer. Leave them in the strainer for 2-3 minutes to let excess water run off. Repeat until all the dough is cooked.
6. Transfer gnocchi to a serving dish and cover with heated marinara sauce. Top with the green pepper and parmesan cheese.

Applesauce Muffins

Here is a yummy treat (or breakfast) that is also good for you. Emerson and Finlay love these. Ricky and I enjoy them too.


Topping:
2/3 cup old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 Tablespoons butter, melted

Batter:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 cup carrot puree
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg

1. Preheat ove to 400. Coat a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.
2. Make the topping: Stir together the oats, sugar, cinnamon, and butter.
3. Make the batter: Combine the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon in a bowl. In a second bowl, mix the applesauce with the milk, carrot puree, sugar, oil and egg with a wooden spoon. Add the flour mixture slowly, stirring just until moistened. Do not overmix -- the batter should be lumpy.
4. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups and sprinkle with the streusel topping. Bake until the topping is lightly browned and toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Bake 18-20 minutes.

Chocolate Graham Cracker S'More Cheesecake

Ricky got me a new springform pan for my birthday and this is the first recipe we baked in the pan. It turned out great!

Here's what you need -
12 Chocolate graham crackers
3/4 cup sugar
3 Tbsp sugar
3 Tbsp butter, melted
3 packages (8-oz each) cream cheese, softened
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 1/2 cups chocolate chunks

Here how you make it-
1. Preheat oven to 325. Finely crush 10 of the graham crackers. Mix graham crumbs, 3 Tbsp of sugar and the butter; press firmly onto the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, beat cream cheese, remaining 3/4 cup sugar and the vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Stir in 1 cup each of the marshmallows and chocolate chunks. Pour over crust. Crush the remaining 2 graham crackers and sprinkle over the top. Then sprinkle the rest of the marshamallows and chocolate chunks.
3. Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until center is almost set. Run knife around the rim of the pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.