Mother Warrior

Here it is, the finished product! The video of our Mother Warrior Photoshoot!

I hate the R word

I must say I cringe every time I hear this word! People use is sooooooooo much...rarely I've made a comment condoning someone for using it...I hope this campaign takes off and people think twice before using this word anymore! I hope one day it's as unacceptable as the N word...I saw a really great clip I wanted to share on the concept of this campaign

Menu Plan Monday

Monday- Mini Meatloaves, mashed potatoes and acorn squash...(recipe from $5 dinner.com)
Tue-Kreative Kielbasa
Wed- BBQ Riblets in the crock pot
Thur- Orange apricot pork chops in the crock pot, that I never got to make last week because the kiddos ate all the madarin oranges!!!
Fri-Pizza


Mini Meatloaves and Mashed Potatoes


Ingredients
1 lb ground chicken
1 cup bread crumbs I ground up some GFCF cereal instead
1 egg
2 Tbsp ketchup (
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 onion, finely chopped
Salt/Pepper
BBQ sauce
8 small potatoes
1/2 - 1 cup milk sub
1 -2 Tbsp olive oil (or butter)
Salt/Pepper
1 acorn squash

Directions
1. In large bowl, combine ground chicken, bread crumbs/chip crumbs, egg, ketchup and spices. (Or use your favorite meatloaf recipe!!!). Mix well. Scoop meat into muffin tins (I used mini loaf pan tin.) Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
2. Peel and quarter the potatoes. Boil for about 10 minutes or until tender. Drain and place in bowl. Mash with potato masher. Add milk and butter/olive oil. Mix in seasonings. Stir well.
3. Prepare squash as follows. This is my favorite way to make it. "Steaming it in the oven" makes the flesh really soft. I would love to hear your favorite way to prepare acorn squash!



Cut acorn squash in half.


(Microwaving the squash for 3-4 minutes will make it easier to cut.) Place upside down in baking dish with about 1/4 inch of water.


Cover with foil.


Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes. Remove and let cool 10 minutes before handling. Scoop out seeds and then scoop out the flesh. Drizzle with honey, agave syrup or maple syrup.

4. Serve chicken mini meatloaves with BBQ sauce, mashed potatoes and squash.


Kreative Kielbasa

1 1/2 cups rice (uncooked)
6 eggs, scrambled
1 pkg kielbasea, warmed
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce

Cook the rice and then dump everything else in. That's it.

Wednesday's Window Into My World

I'm a few hours shy of it actually being Wed...unfortunately I didn't have time to post before I went to work! But for this Wed, random window into my world I wanted to share the new addition to our family! We have newborn kittens! Our beautiful white cat Gabriella gave birth to a liter of 4 kittens March 16th. We have one orange and white kitten who I have nick named Jack Jr. since he looks like our orange cat (who is fixed and not the daddy)...two dark grey and white ones who I call the twins, since I can't tell them apart yet, and the runt who is Calico. The runt unfortunately didn't survive long, so we only have 3 now. I found out last night that she had passed away. I obviously didn't want to tell Isaiah today BEFORE school, because I knew he wouldn't have been able to go to school if I did, but I did tell him I thought one was sick...so tonight when he got home, Rob broke it to him. He took it worse than I thought, he was devastated. Rob said Tierra held him while he cried for about 20 minutes. He is sooooooo in love with these kittens! I don't know HOW we're going to be able to give any away with as attached as he is! I've never had a pet that had a liter before (well since I was very little anyway) so this is new for me, and it's pretty remarkable! It's amazing to watch Gabby taking care of them! A mother's instincts are amazing! For instance, she hasn't minded if we come in and look at the kittens or even touch them, but when the neighbor boy came in, a person she didn't know, she covered them up w/ her paws. When they nurse she purrs, it's neat...I wonder if she lays there looking at them admiring how adorable they are, like I did when my babies were born....I remember I felt like I couldn't look at them enough, I wonder if she feels like that.

Autism Walk-a-Thon

April 25th I will be doing a walk-a-thon to raise money to send autistic kids in North Central Indiana to camp. The camp is called... Camp Circle of Friends. My friend's little boy went last year and she has raved about it. It is absolutely free for autistic kids. I'm really excited to participate in this. I've never been interested in doing a walk-a-thon for autism speaks or any other big name organization, not that there's anything wrong w/ them...they have their place in this battle and have done their part for autism awareness...I just feel dollar for dollar, the impact isn't as great as organizations like this. If anyone is able to donate...any amount...it would be greatly appreciated. I will have a paypal link on my blog, myspace, etc...or you can donate in person. Here's some pics from last year...how amazing is this??? You can read more about Camp Circle Of Friends on www.asnci.org

Thanks so much for your support!

The Photo Shoot

We did the Warrior Mom's photo shoot...it was SUCH a wonderful experience. A salon/spa donated hair cuts/styles, manicures and make-up for us...OMG that was an experience I've never been pampered like that it was amazing! And the staff treated us soooo great! Being they were donating the services and there was such a big group of us, it wouldn't have been unexpected for someone to act rushed or frustrated...but everyone treated us like royalty, it was such a wonderful experience...I can't wait to see the pics from the photographer! Here's a pic of me after my makeover, that was taken w/ my camera

Menu Plan Monday

I'm a little late, Zae's been sick and I've been so busy I haven't had a chance to figure out what to make!

Monday was a free for all...I worked Rob made something out of whatever we had around the house...going shopping tonight after work
Tuesday...crock pot ribs
wed- spegetti
thur-Orange/Apricot crock pot Pork chops
Fri Gluten Free Mama's tater tot casserole


Orange-Apricot Pork Chops in the CrockPot

The Ingredients.

6 pork chops
1 cup apricot jam
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 (11-ounce) can mandarin oranges (and juice!)

The Directions.

Use a 4-6 quart crockpot.

Put pork chops into your crockpot. In a small bowl, combine jam, brown sugar, and spices. Spoon over pork chops. Add the entire can of mandarin oranges evenly over the top. Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours, or on high for about 4.

Serve with rice to soak up the yummy juice.

Gluten Free Mama's Tater Tot Casserole

Ingredients:

One 16oz bag of frozen mixed veggies, partially thawed or fresh garden veggies
1.25 lbs hamburger
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups prepared Mama's Instant Cream Soup (1/2 cup of the dry mix and 1 and 1/2 cups water)
1 pkg. Gluten Free Tater Tots *
1/2-1 cup shredded cheese, optional

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brown hamburger, drain grease and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Mix together 1/2 cup Mama's Instant Cream Soup with 1 and 1/2 cups water. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened. About 3-4 minutes.

Pour cream soup over browned hamburger.

Lightly spray a 12 x 8 baking dish with cooking spray. Spread veggies evenly into pan. Top with hamburger mixtures. Top with tater tots. Sprinkle with cheese if desired.

Bake covered for 45 minutes removing cover the last 15 minutes to melt cheese.


**** Be sure that you read the labels on the tater tots from the store. Tater Tot Crowns are not gluten free. Some tater tots are not. I used Western Family. I did not see any ingredients that appeared to have gluten.

**** Be sure to at least partially thaw veggies or cook 10-15 minutes longer to cook the veggies all the way through.

Mama's Instant Cream Soup

Ingredients:

Mama’s Instant Cream Soup

2 cups nonfat milk powder or
Better than Milk Rice Milk Powder
1/2 cup Mama’s Almond Blend Flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup instant potato flakes
1/4 cup GF instant bouillon powder*
1 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. parsley

Mix all ingredients and store in airtight container.

For Soup: Mix 1/3 cup mix with 1 1/2 cup water. Bring to boil over medium heat stirring constantly for 3-4 minutes.

For Condensed Soup: Mix 1/2 cup mix with 1 1/2 cup water. Bring to boil over medium heat stirring constantly for 3-4 minutes or until thickened. (Equivalent to 1 can of condensed cream of mushroom soup)

Cream of Mushroom: Add 1/2 cup diced mushrooms

Cream of Chicken: Add 1/2 cup diced chicken

Cream of Celery: Add 1/8 tsp. celery salt and 1/2 cup chopped celery

Cream of Broccoli: Add 1/2 cup chopped broccoli

Kids View

Isaiah wouldn't play...so I just got Tierra and Xander's answers

1. What is something mom always says to you?
Xan: I love you
Tierra: Love you

2. What makes mom happy?
Xan:kiss
T:a clean house

3. What makes mom sad?

Xan:Don’t love you
T:A messy house

4 How does your mom make you laugh?

Xan: Gotta tickle
T:By saying something dumb


5. What did your mom like to do when she was a child?
Xan:Play toys
T:Play with dolls

6. How old is your mom?

Xan:5
T:31

7. How tall is your mom?
Xan:Raises arms way up
T: 5'5

8. What is her favorite thing to watch on TV?
Xan:Bad movie
T:Desperate housewives, ER



9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
Xan:Get scared
T: Work and Clean

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
Xan:I don’t know
T:acting

11. What is your mom really good at?
Xan:climbing
T:cooking

12. What is your mom not very good at?
Xan: spanking
T:picking out a cute outfit

13. What does your mom do for her job?
Xan:Take care of people
T: Nursing


14. What is your mom's favorite food?
Xan:Hot dog
T:Colorful Kielbasa


15. What makes you proud of your mom?

Xan:A kiss
T:Anything really, when you feel acomplished


16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
Xan: superhero
T:MiniMouse

17. What do you and your mom do together?
Xan: kiss
T: Watch TV



18. How are you and your mom the same?
Xan:Use to be little
T: We're both dumb blonds


19. How are you and your mom different?
Xan:You this (arms way up) I this (thumb and pointer almost together)
T: I like fashion

20. What does your mom like most about your dad?
Xan: kiss
T: His personality

21. . Where is your mom's favorite place to go
Xan: in your room
T: Old Time Pottery Store