Happy National Chocolate Cake Day

Yep- there really is a National Chocolate Cake Day and that is today!

I made Beatty's Chocolate Cake by Barefoot Contessa but used marshmellow creme for the frosting. The cake was moist and very good but only one layer of marshmellow creme should have been used and maybe a dusting of powdered sugar on top. Amazingly baking a chocolate cake makes me a hero to the boys...

Monday Menu Plan

After a trial of keeping food post separate from this blog it got to be too much work so *drumroll* Please welcome back Menu Mondays and recipes here!!!

If you want to see last week's go here! I made some changes- we ate out Friday night at a fish place, had Turkey soup Saturday, and never made the Bourbon Beef Noodle bowl even though it sounds so good!

Monday [today]: Quiche [Bacon, onions, bell peppers, and spinach...]

Tuesday: Whole roasted chicken, carrots, and bread

Wednesday: Leftover chicken into a Chicken and Dumpling soup

Thursday: Homemade pizza [Have I mentioned my wonderful father-in-law got me a Pizza Baking Stone so I can make my own bread and pizza crust!- I am just delighted]

Friday: The fabulous Chicken Carbonara Pasta that I made last week that got rave reviews from all the boys.

Recipe Spotlight: Chicken Carbonara [courtesy of Cuinsine at Home special Pasta edition]

Bread Crumb Topping:
Toast in 2 T Olive oil-
1 c. fresh bread crumbs [I used a packaged of bread crumbs from Trader Joe's]
1/2 c. walnuts, chopped
2 Tablespoon fresh parsley
2 teaspoon lemon zest

For the Carbonara:
Saute and Drain-
1/2 lb diced thick-sliced bacon
Add and Saute-
1 lb chicken tenders, seasoned with salt and pepper [I used cut up chicken breast and seasoned with Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning]
1 t garlic, minced
Deglazed with-
1/2 c. dry white wine
1 T fresh lemon juice

Cook-
3/4 lb dry spaghetti [NOT the whole 1 lb package!]

Whisk together-
3 eggs
1 c. frozen peas [I ran mine under warm water as Trader Joe had these HUGE peas in their frozen section]
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese shredded
1/4 c. heavy cream
Toss with-
Sauteed chicken
Reserved bacon pieces
Hot cooked spaghetti
Garnish with-
Bread crumb topping

Large pot of salted water to a boil for the spaghetti.
Toast bread crumbs and walnuts in oil in saute pan then toss with parsley and zest. Set aside.
Saute bacon in large pan until crisp. Remove cooked bacon to towel lined plate and remove all but one 1T in drippings.
Add chicken to the pan and saute over med-high heat until cook through and add garlic. Then deglaze with wine and lemon juice, reduce until nearly evaporated [3-4 mins]. If you don't have wine on hand, chicken stock would be a good substitute.
Cook spaghetti according to package directions.
Whisk eggs, peas, Parmesan, and cream together in a large bowl. Add the just cooked and hot spaghetti and toss- the heat of the noodles will cook the sauce. Add chicken and reserved bacon. Garnish with the lovely bread crumb mixture.
Enjoy! [This week I'll be sure to take a picture!]


As always- more menu ideas are found at Organizing Junkie

Swimming lessons

Cyrus enjoyed his first swimming lesson. He'll be swimming Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons for two weeks.

Haircut

Before picture... As you can see Cyrus's hair is quite long and he didn't want it cut because "it hurts"
Then he decided to cut it himself, which I then buzz to make it neater but he got some spots/lines cut shorter than the buzz...

Not too bad in the front-

well those lines will grow right...

R. Pausch Quotes

I have seen "The Last Lecture" presented by Randy Pausch on PBS [OPB] which I truly enjoyed and then my book club picked it as January's book of the month. I recommend this book or tv program to anyone... His theme of the "lecture" [he was a Professor at Carnegie Mellon] was "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams"

I read two quotes in particular that I wanted to share with you [but there are many more to be discovered... and I should let you know that the chapters are short and the book is an easy read]:

Chapter 16: Romancing the Brick Wall

"Brick walls are there for a reason. They give us a chance to show how badly we want something."

Chapter 39: Be the First Penguin

"Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted."

I really wish that I had taken the time to write out my childhood dreams so that I could make them happen or have fun trying. I will be encouraging this in my children.

Local Politics

Portland's new Mayor, Sam Adams, has admitted that he indeed had an affair [no not married] with a 18 yo two years ago after denying the "rumors" for quite some time. Makes you wonder if they really did wait until the younger person was truly 18 years old if you can lie about a relationship...

I have to say that politicians who lie, cheat, or steal should excused themselves from office. Especially if they lie because the trust between the politician and the represented people is lost.
I could forgive and forget should Sam Adams made the honest choice to admit that he did have this relationship with the 18 year old but to deny over and over until *cough* actually it is true.

There is a law that prevents the people from kicking him out of office until 6 months into office...

So frustrating especially when I wanted Sam Adams' opponent to win but that is neither here or there now...
*shakes head* Now I will have to wait and see how it all plays out...

I joined Facebook finally- apparently I was missing out on some information and whoa! instantly information overload!!! I can't believe how many people I know who are on there- it is- well I already said it "overwhelming"
The other reason why I joined is that I need a night out and no one seems to be available in my physical area so maybe I'll just have to do with a cup of hot chocolate and facebook- anyone want to make a date of it?

MLK Day

Happy MLK Day!
From his "I have a Dream" speech:

I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day the state of Alabama, whose governor's lips are presently dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, will be transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith with which I return to the South. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."

Time...

Wow- mid January already?!!!

It just hits me the other day that Dan's deployment is coming up fast... Actually 78 days away now...

And then we're just waiting on the VA appraisal on the house as well as the i to be dotted and t to be crossed so we can close on our house which is very, very soon. I should be packing by now [note to self: get boxes] which is exciting and well a lot of work needs to be done. The kids are excited. It would have been great to be at the house this week as our weather has been really nice- sunny and in the 50s and I am thinking about gardening as the kids are thinking of playing in the backyard.

Back in the Fall I was having major cravings for caramel apples that I even looked up on Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory for their nearest store so that I may get one [I like the pecans on it as well] and to my dismay found the nearest store to be just over an hour away... Guess what- driving to our new house should I see a few letters of the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory store- now Dan wouldn't pull over for me (why doesn't he know NOT to stand between a woman and her sweets I don't know). So soon I'll have my treat and reward myself for all the packing, moving and unpacking we are about to do...

Solomon brings home an assignment that he did in school. If you look at the picture you can see the caption: This is me in January. So I ask Solomon "Aren't you suppose to be drawing a picture of yourself" "Well yeah..." Then mom rudely interrupts, "I though we agreed not to draw weapons at school [stemmed from Parent-Teacher conference]" "My hand is there!" Then Mom looks closer at the drawing along with Dad who was in the room too and we see the hand attached to the tank and arm and had to laugh because this is what Solomon is doing in January. Our boy isn't breaking the rules about doing less weapon drawings in school, it is simply a reflection of what he/we do at home.
My lesson has been learned: I will not harp on Solomon about drawing weapons at school until I get rid of every single toy that has a weapon such Star Wars, Army figures, even Buzz Lightyear, superheroes [they have powers], knights, video games, etc... Plus Solomon's hero of a Dad shouldn't be in Army or Police work as they involve weapons and if Solomon [or Cyrus] is to create artwork or words about their Dad especially with his jobs then weapons are involved, it is a fact of our family.
Besides we are sort of encouraging the interest in Army as it would be nice NOT to have to pay for one kid's college education :)

My family's resolution

So we walked away from one house on New Year Eve and Saturday we went house hunting- actually we narrowed it down to one before we went outside. Saw it and loved it. We presented the seller [bank owned] with an offer, they reponded, we liked their response and the paperwork for buying the house was done today.
We could be moved in at the end of this month or early next month... The gas fireplace is calling out to me, I can imagine how nice it would be to wait out the rest of winter reading books by the fireplace.
Anyone care to wager when I'll find myself in paradise?
Dan is looking forward to the big space above the fireplace for his television [have I mentioned we'll finally become a normal American family with cable when we move]...
The boys will have more space to run around and play in, backyard, small neighborhood, and stairs to fall down at least once... Oh yeah- they liked the fireplace too especially since you use a regular on-off switch to have the roaring fire or not...