Extreme Coupon Training

Well  not so much extreme- but extremely cute none the less:)!

Make Your Own Rice Cereal

It is much easier than you think!

I discovered one more reason to love my Kitchen Aid mixer because I used my grain mill attachment and ground up some brown rice super fine to feed Lucy some of her first cereal.

If you do not have a grain mill- no worries- you can just use a food processor or a blender (I think a blender works best).

Brown rice is best and short grain brown rice is the best of the brown rice choices. 
Grind up the rice into a fairly fine powder (think cream of wheat).  The powder can be stored in an air tight container for a couple of weeks.  This rice cereal has to be cooked the recipe is as follows:

1 cup water
1/4 cup brown rice powder

Bring the water to a boil in a small sauce pan then slowly whisk in the rice powder (whisking prevents clumping).  Turn down the heat to low and simmer, covered for about 10 minutes.  The mixture will be thick and get even thicker as it cools.  Add fruits or breast milk/formula to thin to desired consistency.  If there are any lumps just mash them out with a fork.

Weekend Recipe

I'm back after a Vacation Bible School hiatus.  (PS- they should think of another name for VBS that doesn't include the word vacation, because it is a LOT of work!)

These are so easy you'll want to make them over and over in all kinds of flavors!

Inside Out Whoopie Pies

Ingredients:

Cakes:

1 yellow cake mix (18.5oz)

1 stick of butter

1 large egg

Filling:

2 cups powdered sugar

2 tbsp coco powder

1/4 cup shortening

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg white (pasteurized)

Directions:

Melt butter and mix into cake mix with the egg just until it comes together.  Dough will be like cookie dough.  Using a tbsp size cookie scoop or spoons shape the dough into 1 inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake of the top rack at 350 for 10-12 minutes.  Cakes should be soft still but not brown at all.

Remove from the oven and let cool on the pan for 5 minutes.  Move them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely before you add the frosting.

While they cool, make the filling.  Mix the sugar, shortening, egg white, cocoa and vanilla just until completely combined.  Use a piping bag or just spoon about 1 tbsp of filling onto a cake then top with another cake.  These are so goo and won't last long!

Variations:  Use any flavor cake mix-

Chocolate with the cocoa powder left out of the filling for traditional whoopie pies.  

Red velvet cake mix with cream cheese substituted for shortening in the filling

German chocolate cake mix and chocolate filling but roll the sides in toasted coconut.

The possibilities are endless!

Mommy Rule #1

ALWAYS trust your instincts!!!

Lucy was super sick this weekend- throwing up, diarrhea and high fever.  We called the pediatrician's on call back up SEVERAL times and every time they made us feel like we were totally over reacting. 
"it's just a virus."  "it will run it's course."  "blah blah blah."

After over 36 hours of fever and constant runny diapers- Once again I called the pediatrician on call (not our regular doc BTW) who once again said all the same stuff- virus, has to run it's course...
I told her I was worried about dehydration and she said- "well I guess you just have to do what you want and take her to the er."
I did what I felt I had to and took her to the er.
If they were going to tell me it was just a virus- they were at least going to LOOK at her and tell me it was just a virus.  At what point do people start getting concerned when a four month old is unable to keep anything in her little body!?!

The er doc said she was a little dehydrated but recommended re hydration with pedialyte vs. a hospital admission since she wasn't dangerously dehydrated.  He also did a stool culture (shocker I know!) which no one else suggested. 

We got the results of the stool culture this morning- SALMONELLA! Holy Smokes!  It isn't something that would just run it's course.  She has to have an antibiotic and see her pediatrician this week!
had I just let the doc on the phone blow me off- we would have never known until Lucy got even sicker.

I had a feeling- nothing definite, but just a feeling something was really wrong and I followed my gut.  Dumb on call doctor can think what she wants, er nurses can call me an over reactor- but when it comes to my children- WATCH OUT!

Lesson:  ALWAYS follow your instincts- you never know- I could have very well just been over reacting  but I'd rather overreact and have a live, whole, and well baby girl than the alternative!

5x7 Folded Card

Alphabet Blocks Father's Day 5x7 folded card

Shutterfly offers custom St. Patrick's Day cards.

View the entire collection of cards.

Weekend Recipe

Want to add some yummy to your iced tea this summer?  Need a mixer for a cocktail?  Try this:

Lemon Flavored Simple Syrup

Ingredients:

-zest and juice from 2 lemons (or 4 limes for lime flavored syrup)
-1 cup water
-1 1/2 cups sugar

Zest the lemons or limes and then squeeze the juice.  You want equal parts liquid and sugar so if the juice and water equals more than 1 1/2 cup add more sugar to equal the same measurement. 
Put zest and juice in a small sauce pan with the water and sugar.  Heat on medium high heat until sugar is dissolved and the mixture comes to a boil.  Boil for 1 minute then remove from heat.
Strain the syrup through a fine strainer or a cheese cloth into a clean jar or bottle.  Let cool and enjoy!  It will keep for 1 month in the fridge.

Use this syrup in place of sugar in iced tea or hot tea.  Pour it hot over a bundt cake still in the pan just out of the oven (let it cool in the pan with the syrup) for a super moist cake.  Use this syrup along with some fresh lime juice, triple sec and tequila for a great margarita.  Add it to some rum and coke, or just coke:).  It also makes a great hostess gift or house warming present packed in a cute jar along with some green tea bags.

Weekend Recipe

Hamburger Buns (or hot dog buns or rolls or whatever kind of bun type shape suits your purpose)

These will elevate any ground beef or pain old hot dog to gourmet level- promise!

Ingredients:

1 cup milk

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup butter

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 (.25 ounce) package instant yeast or 2 tsp of yeast

2 tablespoons white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 egg

Instructions:

In your mixing bowl ( I use my kitchenaid) put 1 3/4 cup of the flour, yeast, sugar and salt.  Mix together and set aside. 

Heat milk, water and butter to 120-130 degrees.  Doing this in a saucepan on the stove top vs. microwave makes it easier to control the temp. Temperature is important because if the liquid is too hot it will kill the yeast.

Add the liquid mixture to the bowl with the flour mixture and mix well.  Add the egg and continue mixing until combined.  Add the remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until the dough comes together and cleans the sides of the bowl.   This will be a soft, sticky dough and you may need a bit more flour to get the dough to stop sticking to the sides of the bowl.

The dough needs to be kneaded for 8 minutes- I use my mixer to knead- you can do it by hand if you want.  The texture should be smooth and elastic.

Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and shape as desire  for hot dogs or hamburgers.  Place on a greased cookie sheet and sit in a warm place covered until they double in size.

bake in a 400 degree oven for 10-12 minutes.  Remove when done and brush tops with butter.

Notes on flour variations- I tried these with bread flour and they came out a bit heavier and tougher- chewy- not bad but not as tender as a hamburger bun should be.

I have NOT tried these with part whole wheat flour- but if you do, let me know how they come out!