Layered Pumpkin Dessert

Have not had enough pumpkin yet?? My sister-in-law made this for Thanksgiving dessert and it was delicious!! A great twist on the classic pumpkin pie tradition. Click here for the Recipe. 

Prayer

This past Tuesday we had the privilege of listening to Brooke Graham share with us about the darkness that we all struggle with. She shared the following prayer and I thought is was so great I wanted everyone to have the chance to read again.

Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury,pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.


O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

          Amen

Chocolate Zucchini Loaf

As fall quickly approaches, and school gets into full swing, you may be looking for some great recipes. Here is one that I just tried and the whole family loved. I stumbled upon this receipt on a site I found called Six Sisters Stuff.  It's an amazing blog started by six sisters who use it to keep in touch with one another and share with each other.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Recipe adapted from Taste of Home

Ingredients:
-1 1/2 cups sugar
-1 cup unsweetened applesauce (can substitute 1 cup canola oil)
-3 eggs
-3 teaspoons vanilla extract
-2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1 1/2 cups all-purpose and 1 cup whole wheat flour)
-1/2 cup baking cocoa
-1 teaspoon salt
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
-1/4 teaspoon baking powder
-2-3 cups shredded zucchini
-1 cup chocolate chips (optional, but they taste amazing!)
Directions:
In a large bowl, beat the sugar, applesauce, eggs and vanilla until well blended. Combine the flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and baking powder; gradually beat into sugar mixture until blended. Stir in zucchini. Fold in chocolate chips. Transfer to two 8-in. x 4-in. loaf pans coated with non-stick cooking spray.
Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Yield: 2 loaves (12 slices each).

Reality versus Reflecting

Today is my middle child's birthday... and she is 10 years old.  Time is relative I guess and while we're living it we don't really notice it flying by but when we reflect on it... well, even then when someone asks me "Does it feel like 10 years have gone by?" I can't honestly answer yes!  Don't get me wrong, it's been great... but sometimes the great times are over shadowed by those dark and hallowing memories and it's then that I think that those people who whistfully reflect on the past 10 years are nuts when they have that whistful looking smile on their face.  Raising a kid is hard and everyone always tells you to enjoy it while you can because before you know it they'll be grown up and have moved out.   Those people are reflecting and what I think I'm figuring out is that when we are looking back and reflecting on our children's lives our memories have a buffer zone that hides the not-so-rainbows and unicorns moments and you have to think really hard to remember them.  What I think we all need to know is that for those of us who are in the now, the reality of it is that it's okay not to enjoy every moment. 

I remember one episode of Oprah where there were some Moms on the show and one of them was living in a bubble.  She basically said that everything was always perfect in her life.  You could hear people gasping and murmuring, a few even mocking and I think EVERY woman in that audience was scowling at her in disbelief... and there were quite a few who got up to the microphone and basically told her she was lying (she really did seem to be living in lala land because I don't know anyone who hasn't had a bad day since they had kids).   I think we all need to realize that it's okay not to love your life all the time and even more so, it's okay if you're not perfect or super Mom or whatever you want to call it.  THAT is reality.

Which leads me to MOMS.  Moms Offering Moms Support.  I've sat at a lot of tables over the past 4 years and guess what?  Nobody is perfect and that is why I love MOMS.  You can be honest and talk about the hard times in your life - no matter what they are - and you will never be judged or looked at like you're crazy because no matter what you are going through in your life you have to remember that you are never the only one.  Never.   If you haven't had the opportunity to join us at MOMS or think that because it's in a Church it's not for you I encourage you to go back and read some of my earlier blogs because I was the least Churchy person out there.  

The countdown is on and I am looking very forward to our upcoming term.  MOMS is for everyone and for those of you who have attended MOMS I want to encourage you to think of one person in your life who needs MOMS and start talking to them about it because the reality is, we all need someone to talk to. 

Corn Chowder

Looking for a recipe to use up some of your leftovers from Easter. Here is one my family loves.

1C chopped ham or bacon

1 1/4 C chopped onion

4C diced unpeeled potato

2C Water

1C grated or chopped carrot

1 tsp salt

1 tsp chicken bouillon powder

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp celery salt

2C milk

2-14oz cans cream corn

Mix first 9 ingredients in pot. Cook on med until veggies are tender. Do Not Drain. Add milk and corn. Still and heat through. Serve with warm biscuits.

*The above picture is not "my" picture, but looks very much the same!!

Green Peppers (actually any peppers)

One of my best girlfriends gave me this great tip. As many of you know, I live out of town, so when i get groceries I usually buy in bulk. Sometimes this can be a challenge at home though as there are times that things go bad in my fridge before I get a chance to use them. Peppers were one thing that I struggled with the most. After cutting into one, if I didn't use the whole thing, I would put it in the fridge and then next time I would go to use it I would find it all slimy and not very good.

So the tip is...

Wrap unused portions of peppers in paper towel before placing back in the fridge!!

The paper towel absorbs the extra moisture leaving your peppers crisp and ready to use next time!!

Dates on a Dime

The last date my husband and I went on by ourselves was... well... I'm not really sure to be honest. We have gone out for supper with another couple but as I type this I'm trying to run through the calendar in my head and I can't recall when we actually just went out together. Oh wait! I think we went shopping for bathroom vanities together when his parents were here back in November!

I was recently reading an article from the Jan/Feb issue of Focus on the Family on date nights with your spouse. The catchy phrase under the title was "Revive the fun of dating your spouse". Sounds fun right? Um yea... except for the park where you have to find time, book a babysitter, figure out what you're going to do and save up some cash. But according to this article you can make memories together without blowing your family budget and some didn't even require leaving the house... and I know that sounds too easy - but they're actually pretty good ideas!

So here is what they suggested for a Date Night Challenge: Three dates in three weeks... and by three weeks I mean three consecutive weeks - starting next week! Check out these date night ideas and start planning! If you have family around you, ask for their babysitting services... if you don't, consider asking some close friends to exchange babysitting services with you so you can both help each other out!

1. Coffee Q&A. Cost = less than $8. Prep - each of you write down some questions to ask each other that deal with stuff other than day to day life, your kids, work, home... you get the idea. What is something your spouse does very but doesn't know he does well? What is your favorite joke? A childhood memory they'll never forget. Head to Starbucks, order a coffee and grab a table. Each of you randomly pulls a question and let the conversation begin.

2. A Stroll Down Memory Lane. Cost = less than $10. Prep for the she - make some favorite finger foods for you and your hubby. Prep for the he - while she is making the finger foods get your kids into bed. Grab a blanket, light a few candles, plop yourself on the floor in front of the TV and watch a home movie (wedding, birthdays, vacations) or go through some old photo albums or year books.

3. Romance on a Roof Top. Cost = less than $10. After the kids are in bed, climb onto the roof with some blankets, an iPod and some snacks. Talk, snuggle, look at the stars... and enjoy each other's company.

4. Driveway Theater. Cost = less than $5. After the kids are in bed grab the baby monitor and head to the "Driveway Theater". Bring some blankets, drinks and a big bowl of popcorn and watch a movie on your laptop while sitting in your car/van. Take turns picking a movie using a DVD or Netflix (since you're still within range of your internet connection). The bonus is you get to wear your pj's!

5. Dollar Date. Cost = less than $20. The challenge is to spend as little as possible... then see if you can spend less next time! Start your evening with a dollar menu dinner at McDonalds or wherever else offers it. Head to the Dollarama beside Rainbow Theater and purchase 2 treats to share. Move next door to Rainbow Theater for a movie.

6. A Romantic Evening at Home. Cost = less than $20. Do your best to get the kids to Grandma's, an Auntie's, or a friend's house for a sleepover. Prep for the he - groceries for a romantic dinner that HE is going to cook. Prep for the she - while he is getting supper ready, you relax in a candle light bath. After dinner dance in the living room or watch a romantic comedy with a bowl of popcorn. It's nothing elaborate - but it's time alone with no kids :-)

If you have any other great dates on a dime please comment on this post to share with others - I'm sure you all have a great date night idea out there that others will enjoy. Now go talk to your hubby and plan out some date together (I don't want you doing all the planning). Pick one date each and then maybe the third together. Have fun and make sure to post your date night ideas!