Donut Sunday

Ava and Tony make "homemade" donuts. (I am struggling between typing doughnuts and Donuts...ok you get what I am talking about right?)

They use refrigerated biscuit dough which they fry and frost with canned frosting. Ava gets such a kick out of making and of course eating them, as they are laden with sugar.

Spring Things!

It's been too long. But an exciting thing happened since my last post...Spring arrived!

We had been cooped up in this house for 6 months with more illnesses and injuries than any one family should endure. Since the weather changed we have been nearly living outdoors.

Gia is so much happier now that we can be outdoors. Wish I could say she was sleeping in because of the fresh air but that is not the case. So here's what we've been up to..

planting this tree, a prarie fire crab tree and some dwarf lilac bushes

creating, digging, planting and caring for our new garden. we have a new "green" area

in a private service yard, it houses our garden, a retractable clothesline, trash and recycling containers

we have been visiting our local parks, in an effort to visit 10 parks, which is part of a contest our park district is sponsoring.

This was from a visit to a local farm to buy mothers day flowers. I call it the "free zoo"

We celebrated Ava's last week of preschool with a school music program and a family picnic.

I promise to try another recipe for you soon. I just need to get organized and have all of my ingredients ready to go. I will try to post again soon...I think I may need a laptop since my time indoors in limited these days. Happy Spring!!!

My Homage to Pioneer Woman...Let's cook!

I am in love with the blog Confessions of a Pioneer Woman I describe what she is doing there in the cooking section as food porn. It is absolutely enough to make you drool and informative enough to make you think you too can do it in your kitchen. So...today I had planned what I would make for dinner and decided to try it out for all of you. Once you visit Ree's site and see the fancy pants way she has everything set up and how magnificent her photos are I doubt you will be back here, but try not to forget us all together. Ree, try to ignore the elementary set up of my page, the very amateur photos and design...it was all done with love. Thanks for the inspiration.

Today I am making Cornbread Taco Casserole.
Anyway, shall we get started???

Here is the cast of characters...

Not pictured: Water, Milk and 1 lb ground beef (be patient I am learning, and besides I had to call and borrow the milk from my neighbor...!)

Preheat your oven to 375degrees and add your raw meat to your pan.

Cook until brown, drain fat and return to heat.
Add taco seasoning and prepare according to package directions. For some of you these first three steps may be considered advanced cooking (Joel). If you want to stop here and have tacos I won't judge.

Once your taco meat is done turn off the heat, add 1 cup cheese, I used cheddar here, monterey jack is also a good choice. Next add I can of Chilli Magic...this stuff is not the easiest to find in the grocery store...check by the chilli, or by the beans. Combine and set aside.

In another bowl add 2 boxes of Jiffy or similar cornbread mix to 2/3 cup of milk. In this case I had 1/3 cup and my neighbor Lynn brought me the other 1/3...sometimes it takes a village.

Next Add 2 eggs.

Stir Stir Stir...Ava is doing this for me in this picture.

Add one 15.5 oz can of Fiesta Corn or as I lovingly call it "mexicorn".

Add 1 cup of cheese...In my opinion cheese like butter makes everything better.

Mix and Set aside.

Layer your beef mixture in the bottom of a jelly roll pan/stoneware pan. If the need for the pan I just listed is the deal breaker on whether you will make this or not you could always use a 9x13 pan, the finished product will just be deeper and may require a bit longer in the oven. If you don't know what a 9x13 is...call me I will recommend a good take out place.



Who wouldn't like this recipe you ask??? Here's one little punk who is not digging it.





Throw some M&M's or other blackmail item to the distraction and press on... Spread your corn bread mixture on top of the beef mixture until it is completely covered.

Stick it in the oven for 15-20 minutes...longer if you go the 9x13 route...until golden brown. Once it's ready pull it out of the oven and cut into squares. You can garnish with sour cream as I did, and/or black olives, tomatos...whatever you like.


Yummo!

Mom Always Said "Don't Play Ball in the House"!

Four days after my last blog posting I broke my Ulna in my lower arm. I was having a blast playing kick ball with Gia. Running full speed in your socks on hardwood floors when you already have a history of clumsiness is not a good idea! The good news is that so far my bone that had to be re-set is sticking and I won't have to have surgery. The bad news is I will have to wear this cast for 6 weeks. This is a challenge when taking care of 2 little girls all day everyday, but I am adapting pretty well. Did I mention I am left handed??? Nice added bonus.

Here's a picture of me and our Dear friend Joel taken today. He too broke his left arm, under much more adventurous circumstances, while hang gliding in Mexico.

Peek A Boo!

Here are some candid adorable shots of Giada peeking from behind the dining room curtains. This child has an adorable personality. She is talking up a storm and since she has been ear infection free for a month now, she is a happy camper!

Filling My Shoes

I never imagined when I picked out my wedding shoes almost 10 years ago that I would be blessed with a daughter who loved to wear them around the house while playing dress up.

I am also sure my parents probably never envisioned a beautiful grandaughter one day prancing in this dress when taking me to pick it out for my 1st communion.

These are the moments where we come full circle...I wore this dress as a child, and these shoes as a young woman and felt like a princess on both of those momentous days and now I can watch with awe as my daughter does the same.

Formal Pictures

I have been slacking on getting the girls 1 yr and 4 yr pictures done. Between the holidays and illnesses it just hasn't fit in to our schedule. Last week I took them to JC Penney's and here's a few of proofs. I am surprised any of Gia turned out, she was very afraid the entire time. Ava as always was her supermodel self!