aunt kitty's cookie's

last night i started off looking for my nainy's jam recipe and ended up with a cookie recipe (along with some other real cool recipe's that i can't wait to try, like peanut butter play-doh!!!)  i was reading a blog and saw a recipe for homemade pop tarts and thought. . .oh i want to make those, let me see if i can hunt down my nainy's ( nainy is grandmother for those who don't know) recipe for jam and use that in the pop tart.  so i thought well i know my mom has never made it maybe my aunt kitty has, so i picked up the phone and called her.  well she never made it either,  however she gave me some other suggestions.  as we got talking aunt kitty shared some recipes and cookbooks with me!  i can't wait to see if i can find the cookbooks, you see she used these cookbooks with my cousins when they were little.  

so, this morning i was taking a look at one of the recipes she gave me and changed it just a little...yummy!!!! thought i would share.

thank you aunt kitty!!!! it was great to talk to you last night!!!!

aunt kitty's cookie's

1 stick unsalted butter

3/4 c sugar
1/4 c honey

6T dark cocco

1/2c whole milk

bring to boil

turn off stove

add

1t vanilla

1/2 c peanut butter

mix until peanut butter is melted

add

3c oatmeal

2T wheatgerm

stir until coated then spoon onto wax paper let cool, store in fridge

ENJOY!!!!

next time i think i might add alittle more peanut butter and, a nut or seed!

lisa

who do you believe?

is it organic or not?

i recently came across an article that claims that there are 38 non organic ingredients that can be found in usda organic foods......go figure!!!!  i guess i should not be surprised, however i am. this brings me back to my very first thought i ever had about organic food is it better for us?  or is local grown food better?  when it is something you can make from scratch over buying it process, well you know what i will pick!

http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/3980

lisa

whatcha cookin' wednesday

whatcha cookin' wednesday

hot tomato dip

this is a dip that i found and added to!  i am always changing recipes... adding and taking away!

chopped tomato's

shredded mozzarella cheese

fresh basil

garlic salt
fresh parmesan cheese for the top

mix together, heat in oven, enjoy!  i used triscuits, they only have 3 ingredients!

lisa

month of may...

national strawberry month

we love strawberries in our house! when i found out there was a whole month to strawberries i was excited! you can do so much with strawberries. one of the activities i want NEEDED to do with  my family was to take them strawberry picking!!! we also make smoothies, muffins,put them in salads and so much more!

if you are looking for a great source of vitamin c, strawberries are the way to go and a with only 45 cal per

1cup who can go wrong!?!?!  i know i can't. 

what do you love to do with strawberries?  how do you wash your strawberries?  I put mine in a bowl, place the bowl in the sink, let water run over the strawberries as i wash each one.  .  .  there has to be a better way.

lisa

cafeteria lunch...transition to 1st grade

so it's been a little while since i wrote about "food"....

on may 1st my daughter brought a note home from school stating, in order to help the kindergarten get ready to make the transition to 1st grade a smoother one they would be visiting the lunch room! how exciting!?!? i think... the note then goes on to state that a lunch can be ordered for $2.75  and this is what you get.....

a chose of pizza, hot dog, or peanut butter and jelly... and a chose of 2,  canned fruit, fresh fruit, juice, veggie sticks, milk.....then at the bottom of them paper it stated if you wish you may send a lunch from home for them to enjoy. 

well, the chose for me was easy, she was going to bring her lunch! 

what type of bread do you use at home? white or wheat?  what type of juice do you use? do you use juice? do you use canned fruit? what type? would your child make the choices you would like them to? 

you are what you eat? 

lisa

before i was a mom

happy mother's day week-end to all the moms out there!

the follow came home from school with my daughter....

before i was a mom

before i was mom, i made and ate hot meals, wore unstained clothes and had quiet conversations on the phone.

before i was a mom, i never worried about how late i went to bed because i could sleep as long as i wanted.

before i was a mom, i washed my face and brushed my teeth every day.

before i was a mom, i enjoyed a leisurely cup of coffee while reading the morning newspaper on saturday morning.

before i was a mom, i slept the whole night through.

before i was a mom, my house was clean everyday and i didn't worry about whether or not my plants were poisonous.

before i was a mom, i had never been puked on, pooped on, peed on, chewed on, or pinched by little fingers.

before i was a mom, i had complete control of my mind, thoughts, and body.

before i was a mom, i never held down a screaming child while doctors and nurses did test or gave shots.  i never felt my heart break into a million pieces because i couldn't stop the hurt.

before i was a mom, i never looked into  teary eyes and cried.

before i was a mom, i never got gloriously happy over a toothless grin.

before i was a mom, i never held a sleeping baby just because i didn't want to put it down.  i never was up in the wee hours of the night just watching a baby while it slept.

i never knew that something so small could effect my life so tremendously.

before i was a mom, i never knew i could love something so unconditionally and completely.

before i was a mom, i never knew how satisfying it would be to feed a hungry child.  i never knew how fulfilling it would be to soothe a baby's cries.

before i was a mom, i loved my mom, but didn't understand her.

before i was a mom, i never knew the warmth, the joy, the heartache, the wonderment, or the fulfillment of being a mom.

before i was a mom, i never knew i would love being a mom!

happy mother's day mom!!

lisa

whatcha' cookin' wednesday

my husband is a hunter and it's spring turkey season up here. we are having grilled wild turkey with roasted potatoes and a tossed salad. we marinate the turkey in state spiedie sauce, it's gluten, sugar and preservative free. not bad except for the MSG :(

whatcha' got cookin' in your kitchen tonight?

thanks for reading.
amy~

what's today? teacher what?

national teachers day!!!

i bet you did not know that today is national teachers day?!?!?!

well it is!!! take the time out and thank a teacher for their hard work and dedication!  teachers make a differance in the lives of children and should be reconized for it! thank you teachers for everything you do for the youth of the future!

lisa

baby food!

eating is serious business

this is katy jo, she's 6 months old and man, she loves to eat. i've been making her food but it's getting difficult to keep up with her hefty healthy appetite. her favorite is...wait, who am i kidding, she likes it all. she's had carrots, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, green beans, peas, bananas, pears and strawberries.
surprisingly, baby food is pretty easy to make. for veggies, just steam or roast, then puree. bananas, just mash with a fork, no cooking required. tomorrow we're gonna try apples. those need to be peeled, cored, chopped and cooked on the stove. easy peasy.

thanks for reading.
amy~

kicking an old habit...

diet soda....

why i can't give up my diet soda??????

i stop drinking it for a couple of days, then it happens-my will power FLIES right out of the window and i crack open a can of diet soda and down the whole can like i have not had a drink in day's!!!!  why can't i give it up? i drink milk, coffee, water, wine, my yummy juice from the juicer, however some days i just can't do it and i just NEED a diet soda.  go figure?!?! i can't! 

so last night when my parents were over, i was having a diet soda... my mom looks at me and said, "doesn't a diet soda, go against everything you believe?" and all i could say was "yes".  i continued to explain to my mom sometimes other drinks just do not cut it for me! i also told me mom how when i drink the diet soda how i feel all bloated.  once again my mom had a very valid question, "is it worth it then?" my response, "no".  but mom what else can i drink, was my follow up question?  she had a great answer for me!!! cold homemade tea with honey and lemon!!! duh, why didn't i think of that? sometimes mom's do know best! good bye diet soda for good!!!!

lisa

whatcha cookin' wednesday

i stopped at sal's meat market today. love that place. they slice steak for sandwich meat on the spot. it's pure awesome-ness. needed an easy dinner tonight so i chopped up the meat and fried it in butter and garlic. also picked up some tasty sandwich rolls at the bakery (not whole wheat but only 6 ingredients).

and that's what we're cookin'. thanks for reading.

amy~

ever had a flop... not a flip flop...

cheese crackers...you know the ones that every kid loves, well i think every kid loves!  i know my do! do you have any idea how many ingredients are in them? i stopped counting after i got to 17, soooo i started to look for homemade cheese cracker recipes....

i found one that the first time i made them i thought they were out of this world!! the kids thought they were to spicy... it called for crushed red pepper flakes.  so i made them without the pepper flakes. the next time by mistake i put to much butter! they turned out amazing! however the recipe calls for white flour, so i then tried it with straight up whole wheat, another flop. i heard of another one, that someone said, "well, the dog likes them!" i knew i was NOT going to make them! so i shared my recipe with her. 

this is the recipe that i came up with that i like the best!!! so do the kids!!! after several flops and several modifications to the recipe!!

1 1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese

6 T.  softened butter

3/4 c. white whole wheat flour

1/2 t salt

1 T. whole milk

1. preheat oven 350

2. put cheese,butter, flour and salt in bowl, mix with hand mixer until it is well blended then add milk. mix until ball forms

(i use my hand mixer over my stand mixer, i find the dough comes out better, not sure why)

4. you will need a floured surface to work on or else you will have a difficult time removing dough from surface.

5. roll dough  out to about 1/8 inch thick depending how you like it. i find thinner is better, however harder to remover from surface. use a knife (for squares) or small cookie cutter to cut dough into shape.

6. place on your lined baking sheet with parchment paper bake for about 10-12 min. depending on your oven, until edges are brown.

7. cool and eat!

lisa