Love is the Air: Favorite Valentine's Day Traditions

Hello everyone,

I'm not even going to mention this latest blog-iatus (that's a blog- hiatus for those of you just tuning in) because it's become standard procedure for me nowadays.

Wait, did I just mention it?

I did, didn't I?

Any-whooo, I thought I'd take a moment to share a few favorite Valentine traditions that are simple and easy (and cheap!)

There are SO many cute ideas out there for Valentine's Day, but I've had to learn the lesson the hard way that I just can't do it all! When I try to do every little idea I see, I often end up "going to the party but missing the celebration," so to speak. In other words I become so focused on my doily table runner that I forget that the point of this holiday is to cherish the ones we love! Leslie wrote a great blog post about this subject the other day.

So, with that in mind, here are a few favorite, simple traditions that encourage togetherness.

1. 'Roses Are Red' Valentines:
A year or two ago, we started the tradition of making our own Valentines for each other (no store bought allowed!), and the rule is that the Valentine needs to follow the format of the poem "Roses are Red, Violets are Blue." I like to re-write the poem depending on what the kids are into that year.

Here are the Valentines I made the kids last year:

And here's the cute one Bennett made for me (with Daddy's help):

I've no idea what that crazy kid was talking about, but I like the way his mind works. Cake sandwiches? Yes sirree!

I also made one for the McPreacher of course, but it was a little scandalous so I'll just keep that to myself. Hehe.

2. Special Breakfast on Valentine's Day:

I LOVE breakfast, and in my book, any holiday is a good excuse to make a special breakfast! This is something I've been doing since McPreachy and I first got married. Even though this is kind of labor intensive, I LOVE cooking so it doesn't stress me out. Here are a few of the Pinteresting things I'd like to try for this years special breakfast:

Heart shaped Cinnamon Rolls

Strawberry/White Chocolate Cocoa

Heart-shaped Bacon

Convo Heart Bingo

And finally, our last little V-Day tradition...

3. Love Notes Jar

On our kitchen counter we have a jar where we can write little love notes to each other beginning the first o' the month. Then we read them during our Valentine's breakfast. Simple and sweet.

Here's the little bowl of love notes, waiting to be written on:

And here's a note that Mallory dictated for me to write for Bennett.

And yes, I know the pictures is sideways... I have issues.

Also, while we're at it, let's take a peek at a few of our simple Valentines decorations.

I think that about does it: Valentine's Day at our house in a nutshell... or any other shell that seems Valentinesy to you.

Either way, I love this holiday!

Happy New Year: A Plethora of Updates

Happy New Year! I'm back after a month-ish long Christmas blog-iatus. Sooooo welcome back to me! I feel like I have a zillion updates to share, so let's begin, shall we?

1. I am sad the holidays are over. Boo Hoo. But I love getting rid of all the "Christmas clutter" around the house and getting things fresh for the new year. I love the new outlook and possibility that another year brings. This is the first year in a while that I haven't spent a lot of time reflecting on my goals for the coming year. Not sure why. It could be that I am just so focused on adjusting to/coping with being pregnant and trying to enjoy every moment with my kids at this stage, which would be a good reason. Or if could be that I have just given up trying to meet goals because I am so bad at it, which wouldn't be a good reason.

Either way, I truly believe that 2012 has amazing things to offer. I am entering this year very hopeful at what God has in store. Last year I had 3 words that I focused on for 2011's goals. For 2012 there is one word that really encapsulates what I'd like to work on this year, an it's STOP.

Yep. my goal for 2012 is to just stop being so busy and doing so much... to slow down and enjoy the stage of life and mothering I'm in right now. The stop and smell the roses and not be in such a rush. To stop beating myself up with Mom guilt and stop comparing myself to others. To put the phone down, play with my kids, hold my soon-to-be-newborn and not try to cram so much into these fleeting years. This should always be a goal, but it feels more necessary this year with the baby coming. I'm already making preparations to pull back a lot from commitments and spend this next year just enjoying being a new Mom again.

2. Moving on to less meaningful matters, I'm in full-on nesting mode and tackling all kinds of decorating/organizing projects around the house! Here is a peek at some of our winter-yet-not-Christmas decor:

3. I made these these other day. They were heavenly. Annnnd since the recipe said "healthy," I naturally ate them all in one sitting. Can't deprive the wee one in my belly, now can we?

4. Speaking of my belly, it is in full bloom these days.

Here it is outside H&M, pining over clothes it won't fit into.

Here it is in shadow form, along with two precious ones. (I love the way Benny has his hand on my belly.)

I had my 20 week ultrasound last week, which was SUCH a different experience since we aren't finding out our baby's gender until the big day! Everything is looking healthy, and despite my abnormally large belly, baby is measuring right on target.

4. A few weeks ago, a friend and I were talking about how we could make homemade cinnamon rolls that were a little healthier for everyday eating. So on Bennett's first day back to school after Christmas break, I came up with a healthy(er) cinnamon roll recipe to start the day off right.

Here's what I did:

I took a package of Trader Joe's whole wheat pizza dough and rolled it out into a rectangle. I wanted to add protein, so I smeared it with softened cream cheese.

I wanted the rolls to be free of refined sugar, so I added a generous drizzle of raw honey.

I wanted to add even more protein and vitamins, so I pulverized raw almonds in my Magic Bullet and sprinkled them on.

And of course, I wanted delicious cinnamon flavor, so added a healthy sprinkle of cinnamon (also very healthy and good for normalizing blood sugar levels.)

Clearly, I wanted a lot out of these cinnamon rolls, and they did not disappoint.

Then I rolled that bad boy up into a delectable log o' goodness. I sliced the log into rolls and placed them in an 8x8 baking dish. I dotted the top with just a smidge of butter, then I baked them at 375 for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, I made a little glaze for the top. I melted a few tablespoons of butter in a saucepan and then added a few big spoonfuls of raw honey. I brought this to a boil and then reduced the heat to low until the rolls were done baking. When the rolls came out of the oven, I poured this sweet syrupy goodness over the top. Yum! The kids LOVED them!

A Little Trip to Heaven: My Trader Joe's Shopping Swag

Just took a trip to TJ's today and thought I'd share a few favorites and some new items I bought. It feels like Christmas came early over here!

Come on... I'll give you a little tour.

So here on the right we have one of our favorite cereals... Oat n' Wheat Bran Swirls... they are cinnamony deliciousness, and - might I add- the only cereal Benny boy likes.

In the middle, you will see some jelly beans I picked up to fill our Easter eggs. No articfical colors or flav-ahs!

And then on the left, you will see a mysterious package o' wonder. What is inside, you might ask? Here... let's take a closer look.

Well looky here! Balsamic grilled onions conveniently packaged and frozen for my culinary pleasure? Come to Mama! I'm planning on copycatting one of the recipes from the TJ's demo kitchen... pizza with bacon, cheese and caramelized onions. Yes siree, Bob!

Moving on...

On the right, we have our new favorite coffee creamer. I made sure to include it here because people are always asking me which one we like from TJ's. This is it... pretty much the same flavor as vanilla Coffeemate without the icky preservatives and hydrogenated oil. They have hazelnut flav-ah too, but we like this one.

And now, a moment of silence for the Cinnamon-Vanilla Coffeemate I desperately love but try not to drink anymore because it is sooooo bad for me. Rest in peace, my beloved.

Back to TJ's delicacies. To the left of the coffee creamer, you will notice a stack o' malted delights: Malted Milk Eggs, just in time for Easter and (hubba hubba) Marvelous Malted Milk Ball Cookies. Yep, you heard me right. Just look...

I already cracked these puppies open, and let me just say, they are amaaaazing! Marvelous, in fact. They remind me of a good old Famous Amos cookie with whoppers added to the mix. YUM!

Oh Joe, oh Joe.... why do you make me love you so?

...which leads me to today's mysterious movie quote o' the whenever.

"Joe lies! Joe Li-ies! Joe LIES... when he cries... when he cries."

Be the first to name that movie, and I will buy you a tub 'o malted milk ball cookies!

P.S. Trader Joe never lies, just in case you were wondering. This quote is in reference to a different Joe.

Discovering Greatness: Some Fantastical New Recipes

Just thought I'd do a quick post-a-roo of a few new recipes I've tried lately.

First there was this recipe for Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Come. To. Mama.

(P.S. - I just used regular chocolate chips instead of the variety o' chips she uses.)

Then when my lovely In-Laws were here last weekend, I made this fab-oooo Apple Coffee Cake. It will knock your socks right off. Unless of course you aren't wearing socks, in which case, you will just exclaim, "Oh my, this is delicious!"

Finally I made these AMAZING Hawaiian Turkey Burgers, using this homemade Teriyaki sauce. And all I can say is, Alooooha! It made me do a little hula.

And while we're contemplating the greatness of these turkey burgers, can I just give a quick shout out to my FAVORITE recipe blog, Our Best Bites? I have never made anything from their site that didn't come out completely delicious. Some of my favorites are Spicy Honey Chicken, Baked Potato Soup, Tortellini Sausage Soup, Coconut Chicken Fingers, Mint Brownies, and Candy Corn Cupcakes just to name a few.

That's all for now. Just a few stellar recipes to add to your collection.

Have I mentioned that my collection takes up most of my hard drive and an entire large kitchen cupboard?

I need recipe-hoarding intervention. Please someone help me before it's too late.

A Trader Joe's Fandango: My New Cookbook!

Remember when my sweet thoughtful Mom bought me this cookbook last year?



Well she did it again!

Looky Looky what I got for Christmas! I am SO excited.



Ingredients from my favorite place in the world?

Check.
Simple, easy recipes?

Check.

Meals that have been thematically planned around every season/holiday?

Double Check.


Can't wait to get cooking!

Here are a few that caught my fancy:

• Chicken Chile and Super Chili Dip (part of the Super-Bowl-themed menu)
• Bananas Foster Baby Cakes (part of the Mardi-Gras-themed menu)
• Bow Tie Pasta with Ham (for an Oscar night Party... get it... bow ties?! Oh my word... I LOVE themed food!)
• The St Patrick's Day Menu of Cider-Glazed Corned Beef and Cheesy Mashed Potatoes. I've been wanting to tackle Corned Beef on St. Patty's Day for a few years. I think this is my year.
• Heart of Darkness Chocolate Torte. Need I say more?
• Bountiful Berry Tart (from the Spring-themed Menu)
• TJ's Tortilla Soup (Cinco de Mayo Menu)

Those are just a few of the new recipes I'm excited to try! :0)

Thanks, Mom!

Merry Christmas To You (Although It's Been Said Many Times, Many Ways)

Merry Christmas!

What a fun Christmas morning we had celebrating Jesus' birth! There were presents, traditions new and old, and merry-making a-plenty!

It seems that Bennett's Christmas presents every year have a theme. When he was 1 it was Thomas, when he was 2 it was Lightening McQueen, last year was dinosaurs and this year was all about Star Wars!

Mallie got her first doll house...

... and a princess bean bag chair.

Princesses need thrones after all.

And they need pretty fingernails too!

I know this Princess is certainly happy to have such a studly knight in shining hoodie (that's hooded sweatshirt for those of you who are no longer hip).

For breakfast we had sausage egg casserole and this DELICIOUS Christmas Coffeecake. I am definitely making this coffeecake a Christmas morning tradition. So festive and scrumptious!

I prepared the batter the night before, stuck it in the fridge and just popped it in the oven in the morning.

Here it is after we hacked into it.

During breakfast, we read through the Christmas story and reflected on the meaning behind Christmas.

Then we spent the rest of the morning playing, playing, playing with our new toys! And crying, crying, crying when nap time came.

Now everyone is fast asleep, and I'm drinking my third cup of coffee and reveling in the beauty and peace of this wonderful, chilly day.

Merry Christmas to all my wonderful friends and family! I hope your heart was touched by the miraculous truth of our Savior's birth.

Lemon Garlic Chicken: Another Awesome New Recipe to Try

Hello My Pretties,
Just thought I'd pass on a delish recipe I made for dinner tonight. It was SO quick and easy and took me like 10 minutes to make!

Here's the recipe.

Also, I made a few small changes... I used bone-in chicken breasts and drumsticks (so no thighs). And I added about 2 tablespoons of butter on top of the chicken as it roasted. I thought it just needed a little bit more moisture in the pan. You could also add a bit of olive oil instead.

It was so succulent and scrumptious and any other "s" word you can come up with that means delicious! :0)

Satisfying!
Superb!
Savory!
Superior!
S'Wonderful!

Any way you say it, it was good!

Trader Joe's Product O' the Whenever: Nitrate Free Hot Dogs

For dinner tonight I made these baked corn dogs, and I must say they turned out pretty gal darn tasty.

I love that they were baked instead of friend because:
a. it's healthier, of course...
and
b. it's much less time consuming to just pop all the corn dogs in the oven, rather than having to stand in front of scalding oil, frying them individually and fearing oil burns.

Here's a cut-open view of the delicious corn-doggy goodness.

For the hot dog portion of our recipe, I used my new favorite hot dogs... Trader Joe's Nitrate free!!!

You may be asking... What are nitrates? Well, I don't mean to get all hippie-earth-mother on you, but nitrates are pretty scary and they are in almost ALL processed meats. It is very important to watch your family's intake of this toxic chemical! Nitrites are preservatives used in the processing of hot dogs, lunch meat, breakfast meat, etc. Nitrites are known carcinogens, and are especially known to bring on cancers of the oral cavity, urinary system and bladder, esophagus, stomach and cancer of the brain.

Seriously... can you believe this chemical is in our meat?! Well have no fear because good old TJ's makes an array of wonderful nitrate-free bacon, lunch meat and hot dogs! These hot dogs are delicious and nutritious without all the added garbage in most hot dogs.

Thank you, Trader Joe, for allowing me to pursue my love of processed meat without fear of brain tumors or oral cancer. This is yet another reason why I love you.

Frugal Frannie's Revenge: Brown-Bag Microwave Popcorn

We've been Duped , people.

We've been tricked by Pop Secret and Jolly Time, and even... dare I say it... Orville Redenbacher.

They have tricked us into buying expensive, little baggies filled with popcorn kernels and imitation butter-flavor. I used to think this was the only way to make microwave popcorn.

But now I know different, and I just can't keep silent.

I feel like Keanu Reeves in the Matrix, when he wakes up in that weird, womb-like pod, only to discover that everything he knew about life was a big hoax.

Well, I'm sorry to be the ones to tell you this, my darlings. But everything you knew about popcorn was a big haox.

Are you ready for the (Pop) secret? Here it is...

You don't need to buy microwave popcorn to make microwave popcorn!

All you need is a brown paper bag and popcorn kernels.

It's cheap. It's simple. It's healthy.

It's going to blow the lid off the entire microwave-popcorn industry.

Here's what you do:

Get your brown paper bag...

...and take a picture with it.

Next you will need some corn for popping. I used 1/3 a cup, which seemed to be the perfect amount for my brown bag.

Just pour the kernels in your brown bag...

Fold it over a few times.

Make a pretty sharp fold in the bag so it won't come undone.

Now place the bag o' corn in your microwaveMicrowave for about 2 minutes, 30 seconds. Make sure you listen carefully and stop the cooking when the popping slows down and is sporadic. And.... this is the end result! Don't you feel proud that you stuck it to the man and did it yourself?!Now, I will admit, the popcorn doesn't taste very delicious as-is. But the fun part is, this is where you can customize it to your heart's content. Now of course the way I like my popcorn is with melted butter and lots of salt! Mmmm! This is the way to do it for a special occasion!

But in order to make it a little more healthy for everyday snacking, I like to top it with canola oil spray (or olive oil spray if you have an olive oil spritzer!) and salt. You need a slight amount of fat on the popcorn or the salt won't stick. So I like to just spray the popcorn with canola oil while it's still in the bag, then add salt and shake it up. This is the best way to lightly coat it with fla-vah!

I hope all my fellow Frugal Frannies out there enjoy this delectable snack!