Blog Postoned

Due to latest developments with my son's health, I am postponing any posts to this blog until further notice.

Cheap Childproof Christmas Decor

Interior design is one of my favorite hobbies. Each holiday, I study magazines for decorating ideas to help enhance the spirit of the occasion in my home. Yet no matter how many magazines I look at, including Parents and Family Fun, it's inevitable that they display decorations and ideas that are NOT childproof. Being a parent of an almost 3 year old and 15 month year old, my house has required baby proofing and toddler proofing for what seems like forever. Nothing on shelves below my waist, unless it's toys or children's books. No decorations on coffee tables or end tables because my youngest will tear them down and eat them.

After much frustration, as I looked through magazines, for childproof decorating ideas, I decided to take matters into my own hands. Of course, instead of using decorations in Pottery Barn Catalog or William Sonoma, I went to the Dollar Store.

The Living room: There are VERY few places to decorate in this room that the children do not have access to. Fortunately a little planning and creativity went a long way. On top of the children's book shelves, is a small bouquet of silk silver pointsettias. (Poinsettias are one of the most poisonous plants there are, so if eaten by a child... BEWARE! Hence no real ones in the house.) I have since added more pictures and a tall candle holder full of small silver ornaments. I would have loved to add greenery and greenery inserts, but that will have to wait until next year when I have a new budget. I could have wrapped the pictures up in wrapping paper too with ribbons and a bow, but I passed.
Next came the windows. If I had LOTS of money, I would have hung greenery, ribbons, and bows. Instead I found these beautiful door hangers that are now hung on each side of my curtain rods. The boys can't reach them, and they LOVE to jiggle the curtains to make the bells ring. As you can see, I've decided to decorate with blues and silvers, since our living room walls are blue, floor is cream, and furniture is beige. All other accents are black. Gold does not look good with blue. I'm hoping next year to add a little bit of red to the color scheme if I can find some day to day decorations and accents that will work all year long ,without looking too patriotic.Searching for places too decorate, I remembered I have one of those hanging shelves in one corner of my living room. Removing pictures, I placed a 12 inch piece of greenery, four inserts, two candles, and a silver Christmas tree. All were from the Dollar Store. It's my favorite decoration this year.Between the entryway and living room is a little hallway with shelves. It's quite an annoying place to decorate because everything has to be multi-sided to look nice. Since we don't have a mantle, this is usually where I hang our stockings. Again, the kids can NOT reach them or pull them down. You'll also notice another glass candle holder with silver ornaments on the middle shelve. Next year I'd love to add greenery here too, along with some inserts.Lastly, comes our nativity scene. The first Christmas gift Owen ever received was the Fisher Price Little People's Nativity Scene. I LOVE it and so do the boys. It can be used as a child friendly decoration AND as a toy they can play with throughout the holiday season. We also use it in Family Home Evening lessons each Monday night before Christmas.You may be wondering where our Christmas tree is. Well, it's in our front entry way. I am NOT one to decorate half of a tree, so the little ones won't get the ornaments, nor am I one to keep EVERY ornament childproof. Even if I was willing to do those things, there's always a chance that the tree can fall over on top of the boys.

Owen never had a problem with Christmas trees. When we told him not to touch it, he would listen. Adam on the other hand, does not listen to ANYONE. I have tried every tactic I know to get him to listen and not have to learn things the hard way. Nothing has worked. So after half a day of having the tree in the living room, I could take no more and moved it to a childproof area.

We have baby gates at the top of the stairs and at the beginning of the entry way from the living room. The boys are not in this area of the house without an adult being with them at all times. It works! Also in our front entry way (put up before the Christmas tree entered the picture) is greenery decorated with inserts. The greenery was less than $2 for 8 feet at a craft store. The inserts were less than a $1. I love the final product. Owen loves talking to the bird inserts. Again, the boys are never in this area of the house unless we are with them.

I still have one more place I can decorate in the entryway-the top of our coat closet. Perhaps next year I'll come up with some ideas for that area. Overall the first impression as someone enters the house is very warm, with the greenery and Christmas tree all lit, welcoming them.

Our dining room already screams Christmas with it's deep red and green accents in curtains, table runners, etc... I didn't need to do much.

My mother gave me a beautiful nativity scene that I have set up where the children can't reach it, on top of a storage dresser.

When I was a child, my mother had this homemade Christmas Countdown Tree, (made by her best friend) hanging on the wall. Each ribbon held a bag of candy that we were able to open each day before the before Christmas. She gave that to me when I was pregnant for Owen. Now it hangs in our dining room ready for candy to hang. It makes a beautiful decoration.

On the way into the kitchen I have two small shelves. Here a plate for Santa's cookies stands, along with two candle snowmen given to me as gifts.
In the kitchen I have two snowmen hand towels hanging. The kitchen is the same colors as the dining room.

I still have a ways to go with decorating for Christmas but I figure this is a pretty good start. My focus this year was the living room. I know it still needs more attention, but it will come with time.

My advice to you-check out your local Dollar Stores. They have great finds, either that or watch sales at Craft stores. Study each room in your house. Find places you can decorate that will not be destroyed by your little ones. Choose a color scheme and decorator's theme for each room that you want to keep and build upon. Personally, I love snowmen! Hopefully I'll be able to add them to each room of the house as the years pass.

Good luck!

Cheap Treats

Anyone who knows me well, knows I LOVE popcorn. But did you also know one of the main reasons I love it so much is because it's SO CHEAP? We're talking air popper style here of course, not microwave.


Anyways, I wanted to share my collection of popcorn recipes. They make GREAT treats for parties, dates, etc... and barely cost anything!


Mock Caramel Corn

1/2 c. margarine
1/2 c. honey
Dash of maple flavoring
4 quarts popped popcorn (or more), cooled


1. Melt margarine & honey. Bring to boil & cook for about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in maple flavoring.
2. Pour over popcorn and stir. Let cool
-Can add molasses for more flavor.
-Sugar can be substituted for honey.


Cocoa Popcorn (unknown source)

Add 2 tbs. of instant hot-cocoa mix plus 1 cup of peanut chips.


Pumpkin Pie Popcorn (unknown source)

Add 2 tbs. sugar and 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (premixed) plus 1 cup of toasted pumpkin seeds.


Cinnamon Harvest Popcorn (unknown source)

Add 2 tbss. of cinnamon and sugar plus 1 cup of Craisins.


An Old Favorite Popcorn

Add chocolate chips while popcorn is still hot & mix well as chocolate melts, then add desired amount of peanuts.

Cajun Popcorn (Family Fun)

Combine 1 teaspoon each of paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder; 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/4 teaspoon chili powder, and salt to taste.

Cinnamon and Sugar (Family Fun)

Mix 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Italian (Family Fun)

Combine 1 teaspoon dried parsley and 2/3 cup grated Parmesan with 1/2 teaspoon each of dried oregano, dried basil, dried thyme, and dried rosemary. Add salt to taste.

Enjoy!

Finally Something to Write!

It's been a while since I've posted anything on this blog besides recipes. Mostly this is because I haven't really had anything to write, but times are starting to change! Our family is officially self sufficient again. Words can not express how exciting and liberating this feels. At the same time it means MORE attention paid to budgeting and managing our money well. But, at least I can really find out how much I'm spending without any assistance. So far things are looking good. This week I spent a total of approximately $70 on groceries for our family of four. This included buying all of the allergy friendly essentials for the boys.

On Saturday Jason and I took the boys to a Lowe's "Build & Grow" workshop along with their safety clinic that was also being held on the same day. Lowe's holds FREE workshops for kids twice a month, where they build little projects. Home Depot holds FREE workshops for kids once a month. What a fun FREE way to bond with your kids. I highly recommend it.This is Owen's completed project!

Now that we have learned about these events, we will definitely be attending more often!

Baked Penne with Corn, Zucchini and Basil

I tried this recipe for the first time for dinner tonight and can I just say it is absolutely delicious! It may not look budget friendly, BUT if you have your own garden or access to a Farmer's Market it's really quite cheap. The recipe does call for white wine, but know that the alcohol cooks completely out of it. If you're still not comfortable with using white wine, apple juice is a GREAT replacement! Beware this recipes makes A LOT! It's perfect for when company comes over! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
Kosher salt, to taste
1/2 lb. penne
6 Tbs. olive oil, plus more as needed
Kernels cut from 2 ears of corn
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
8 zucchini, about 2 lb. total, cut into half-moons
1/2 yellow onion, diced
4 tomatoes, cored, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 Tbs. sliced garlic
1 tsp. chopped fresh oregano
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 Tbs. tomato paste
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
6 oz. mozzarella cheese, grated
2 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated

Directions:
Preheat an oven to 400ºF. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Generously salt the water, add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta and rinse under cold running water. Set aside. In a 12-inch nonstick fry pan over medium-high heat, warm 3 Tbs. of the olive oil. Add the corn, season with salt and black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the corn is lightly golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Set aside. Return the pan to medium-high heat and warm the remaining 3 Tbs. olive oil. Working in batches, add the zucchini, season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is tender and golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add to the bowl with the corn. Repeat with the remaining zucchini, adding more oil to the pan as needed. Set the pan over medium-low heat. Add the onion, 1 tsp. salt and black pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes soften and begin to form a sauce, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and cook until the wine has reduced and the sauce is fairly thick, about 3 minutes more. Add the pasta, tomato sauce, basil, mozzarella and half of the Parmigiano-Reggiano to the bowl with the vegetables and stir to combine. Transfer to the fry pan and sprinkle the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano on top. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until golden brown on top, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm. Serves 8.

This recipe and photograph were taken from Williams Sonoma website.

Favorite Summer Salads

The temperature here in central New York has been about 90 degrees for the past 4 days which is completely abnormal. It is hot and humid! Temperatures are supposed to remain high at least for the first part of this next week, so as I make my meal plan this week salads are sounding mighty nice! These are some of my favorites!

Kiddie Cobb

Ingredients
2 cups chopped red-leaf lettuce
1 cup diced roast turkey, about 1/3 pound (use one thick slice from the deli)
1 ripe avocado, cut into chunks
1/2 cup halved red grapes
1/3 cup chickpeas
2 cheddar cheese sticks, cubed
Honey-mustard salad dressing

Directions
1. Place lettuce on a serving platter. Line each of the remaining ingredients diagonally on top of lettuce starting with turkey in the center. Serve with the dressing on the side.

Picture and recipe from Parents Magazine.

Thai Chicken, Mango & Pineapple Salad

Ingredients
1 (14-ounce) can regular or light coconut milk
1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste, or more to taste
2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch chunks
4 cups salad greens

Directions

1. In a bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, red curry paste, orange zest, and orange juice and reserve 1/2 cup of the mixture in a separate container. In a Ziploc bag, toss together the chicken breast chunks and half of the marinade from the bowl. Toss the fruit and the remaining marinade in another Ziploc bag. Let the food marinate at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes. 2. Prepare a charcoal fire or heat a gas grill to medium-high, and oil the grates. Thread the chicken and fruit pieces onto separate skewers. 3. Grill the skewered chicken for 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning once, or until the chicken is cooked through. Grill the fruit skewers for 2 minutes per side, turning once, or until you have visible grill marks. Remove the meat and fruit from the skewers and serve them over salad greens drizzled with the reserved marinade. Serves 4.

Picture and recipe from Family Fun Magazine.

Broccoli Salad

Ingredients

2-4 cups broccoli floweretts

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

1/2-1 cup raisins

6-8 bacon strips drained and chopped

3/4 cup mayonnaise

3/4 cup sugar

2 tbsp. cider vinegar

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

Combine mayonnaise, sugar, and cider vinegar in small bowl & chill.

1 hour before serving combine liquid with fresh ingredients. (It will get soggy if you mix too far in advance. Serve cold.

Recipe given to me by Lori Streetman

Chicken Salad

Mix & refrigerate for several hours:

2-3 cups diced cooked chicken

1 tbsp. minced onion

1 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. lemon juice

1 cup diced celery

Before serving add:

1 cup white grapes, halved

1/2 cup mayo

1/2 cup severed almonds

1-11 oz. can mandarin oranges

I serve this chicken salad in whole wheat pitas. It's delicious.

Recipe given to me by Susan Schern.

Macaroni Salad

Ingredients

2 cups uncooked macaroni
6 eggs

celery

carrots

onion

radishes

1 small can tuna

mayonnaise

pepper & salt to taste

Directions

Cook macaroni and boil eggs. Let cool. Dice eggs, celery, carrots, onion, and radishes. Add to macaroni. Drain and add tuna. Stir in desired amount of mayonnaise. Add pepper and salt if needed.

Recipe is from my mother.

Pasta Salad

Ingredients

1 box colored pasta, cooked

pepperoni, diced

cheddar cheese, cubed

cucumbers, chopped

green peppers, chopped

black olives, sliced

cherry tomatoes, if desired

Italian Dressing

Directions

Mix pasta, pepperoni, cheese, and vegetables with desired amount of Italian dressing. Refrigerate. When ready to serve stir and add more Italian dressing if needed.

Recipe given to me by Luanne Hirsh.

Spinach & Strawberry Salad

Ingredients

1 lb. Fresh Spinach

Strawberries

Almonds

Grilled Chicken, diced (optional)

Brianna's Home Style Blush Wine Vinaigrette (does not have actual wine in it)

Directions

Toss first four ingredients, drizzle with dressing and serve immediately.

Recipe evolved from a luncheon at Jason's work.

Hope you enjoy!

Recipe: Mexican Chocolate Cake

When I think of the best ever chocolate cake, I think of this cake! (Do not confuse with the Mormon friendly term Best Ever Chocolate Cake to describe Better Than Sex Chocolate Cake. It's a totally different recipe that I will share another time!) Mexican Chocolate Cake is absolutely delicious, especially when I make a double layer cake! I have been thinking about this cake for a couple of weeks now. Needless to say when this heat wave has passed I'm going to make it. Actually, Adam is going to try wheat this week for the first time. If he doesn't react, this cake, minus the strawberries, will be the recipe I use for his birthday cake: no eggs, soy, dairy, nuts... yet it's oh SO DELICIOUS and cheap to make! let me just mention too, the glaze by itself is SO YUMMY alone to dip strawberries in!
Cake:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or ground Mexican chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup cold water
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Chocolate glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
6 tablespoons water
10 small fresh strawberries
Directions

1Heat oven to 350° F. Lightly coat an 8-inch round cake pan with vegetable cooking spray.

2Combine all the cake ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir until smooth. Pour into the pan and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

3Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely.

4When the cake has cooled, whisk together the first three glaze ingredients. Dip each strawberry into the glaze and set aside. Pour the remaining glaze over the cake and arrange the strawberries on top. Set aside to dry, about 30 minutes.

Recipe and picture taken from Real Simple magazine. By the way, I do have recipes from other sources, but I LOVE Real Simple magazine recipes. That's why you see so many of them!