so i read this in Real Simple magazine and had to share....
what you can learn from craving salt
If you crave salt you may need some stress relief. Your constant search for a salt fix could signal that your adrenal glands, which pump adrenaline and other hormones into your blood when you're feeling anxious, have been working so hard that they're temporarily exhausted. "The adrenal glands produce a hormone that holds sodium in your body, so if they're not making enough of that hormone, you may crave salt," says Susan Blum, M.D., the founder and director of the Blum center for Health in Rye Brook, New York. To keep stress in check, try exercise, meditation, or just saying no to yet another PTA request.
Fascinating. Makes a lot of sense now why I craved salt so much my first week home alone with three kids. :)
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
personalized piggy banks
When we got these juice bottles from Einstein's I knew I wanted to make something with them. Ty and I have talked about getting the girls piggy banks so we can start talking to them about saving money and paying tithing...Cam used to have one but it broke so when she found money she would give it to Ty and sure enough it would end up in Ty and my "piggy bank" :) I figured I could use these bottles to make the girls their own personalized piggy banks. Here's how I did it:
First pull off the stickers as best as you can. I used some baby oil on a cloth to rub off anything left behind.
You want a clean slate so you can sand the bottle enough to get it nice and rough all the way around (everywhere you'll be placing paper) You can just place the mod podge directly over the stickers though if you'd like, just recommended not to.
Measure and cut the paper (papers in my case) to the size you need for your bottle. I followed the mod podge directions from this blog since it was my first time using this method. To sum up how it works, I painted a thin layer onto the prepped surface of the bottle (I did one side at a time to assure I could get it flat with no bubbles), then paint a thin layer onto the back of the paper. (Take note that by the time you put it on your paper your bottle should be practically dry) Smooth out the paper working from the center out. Once the paper is securely down all around the bottle let it dry/set for 10-15 minutes. Paint a thin layer over the paper on the bottle. The blog I followed recommended 3 coats for good measure and I completely agree. Make sure to let each coat dry in between. This will take 15-20 minutes...maybe faster if you're using a fan. I was nervous that a fan might create small bubbles if I had applied it too thick (which you are trying hard not to do obviously...thin is better) so I didn't want to risk it. Again, I was very cautious since this was my first attempt with mod podge.
Next I painted the initial of each of my girls to stick on the front of their bottles/piggy banks.
Last but not least I add the finishing touches that make all the difference. I painted the lids pink since the hunter green lid it came with didn't match, hot glued their letters on and even added ribbon around the top with an adorable little bow. The ribbon isn't just a cute finishing touch but was also a bit of a necessity. Because of the shape of the bottle it was hard to get the paper to sit flat on the top without any bunching/overlapping. Being a bit of a perfectionist this drove me insane so I added the ribbon to hide the flaws.
All in all I'm very happy with these. I would still like to cut slits in the top but haven't been able to get around to it yet and was tired of pushing off posting this so I'll add a final picture with the lids actually on the bottles and the slit once I get it...whenever that may be :)
First pull off the stickers as best as you can. I used some baby oil on a cloth to rub off anything left behind.
You want a clean slate so you can sand the bottle enough to get it nice and rough all the way around (everywhere you'll be placing paper) You can just place the mod podge directly over the stickers though if you'd like, just recommended not to.
Measure and cut the paper (papers in my case) to the size you need for your bottle. I followed the mod podge directions from this blog since it was my first time using this method. To sum up how it works, I painted a thin layer onto the prepped surface of the bottle (I did one side at a time to assure I could get it flat with no bubbles), then paint a thin layer onto the back of the paper. (Take note that by the time you put it on your paper your bottle should be practically dry) Smooth out the paper working from the center out. Once the paper is securely down all around the bottle let it dry/set for 10-15 minutes. Paint a thin layer over the paper on the bottle. The blog I followed recommended 3 coats for good measure and I completely agree. Make sure to let each coat dry in between. This will take 15-20 minutes...maybe faster if you're using a fan. I was nervous that a fan might create small bubbles if I had applied it too thick (which you are trying hard not to do obviously...thin is better) so I didn't want to risk it. Again, I was very cautious since this was my first attempt with mod podge.
Next I painted the initial of each of my girls to stick on the front of their bottles/piggy banks.
Last but not least I add the finishing touches that make all the difference. I painted the lids pink since the hunter green lid it came with didn't match, hot glued their letters on and even added ribbon around the top with an adorable little bow. The ribbon isn't just a cute finishing touch but was also a bit of a necessity. Because of the shape of the bottle it was hard to get the paper to sit flat on the top without any bunching/overlapping. Being a bit of a perfectionist this drove me insane so I added the ribbon to hide the flaws.
All in all I'm very happy with these. I would still like to cut slits in the top but haven't been able to get around to it yet and was tired of pushing off posting this so I'll add a final picture with the lids actually on the bottles and the slit once I get it...whenever that may be :)
Thursday, March 24, 2011
a colorful playful morning
On St Patrick's Day our girls and I painted some bread for our morning toast. Cam (3yrs) had A LOT of fun with it and painted more than we could ever eat in one morning. :) Andi (18mo) enjoyed doing her first piece and then decided it was more fun to just eat the bread than paint it. :)
This really is such a fun, easy thing to do with kids in the mornings that you can do year round and they'll think you're SO much fun! Those are my favorite projects!
Fill how ever many cups you would like with a small amount of milk and add food coloring to each. Let the kids stir the milk with a popsicle stick (spoon etc) and watch it change colors! Use a baster brush (or new, unused paint brush) to "paint" your bread. (don't forget to buy white bread for this for best results) I recommend using a rubber brush if you have one...they can go from color to color and it doesn't mix. Toast bread and enjoy! For St Patricks day you can add some green dye to butter and sprinkle with "gold dust" (cinnamon).
This really is such a fun, easy thing to do with kids in the mornings that you can do year round and they'll think you're SO much fun! Those are my favorite projects!
Fill how ever many cups you would like with a small amount of milk and add food coloring to each. Let the kids stir the milk with a popsicle stick (spoon etc) and watch it change colors! Use a baster brush (or new, unused paint brush) to "paint" your bread. (don't forget to buy white bread for this for best results) I recommend using a rubber brush if you have one...they can go from color to color and it doesn't mix. Toast bread and enjoy! For St Patricks day you can add some green dye to butter and sprinkle with "gold dust" (cinnamon).
Friday, March 11, 2011
tip of the day
use a paintbrush to dust cracks and other small, hard to reach places like corners or items such as phones, stereos, keypads etc. don't know why I didn't think of this one before!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Country Baked Potato Soup
First off I'm going to give a slight warning that this recipe certainly belongs in your "comfort foods" category, not with your "healthy meals". With that being said, I found this recipe to be the most delightful homemade soup I've ever made. SO YUMMY!!!!
Country Bake Potato Soup
4 large Russett Baking Potatoes
2/3 cup butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp salt
1 Tbs white pepper (I didn't have white pepper on hand so I used regular and just did to taste...definitely less that 1 Tbs)
8 cups milk
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup green onions thinly sliced
1/2 pound bacon cooked and crumbled (substitute with Bacon Bits if you'd prefer the easier route)
1 cup cheese shredded, for topping
Preparations
Bake potatoes at 350 degrees for 65-75 minutes or until tender; cool completely. Peel and cube potato's into 1" cubes. You want it to be chunky, but some will break up. (next time i will definitely cube first and boil in water...much faster and easier)
In a large Dutch Oven, melt butter; stir in flour, salt and pepper until smooth.
Gradually add milk. Bring to boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. If you want it thicker, mash a few potatoes against the side of the pot and stir, and it will thicken right up.
Remove from heat; whisk in sour cream.
Add potatoes and green onions. Place back on stove and heat to serving temperature over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Ladle into bowl and garnish with bacon and cheese.
Enjoy!
*I got the recipe from the Big Oven app for the iphone *
Country Bake Potato Soup
4 large Russett Baking Potatoes
2/3 cup butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp salt
1 Tbs white pepper (I didn't have white pepper on hand so I used regular and just did to taste...definitely less that 1 Tbs)
8 cups milk
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup green onions thinly sliced
1/2 pound bacon cooked and crumbled (substitute with Bacon Bits if you'd prefer the easier route)
1 cup cheese shredded, for topping
Preparations
Bake potatoes at 350 degrees for 65-75 minutes or until tender; cool completely. Peel and cube potato's into 1" cubes. You want it to be chunky, but some will break up. (next time i will definitely cube first and boil in water...much faster and easier)
In a large Dutch Oven, melt butter; stir in flour, salt and pepper until smooth.
Gradually add milk. Bring to boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. If you want it thicker, mash a few potatoes against the side of the pot and stir, and it will thicken right up.
Remove from heat; whisk in sour cream.
Add potatoes and green onions. Place back on stove and heat to serving temperature over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Ladle into bowl and garnish with bacon and cheese.
Enjoy!
*I got the recipe from the Big Oven app for the iphone *
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
leftover turkey tacos
we used our leftover turkey to make these DELICIOUS tacos that, might I add, are pretty darn healthy too!
Turkey Tacos with Avocado-Corn Salsa
1 pkg corn taco shells
1 1/2 cups chopped avocado
1 cup sweet corn kernels
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 Tbs lime juice
1 pkg reduced-sodium taco seasoning mix
12 oz cooked boneless, skinnless turkey breast cut into strips (yummy when you use chicken too)
3/4 cup water
1. Preheat oven to 250'. Place taco shells on baking sheet
2. make salsa; mix avocado, corn tomatoes, and lime juice in medium bowl. Set aside
3. combine taco seasoning, turkey and water in medium skillet. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally
4. heat shells in oven 5 minutes or until warm.
5. Spoon turkey mixture into shells and divide salsa evenly among tacos
The following is the way I did it using leftover turkey rather than having to fully cook the meat, therefor taking some shortcuts.
Make salsa by following direction #2 above. I just cooked the frozen corn in the bowl before adding the remaining ingredients. Set aside.
Put desired amount of meat in a microwaveable bowl, shredding more if needed as you do so. Sprinkle desired amount of taco seasoning, add a sprinkle of water, to keep moist, and stir. Heat in microwave to desired temperature. I believe I did 2 minutes for mine.
I skipped heating the taco shells and went straight to dishing. We did use soft corn tortillas for the girls...I do recommend you lay a wet papertowel over each and warm in the microwave. Feel free to bring on the hot sauce or any other toppings if you desire, although its not needed. They're scrumptious on their own!
Turkey Tacos with Avocado-Corn Salsa
1 pkg corn taco shells
1 1/2 cups chopped avocado
1 cup sweet corn kernels
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 Tbs lime juice
1 pkg reduced-sodium taco seasoning mix
12 oz cooked boneless, skinnless turkey breast cut into strips (yummy when you use chicken too)
3/4 cup water
1. Preheat oven to 250'. Place taco shells on baking sheet
2. make salsa; mix avocado, corn tomatoes, and lime juice in medium bowl. Set aside
3. combine taco seasoning, turkey and water in medium skillet. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally
4. heat shells in oven 5 minutes or until warm.
5. Spoon turkey mixture into shells and divide salsa evenly among tacos
The following is the way I did it using leftover turkey rather than having to fully cook the meat, therefor taking some shortcuts.
Make salsa by following direction #2 above. I just cooked the frozen corn in the bowl before adding the remaining ingredients. Set aside.
Put desired amount of meat in a microwaveable bowl, shredding more if needed as you do so. Sprinkle desired amount of taco seasoning, add a sprinkle of water, to keep moist, and stir. Heat in microwave to desired temperature. I believe I did 2 minutes for mine.
I skipped heating the taco shells and went straight to dishing. We did use soft corn tortillas for the girls...I do recommend you lay a wet papertowel over each and warm in the microwave. Feel free to bring on the hot sauce or any other toppings if you desire, although its not needed. They're scrumptious on their own!
Monday, November 15, 2010
yummy fall breakfast
this is a perfect breakfast to have on a cold fall morning! bring on the holiday season!!!!!
(this makes more than one batch worth so you'll want a one-quart jar to store it in)
Cinnamon Pankcakes w/Cider Syrup
pancakes:
3 c. all-purpose flour 4 1/2 t. cinnamon
3 T. sugar 1 t. salt
2 T. baking powder
gently toss all ingredients together; spoon into a one-quart jar. (attach following instructions on some cute fall paper and its a great gift to give to a friend or teacher!)
instructions:
whisk 3/4 cup milk, one egg and 2 T. oil together in a medium mixing bowl; add 1 1/3 cups mix, stirring until just moistened. Pour by 1/4 cupfuls onto a hot, greased skillet; heat until bubbles form along the edge. Flip and heat until both sides are golden. Makes 10.
cider syrup:
1 c. sugar 2 c. apple cider
2 T. cornstarch 2 T. lemon juice
1/2 t. pumpkin pie spice 1/3 c. butter
Place first 3 ingredients in a saucepan; stir in apple cider and lemon juice. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and boils; boil for one minute. Remove from heat; stir in butter. Makes about 2 cups.
(this makes more than one batch worth so you'll want a one-quart jar to store it in)
Cinnamon Pankcakes w/Cider Syrup
pancakes:
3 c. all-purpose flour 4 1/2 t. cinnamon
3 T. sugar 1 t. salt
2 T. baking powder
gently toss all ingredients together; spoon into a one-quart jar. (attach following instructions on some cute fall paper and its a great gift to give to a friend or teacher!)
instructions:
whisk 3/4 cup milk, one egg and 2 T. oil together in a medium mixing bowl; add 1 1/3 cups mix, stirring until just moistened. Pour by 1/4 cupfuls onto a hot, greased skillet; heat until bubbles form along the edge. Flip and heat until both sides are golden. Makes 10.
cider syrup:
1 c. sugar 2 c. apple cider
2 T. cornstarch 2 T. lemon juice
1/2 t. pumpkin pie spice 1/3 c. butter
Place first 3 ingredients in a saucepan; stir in apple cider and lemon juice. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and boils; boil for one minute. Remove from heat; stir in butter. Makes about 2 cups.
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