30 years coming!

My LLL cookbooks came yesterday and spent all Ralphie, and Belle's nap times meal planning. I have 3 months worth of meals planned now, and almost a years worth of snacks for both the LLL meetings and the supplemental meetings, lol. I think I will go through my pintrest, and two other cookbooks I have here at home already and try to plan a few more months of menus, I would like another healthy crock pot cookbook though. It's so much easier when I schedule our menus. Especially cooking for so many people. And so many taste. I'm hoping every one will like the new recipes. Thank goodness the kids mainly eat what I cook with out much if any complaint. I think they are getting to really like quinoa. I'm glad cause as much as I like cous cous, I don't like the very little nutritional value, and the expense. With quinoa in the bulk section now in our local Krogers it's a bit cheaper and a lot healthier then cous cous. And especially now that I have discovered the joys of Bragg's dry seasoning! I am going to buy their aminos next! I also am going to start using coconut milk more often, I really loved the soup I made with it last week. Of course I love coconut period, and so do the little Haitians in the house, so that's a double bonus, as they are the pickiest when it comes to the food in the house. I can't wait to try to cook quinoa in coconut milk next!

Today I made a peanut butter cookie recipe I found on pintrest a few weeks ago, cause Lela was begging me to make more Rice Krispy treats I had made for the LLL meeting the other night. It's a adaption of the old peanut butter cookie recipe I've made since I was 7 years old. My old recipe was 1 cup pb, 1 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. The adaption recipe I found on pintrest calls for 1 cup pb, 1/2 cup of white sugar, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and I believe chocolate chips. But, I didn't double check the recipe, as mainly I knew it was the sugar difference, and I can't remember if I thought of the chocolate chips myself or if it was part of the recipe I found. Either way I love chocolate chip cookies because of the chocolate chips and the taste of the brown sugar in the batter. However, I rarely if ever have made chocolate chip cookies cause of all the ingredients. I have always fell back and made the old stand by peanut butter cookies cause of the very very few ingredients. I would sometimes add a few reeses pieces to the top or a hershey kiss, but it never dawned on me to stir in chocolate chips to the mix, or to do half brown and half white sugar. WOW this bumped my peanut butter cookie recipe up to a whole new level. I will never make them the old way again. The greatness of a good chocolate chip, mixed the ease of my reliable peanut butter cookie, what could be better? NOTHING! Even Lela and Vince my two who hate sweets, can barely keep their hands off these!

Well, it's off to get out one of those other cook books and see if I can get another months worth of menus planned up!

Updates. . .

Ok I've been horrible about updating my blog this month. A lot has happened. Although I must say I think they are much cuter in real life. She loves them. And they were on sale. They are supposed to be as good as Stride Rite. I guess we will see.

That same day we went to Yoder and picked up our haul-less popcorn, and went to the Amish restaurant for lunch. Mmm the best chicken and mashed potatoes ever.

We found out we are going to be welcoming a new little nephew into the world in May. So I've been planning his little baby shower. I went to the Cake shop today and bought flavoring and a new mold. I so want to add to my mold collection. I wanted some new teddy bears, but resisted and just bought diaper pins mold. I may buy the teddy bears later, I also want the double wedding bells. And also some graduation shapes. And, and, and! lol I over looked a cupcake book or two, as I got some ideas from others I browsed at Lowes the other day. Settled on making a lion cake, and hippo and alligator cupcakes to go with it. I ended up buying orange, and keylime flavoring. The keylime is soooooo good. I am going to make the frostings one of those flavors for at least one cake. Not sure which though. I want to try the pina colada flavoring too. But, I know the keylime one is soooo good.

After that we went to Talliano's for dinner with the kids. It's really cheap pizza buffet and oh so good. Then it was off to dollar tree to get some more ideas. I have a idea of which invites I want now, either girraff's which would go with the jungle theme, or blue and chocolate striped ones, which would be more contemporary and classic. I also looked at little favor stuff to put in snow globes I am making for the favors. Hopefully with a picture of little nephew in it. I also am working on truffle boxes like I made for Belle's shower, and I am going to make orange with blue rice krispy treats to put in them. I'm floundering between teddy bear ones, and animal train ones.

When we got home, Lela, Loudine, Belle and I made mints. Bennette helped me clean the stuff to make them though and find all the stuff. We made diaper pins, and baby booties. I just may have to go buy those teddy bears. haha We made them buttermint flavored. And only orange tonight. We will make blue ones later. And maybe chocolate brown ones too. But, not positive yet. The orange came out really pretty though. What was really funny is I bought the orange icing coloring to make the frosting for the lion cake at first. And I practiced making a lion cake. Lela seen my first attempt and said, were you trying to make it orange? Cause I didn't use much coloring cause I was afraid of making it too bright, however, it's prettier brighter like I made the mints. Any way, I said yes. She said, lions aren't orange mommy, they are yellow with brown manes. Maybe you should go to the zoo and look at them so you will know what they look like. It was hilarious! Ok Lela I will go buy yellow food coloring and try it with that! lol I also used toasted coconut for the mane, it was brown, but kind of blah. So I'm going to try to tint it orange and then toast it and see how that works.

I have also finally went to a really cute local shop, that I have known about for around a year just hadn't gotten to. It's called Sweet Cheeks. They are great. I have discovered the joys of nursing necklaces. And Ralphie has already figured out to play with it instead of pinching me like Belle does! Belle still likes to pinch me even though she hasn't nursed in months! ha So I hope I can nip that in the bud with RJ! Plus the ones I picked out are really cute too. But, I may go ahead and buy the chew beads too. To try to wean Belle from pinching me. She also says we can have the shower in her shop if we register there, so cool!

I've been trying new soups too. And discovered the joys of pintrest. I have tried a red lentil coconut soup and a cream cheese chicken soup so far from it. And they were both delicious! I also finally was able to order my Whole Foods La Leche League books, and a sister on my JWLW  group started a cooking club. So I can't wait to try even more new recipes healthy recipes. Oh and I also found out the Bragg's seasoning is great in quinoa! Also we have a great new health food grocery store, that sells quinoa, Bragg's, and hyland stuff, all at good prices. And has awesome hummus for only 1.99! I want to try the babaganoush next!

The other day we were puttering around town and trying to think of some place to eat. When I suggested we try Don's. Which I hadn't been to since I was a teen. So glad we went. Still get a ton of food for a good price. And it was still good as ever. It's not as nice inside any more since they added the gambling. But, the service is great, food is great, and not a bad price. So glad I thought to go back. I've been missing a good diner. And the few we tried since I moved back that I used to like had really really went downhill, nasty places now! So glad Don's had stayed clean and good!

I've also been able to finish making my coat. And learned to make baby legs for the kids. So things have been going pretty good in that regard. And I was able to get my new sewing machine out of layaway! I also found what I want for this years anniversary gift, haha I already told Vince. I found a place that engraves bakeware with your name and every thing. And it looks great. So that's exactly what I want! I am missing so much of my stuff. ARG!

My Loves!

My Little Brother Caleb, Sister Loudine, and my baby girl Lela!

Monster Truck Rally in Town

You know you are in a redneck diner, when you hear that waitresses complain that it's slow cause the monster truck rally is in town. True story! We ate at Don's on Broadway and Harry today. A true redneck diner. haha

She said it so seriously too. It took all I had not to laugh my fool head off! I didn't want to offend her. lol But, I was like that is just too funny!

The funny part is, I had a flicker of a moment of wanting to go to it! lol haha But, the noise would probably just get on my last nerve at this point n my life. lol I did used to like them when I was little though.