Pants

I just wanted to state - for the record (even though I never blog anymore haha) - if I owned a pair of dress pants I'd have worn them to church on Sunday. My husband told me to go out and buy some but I didn't want to drag my children around with me to find them as he was out of town.

Reading some of the reactions I wish very much that I had. I didn't see anyone in my ward wearing pants and I wished there had been someone so I could go hug them!

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, feel free to ignore this post.

Pants on Fire

Why I wore pants on Sunday

Wear Pants to Church - Pictures

Why Pants Matter


That's all.

Just wanted to put that out there.

Thomas Jefferson -

"I am certainly not an advocate for frequent and untried changes in laws and constitutions. I think moderate imperfections had better be borne with; because, when once known, we accommodate ourselves to them, and find practical means of correcting their ill effects. But I know also, that laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths disclosed, and manners and opinions change with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also, and keep pace with the times. We might as well require a man to wear still the coat which fitted him when a boy, as civilized society to remain ever under the regimen of their barbarous ancestors."

Egg Fried Rice

Another old post...
 The only thing I change now for this one is to use GF Soy Sauce/Tamari. Easy enough.

*****

As per requested...

Okay not really.

I mean it was requested but I don't really have a recipe. I keep rice cooked all the time. Jasmine Rice, Sushi Rice, Basmati Rice - whatever I'm currently in the mood for. Right now it's sushi rice.

Rice is the safest food on the planet for me and my digestive system so I like to keep it around all the time. I don't have it with every single meal but... pretty dang close!

Anyway - sometimes I turn it into fried rice but since for an IBSer anything high in fat is a no-no fried rice could be a bad thing. So here's what I do.

There are no measurements - sorry.

Ingredients:

• Cooking Spray (I use butter flavored)
• Cold Rice
• Soy Sauce
• Onion Powder
• Egg Whites (remember that two egg whites equal one whole egg)
• Salt
• Pepper
• a little bit of veggies - normally I try to include something that involves insoluble fiber since it'll be all wrapped up in the soluble fiber of the rice - peas, green beans, carrots

I heat the pan on medium high heat. Spray it with cooking spray fairly thickly (not like an inch of anything - just more than a passing spray), add cold rice, stir with spatula gently until rice warms and starts to break up, add soy sauce to taste, sprinkle with onion powder, and pepper - add the veggies you want at this point too if they're frozen or fresh.

When that mixture is to the taste you'd like - push it out in a circle and make a big hole in the center of the pan. Drop your egg whites in the middle, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Scramble. Just as the eggs are done stir them in with the rice. If you have warm/cooked/canned veggies to add do it now.

Done. Low Fat Egg Fried Rice.

*Sometimes I chop up a few pieces of turkey bacon and fry that first in the pan. Bacon Fried Rice. Sometimes I might pound a chicken breast really thin, season it with something, pan fry it with cooking spray really quickly then chop it up and add to the fried rice. Chicken Fried Rice.

After you do it a couple times the amount of seasoning becomes rather second nature.

Oh - and I really think this is the best with Sushi rice that's been cooked just right. But of course that's the one I'm in the mood for at the moment...

Meatloaf

This is a post I wrote a long time ago before I knew I shouldn't have all corn or no gluten/wheat.

Years and years ago Drew wanted me to make meatloaf. I'd never done it and I only had a few cookbooks at the time. One of them was this Campbell's book that had a "Best Ever Meatloaf" recipe in it. So I made it, it was a simple recipe and as it turns out it was SO GOOD. I've never even bothered to try another meatloaf recipe.

But now I have IBS and I can't have a million different things. A few days ago I decided I'd try making an IBS friendly meatloaf - a version of the Campbell's one we know and love.

The Original (should you be so inclined...)

• 1 can condensed Tomato Soup
• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1 pouch Dry Onion Soup Mix
• 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup water

My IBS Version/Wheat free/Corn free

• 1 can condensed Tomato Soup (no hfcs! if you can't find that get some canned tomatoes, puree them and simmer until the right thickness - go from there - I'd guess about 1.5 cups worth)
• 2 lbs ground turkey
• 4 tsp beef bullion or veggie bullion (make sure it's safe)
• 8 tsp onion flakes
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs (preferably with no dairy)
• 2 egg whites or 3 TB egg whites (from a carton)

1. In a large bowl, mix 1/2 cup of tomato soup, meat, spices/bullion, bread crumbs, egg. Shape into a loaf and put into a loaf pan.
2. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Spoon off or drain fat, reserving 1 - 2 TBSP.
3. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine remaining tomato soup, water, reserved drippings. Heat through, stirring occasionally. You can just serve this with the meatloaf or I just slice the meatloaf in the pan and then dump it all over the top of it.

Drew says the new version is better then the original. I say both are delicious. Just different with the turkey. I think I like the texture better with the turkey.

Mock Cornbread

This is wheat free, corn free "corn"bread. It can also be dairy free or even vegan if you use an egg replacer.

Really it's millet bread but it tastes so much like cornbread it's absolutely amazing!

I found the recipe at Ginger Lemon Girl - here.

I'm in love with her - just for this recipe.

I'm putting my adjustments here so I can stop refiguring them out every time I make this.

Dry Ingredients:
1/3 cup sorghum flour
1/3 cup arrowroot starch
1 cup millet flour
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon cream of tarter
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon tapioca startch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar (She used 3. I wanted to see if this would work for savory dishes and I loved it with 1 tablespoon. I will do 3 when I'm wanting sweet cornbread!)

Wet Ingredients:
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 eggs
1 cup unsweetened almond milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice

I replaced the baking powder as I always do. I have yet to find any corn free baking powder here so it's just easier to use my own substitutes.

Also I have twice forgotten to the the lemon juice to the almond milk and the bread turns out fine. So if you don't have any - that's okay!

I only had some whole millet so I ground a cup worth in my little magic bullet thing and that worked perfectly. 

You can read the rest of the directions back at the original post.

Thanks again to Ginger Lemon Girl. I'm so happily eating "corn"bread as I type this. YAY!

Her own “special” pillow…

The other day our neighbors had a garage sale. Leah managed - with her own funds - to purchase this small square pillow with a princess of some sort on the front. She was quite pleased with herself.

And in typical, 'fantastic', older sister fashion she informed Hannah that this was HER special pillow and Hannah as not to every use it or touch it. (No I didn't smack her in the back of the head.) I comforted Hannah the first few times I heard about it and then I decided to tell Hannah we would go to the store and find her a pillow of her own.

When Hannah & I finally were out just the two of us we looked all over walmart for a decorative/kids pillow and couldn't find anything fun. So I took her to the fabric department and told her to pick out any fabric and I would make her a pillow.

She was so beyond delighted at the idea. Just that moment was worth it. 

She - of course - picked out some Dora fabric. I went and picked out the fringe and a pillow form. Away we went.

A few days later I produced a pillow and again her reaction was so completely worth it.

Here's a couple of pictures. It's just a simple envelope style. We are talking about Hannah here. It needed to be washable. I've never done an envelope and fringe at the same time but including drawing out what I was gonna do on paper the whole thing was maybe 20-30 minutes.

 

 

And now Leah is wanting a pillow made by mommy instead of what she has. And let's not stop there. Drew wants to know could I please make him a manly version (yes. he said that. manly version).

Potty training. Sigh.

Hannah: I want to wear underwear.
Me: You have to pee in the potty.
Hannah: I don't want to.
Me: Then you have to wear a diaper.
Hannah: No. I want to wear underwear.
Me: Then you have to pee in the potty.
Hannah: I don't want to.
Me: Then you have to wear a diaper.
Hannah: No! I want underwear.

....

Repeat.100 times.

....

Save me. And what is left of my sanity. Please?

Mommy Judges

I know this is an age old topic but I've seen a few things on facebook lately that have me thinking about it.

Why Why Why WHY do mommies spend so much time judging each other?!!?!

Forget the huge working vs not working. Spanking vs not spanking. Blah blah blah.

I mean all the tiny little things...

You spend too much time with your kids. You don't spend enough time with your kids.

Your kids watch too much TV. Your kids don't get to relax enough.

Your kids are in too many activities. Your kids don't get to do enough.

You complain about your kids too much. You don't enjoy your kids enough. 

You're too _______ with your kids. You don't __________ with your kids. 

Seriously people?

Motherhood is HARD! Yes it's joyful, Yes there are amazing & wonderful parts. I love being a mommy. It's so part of who I am - it's not ALL of who I am though and when your children are fighting and hounding you for things and you can't complete a task or a conversation in peace and you're frustrated and do a facebook status... the last thing people are needing is a panel of judgmental moms who feel they are doing a better job with life!

Give it a rest. Cut each other some slack and really - how 'bout we all 'pretend' that we're all just doing THE BEST WE CAN and offer some encouragement?

Personally I think it's a good idea.

That is all.

Manners

Hannah: *ACHOO*

*a moment passes*

Hannah: Say Bless you!
Leah & I in unison: Bless you, Hannah!
Hannah: Thanks guys!

It's a good thing she's here to remind us to be polite. Heh.

Pet Peeve of the Day

I was watching some reality TV... This is when this pet peeve is the most aggravated...

"I'm giving 110%!"

There is not a time when someone says that on TV that you won't hear me groan or yell at the TV or something.

It makes me crazy. If you say it in my presence, be certain I'm chewing on my tongue to keep from commenting - or I'm actually commenting and you're annoyed with me. lol

You can't give more than 100%. It's a silly little thing but nonetheless...

That is all.

Audiobooks

I love - love love love - to listen to audiobooks while I'm cleaning and cooking.

But so often this is how it goes...

Everyone is outside playing (and on this day I mean Leah, Hannah & two cousins - Elaina & Julia). I'm starting dinner and I think to myself: ohh. now is a good moment.

So I quickly plug my phone into the external speakers I keep in the kitchen and hit play.

*split second passes*

Hannah: MOMMY!

sigh. pause the book.

Answer Hannah's request.

Back to cooking.. wait a few minutes... push play again.

*about 2 minutes pass* (That was a good long time, right!?!?)

Leah: MOOOOMMMMMM!

Pause. Yes?

Elaina: I'm thristy. 

Sigh. pause the book.

You get the idea. 

So this generally happens four or five times before I yell at everyone. It makes me insane. It's like my pushing play triggers my children's request. It's worse than going to the bathroom!

Still I enjoy it. I get to do it the most when everyone is asleep or if Drew takes the girls to the park or some place.

Besides - the only thing worse than my listening to an audiobook or going to the bathroom? Actually sitting down and opening a book to read. That makes everyone go completely INSANE. Even Drew can't handle it. He has openly admitted he suddenly feels like he needs to compete for my attention with the book.

Oy. Some people's kids and husbands, eh?

Good thing I love them!