Bionic children

Each parent undoubtedly believes their child is magical, possessing a certain uniqueness that makes them one of if not the best kid in the world.   If blessed with multiple children, the magic is multiplied, making the world a better place. 

While exhibiting many endearing and fantastically crazy traits, it appears our children also possess a heightened and somewhat bionic sense of smell (the little man) and hearing (the little lady).  I am both impressed and mystified by our little bloodhound and auditory wonder woman as they daily demonstrate their superhuman strengths.

The faintest of smells can be detected by the little man.  He spends much of his day with nose scrunched, questioning, "Smell?"  Long before I have had any olfactory experience of my own, he has identified a new, displeasing, alarming or satisfying smell.  Apartment living has definitely enhanced his God given gift of smell.  There is no telling what new scent we will discover in our hallways on any given day.

Not to be outdone, the little lady spends her days with ears perked, attentive to the many sounds that whir, buzz, bang, clang and chime around her.  Last week after putting her to bed, she appeared at her doorway with a sudden inquiry, "Who's cutting their nails?"  Stunned, I admitted that it was I who was standing at the kitchen sink clipping my nails.  Admittedly we do not have a large apartment;  however, she was able to detect the tiny snap of my brittle nails down a long hallway, and over the sound of her rushing waterfall sound machine.  Call me crazy, but I was impressed.


While their gifts may not rid the world of evil, they do add a certain comedic value to our days. 

Crispy, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

At the end of each month our refrigerator is always a bit bare, and our cupboards a tad sparse.  This week our cookie jar also sat empty on the counter, which was both sad and unfortunate.   Thus, began my search for a new cookie recipe to satisfy our post-dinner cravings.  Unlike the French, we did not wait until our afternoon allotted snack time to treat ourselves, but enjoyed a warm cookie right out of the oven.  Perfection.   

recipe from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

2. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.  In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended.  (Do yourself a favor and breath deeply, savoring the intoxicating smell.)

3. Beat in the vanilla, egg and egg yolk until light and creamy.  Mix the sifted ingredients until just blended.

4.  Stir in the chocolate chips by hand.  Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time (for giant cookies) or a tablespoon at a time (for smaller cookies) onto prepared cookie sheets.  Cookies should be about 2-3 inches apart.

5. Bake larger cookies for 15-17 minutes, or 10-12 minutes for smaller ones (check cookies before they're done; baking time will vary depending on cookie size), or until the edges are slightly toasted.  Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.

Yes. They're that good.  Kid tested.  Doctor approved.



A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words - feel the burn



He Cooks: Cajun Chicken Pasta

We may just have ourselves a new Sunday tradition. 

Without a new recipe in his back pocket, Jeff and I hit a few of my favorite cooking blogs for inspiration.   This weekend's recipe was courtesy of The Pioneer Woman and her tried and true "Cowboy Food." (Recipes her man finds particularly appealing.)  How different can a surgeon's taste buds be than a real life cowboy's?

Ingredients

3 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Cut Into Cubes

3 teaspoons Cajun Spice Mix, More To Taste

1 pound Fettuccine

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons Butter

1 whole Green Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced

1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced

1/2 whole Large Red Onion, Sliced

3 cloves Garlic, Minced

4 whole Roma Tomatoes, Diced

2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth

1/2 cup White Wine

1 cup Heavy Cream

Cayenne Pepper To Taste

Freshly Ground Black Pepper To Taste

Salt To Taste

Chopped Fresh Parsley for garnish

  I've noticed a pattern in Jeff's choice of Sunday cooking apparel.  Perhaps a manly apron is in order.

 

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain when pasta is still al dente; do not overcook!

Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun spice over chicken pieces. Toss around to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy skillet over high heat. Add half the chicken in a single layer; do not stir. Allow chicken to brown on one side, about 1 minute. Flip to the other side and cook an additional minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a clean plate.

Repeat with remaining chicken. Remove chicken, leaving pan on high heat.

Add remaining olive oil and butter. When heated, add peppers, onions, and garlic. Sprinkle on remaining Cajun spice, and add salt if needed. Cook over very high heat for 1 minute, stirring gently and trying to get the vegetables as dark/black as possible. Add tomatoes and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Remove all vegetables from the pan.

With the pan over high heat, pour in the wine and chicken broth. Cook on high for 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in cream, stirring/whisking constantly. Cook sauce over medium-low heat for a few minutes, until cream starts to thicken the mixture. Taste and add freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and/or salt to taste. Sauce should be spicy!

Finally, add chicken and vegetables to sauce, making sure to include all the juices that have drained onto the plate. Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until mixture is bubbly and hot. Add drained fettuccine and toss to combine.

Top with chopped fresh parsley.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words - "bake sale" (looks more like a rummage sale)



Foundation

When life feels like this...

 

I am reminded of this...

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said—
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

“Fear not, I am with thee, oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by My gracious, omnipotent hand.

When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
For I will be with thee thy trouble to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not harm thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.

The soul that on Jesus doth lean for repose,
I will not, I will not, desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.”

 

Ash Wednesday & SlimFAST

The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always accuse, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him. For he knows how we were made; he remembers that we are dust.

Psalm 103:8-14 

Read Through the Gospels 

Today begins the Lenten season, a time of reflection and preparation, turning our hearts and minds towards the glorious resurrection of our Lord and Savior.  Each year, Jeff and I observe Lent by giving up a habit or behavior as a small exercise in self-denial.  Many years we give up the same thing; however, this year we have chosen our own.

Taking inspiration from Jen Hatmaker's mini-7-projects, I have decided to pick one item I buy regularly, go without it, and then reallocate the savings.  The first thing that came to mind was my beloved Slim-Fast Chocolate Peanut Carmel bars.



These bars and I have a history.  While I have attempted to drop a few lbs using the Slim-Fast plan in the past, I have not used the plan in years.  What I have enjoyed for almost three years with a cup of steaming early morning coffee (with the exception of a few months when local Madison grocers stopped carrying them...oh the agony!), are these tasty bars.  I was over the moon when I discovered them on the shelves of our Cleveland grocery store, one of the perks of our relocation, and have been enjoying them ever since.  I wake up craving them, and they have become a part of my early morning routine.  K-cup coffee, bar, devotions.  If Jeff is looking for a quick breakfast before work, he will always ask me first before taking one.  It sounds silly, even as I type, but we all have our little indulgences.  It is ironic that my "guilty pleasure" is a diet bar.

I look forward to this small practice of self-denial, and the opportunity to give at the end of forty days.  This is always a fruitful time in our marriage as we refocus our hearts, observing the season of Lent.  

"Lent isn’t about forfeiting as much as it’s about formation."
-Ann Voskamp