Octomom

I have been watching all the coverage of this, whether it be CNBC, FOX News, TMZ, Inside Edition, whatever. I am weirded out by this woman a little, but have a brain to know that is what the media wants us to feel like. Wanting children is a natural instinct and most of us are PRIVILEGED and BLESSED to be able to do this without help. What is wrong with her wanting a 7th child and going through with the procedure? Sure she got more than was expected, but life is full of surprises. Should she have aborted? You know my opinion on that. Absolutely not!

Many adult children get help from their parents. This is normal. She needed help with housing and such to get through college to better herself. In my opinion and to my beliefs, she should have a husband to be there for her and the kids, but not everyone feels this way, and this is what society has been pushing for years. Woman's independence and they can do it all.

Why is the media and people across the nation so against her? I thought the mentality was " it takes a village to raise a child"? Why isn't there people there to help her? People are being SO judgemental of her solely based on media coverage. It's sickening to me. One Psychotherapist or something even went on national TV to criticize and evaluate her based on media coverage. They want to take her children away from her! This is so disturbing that a mob mentality has so much influence nowadays.

It is no ones business how many kids i want to have, how many bedrooms are available, what my income is, etc. Unless it can be proven, and I'm saying really undeniably obvious that these kids are being treated badly and they are being mistreated. Are we now going to regulate how many children are acceptable? It's bad enough there are those rallying and fighting with all their might to kill unborn babies. Like that is normal.

I remember so many other Moms of multiple babies, recently too. They got help. Their churches rallied support. Companies offered their goods. Talk shows wanted them on to tell their story. They even got their own reality shows. The nation was in awe of such a rare miracle that so many sweet spirits could survive. What has changed? The economy? Why don't you focus on that then?

I think it is easier for taxpayers( and the media) to focus on the thought of paying to support these children, than to really think about where their tax money is going. I am not a fan of welfare and think there are many opportunities for those expecting assistance. Laziness and drug use is not a part of this post. I could go on, but that is another post about the wasteful and highly unethical stimulus plan being forced on us.

In closing, I just want to say we need to think about our own children, what a blessing a single person can make to a Mom in need and quit standing on the sidelines and make your voices heard. I am not very good at writing, but I try nonetheless. I am a Mom of 5 and have had to be humble enough to except help. I thought I was superwoman, but after 3 kids in 10 months, 2 more, 5 in 4 years, I knew life had it's challenges. But it's been great! My oldest is 10 and youngest 6. I know I can not donate money or a house or whatever, but I can pray for those babies, and for her to have comfort. Hopefully people will come forward to help her and those babies, even though the media will crucify them.

God bless and watch over those in need. But those who abuse the system, ...that's another post.

P.S. this is a rough draft. It's late. No one reads this anyway. I'll edit tomorrow.

Thanksgiving 2008

We had an amazing Thanksgiving this year. All of my family came to our home, except Robb, and Josh's brother Joe came as well. We had a great time with everyone and it even snowed a bit for the Las Vegas crowd. They loved it! The kids were soaked! I had a great time in the kitchen with Melissa and my Mom and we turned out an incredible feast for everyone. I did not get a picture of the Turkey, I was too busy making sides, but it was beautiful and so moist! But I did get a shot of our Thankful Turkey which everyone contributed to with what they were thankful for. It was cool! I was surprised everyone fit in my modest sized house, but we did and the spirit of family was awesome! Now the last has left and I am alone waiting for the kids to come home. So sad. I think I will get my tree out and decorate! I love the holidays!

Chicken Cacciatore

I had some chicken breasts I needed to cook, but was tired of the normal way, so I decided to try it this way. Simmered in tomato sauce and serve over spaghetti. I wasn't expecting too much, because I only had some basic ingredients, but it turned out really good and tender and the kids loved it. They were very large breasts, so they each got a half. Next time I will add some mushrooms, green pepper, buy some Italian seasoning and make more of the sauce. We barely had enough of the sauce.

4 chicken breasts
salt, pepper, oil and flour
1 26oz can tomato sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
dried oregano and basil
Parmesan cheese, grated
thin spaghetti noodles

Season chicken with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. Saute in oil in a large frying pan until golden brown, 4-5 min each side. Remove to a 9x13 pan. Saute onion and garlic for a few minutes in the same pan and add tomato sauce. Season with dried spices, ( i will use 1 teasp. Italian seasoning next time) and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour over chicken and cover. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Make spaghetti and serve sprinkling parm on top. Enjoy!

Tator Tot Casserole

I didn't feel like going to the store, but was out of most things, so I just made this recipe up with what I had already. And boy was it good! The kids gobbled it up and even asked for more. I only had a little bit left and warmed it up the next day and melted even more cheese on top. Yummy! You can totally play around with this one and add frozen peas or green beans, use chopped onion instead of the fried onions, add celery or use cream of chicken or cream of celery instead of the cream of mushroom. You get the idea. But it's a great filling dinner for the kids.

3 lbs ground beef - browned and drained of fat and seasoned(salt,pepper, and garlic powder)
26 oz can of cream of mushroom
1/2 can of milk ( 26oz can above)
3/4 of a 6oz can of fried onions
1 cup monterey jack cheese - grated
tator tots

Mix soup and milk together, add onions and beef, pour into 9x13 pan, sprinkle with cheese and top with tots. Bake at 350 degrees for 45min to an hour. Enjoy!

Sunday Rib Roast

So this was a new challenge for me. Usually rib roasts are too expensive, but I got lucky one day at the supermarket and they were 1/2 off. I payed $22 for a 4 1/2 pound one! Hubby made bacon this morning so I had the fat still in the pan and it needed to be used.

Take the roast out of the fridge 1hr before to bring to room temp. Season all sides with seasoned salt, garlic powder and seasoned pepper. Then sear all sides in your frying pan with the leftover bacon grease. Put in roasting pan fat side up at 325 degrees for 2 hours for a 4.5 lb roast, uncovered. Take out and cover with foil for 15-20 min to rest. Carve the bones off( a tasty treat for the chef, just hide from hubby) and then carve out your slices. This came out perfectly medium like I like it. I was a little worried, because I did not have a meat thermometer, but I was right on with the timing. Yeah me!

Enjoy!

Mac & Cheese and Crock Pot Scalloped Potatoes

Oh goodness! I hope you're hungry! These 2 recipes are very rich and full of calories, but so yummy!

Gourmet Mac and Cheese - I got this one from Giada( ya know, the boob lady on food network) but have made a few changes or have a few subsitutes. I have always made this with baby swiss because the stores out here did not carry fontina. After a few requests to the manager and deli ladies, I was so excited to find our new item the other day. But I was so excited, I did not look at the price tag. Got home and as I was preparing my new found cheese, discovered it cost me $21.99 for 1 pound! WHAT? Are you kidding me? So next time I will use the baby swiss. Just as good and doesn't cause fainting.

Butter, for greasing dish
12 ounces wide egg noodles
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 cups whole milk
3 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for pasta water
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups (packed) grated Fontina ( or baby swiss!)
3/4 cup (packed) finely grated Parmesan
3/4 cup (packed) grated mozzarella
4 ounces cooked ham, diced, optional
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Butter a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish and set aside. Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Drain well, but do not rinse.

Whisk the cream, milk, flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper in large bowl to blend. Stir in 1 cup Fontina, 1/2 cup Parmesan, 1/2 cup mozzarella, ham, if using, and parsley. Add the noodles and toss to coat. Transfer the noodle mixture to the prepared baking dish. Toss the remaining 1 cup Fontina, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and 1/4 cup mozzarella in a small bowl to blend. Sprinkle the cheese mixture over the noodle mixture. Bake until the sauce bubbles and the cheese melts and begins to brown on top, about 20 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.




Now for the Crock Pot Scalloped Potatoes - These are awesome! Easy prep, easy ingriedients and perfect if you are using your oven for another dish. A bit buttery, but I think next time I make them I may try to fix that hazard... or not.

6 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 onion, sliced into rings
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups milk
1 pound Medium Cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
chopped parsley

Spray Crock Pot with nonstick cooking spray. Layer potatoes and onions and cheeses alternately in about 4 layers. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. When completely melted, add flour and mix well. Then add milk, mixing well. Heat for another minute, then remove from flame. Stir in salt and pepper. Pour milk mixture over potato and cheese layers in the Crock Pot. Cook on high for 3-4 hours, until potatoes are tender. If you cut your potatoes too thick, it will take longer. Sprinkle top with parsley for presentation and color.

New Recipe!

I have been kinda sick the last week or two, so I haven't been "making" a whole lot of dishes. It's been a whole lot of corndogs, hot pockets, frozen veggies, applesauce, and take out. But I'm feeling better tonight and wanted to try something new. Taste test time!!! Who likes Bruschetta? I tried 5 different versions, variations, to get the best taste. Here is the best one.

Loaf of bread - I used french with garlic baked on the top. Soft and yummy.
EVOO - if you do not know what this is... get out of the kitchen!
minced garlic
basil leaves
sliced romo tomatoes
fresh mozzarella sliced thin

The other versions involved roasted garlic infused olive oil, or a tomato bruschetta sauce you can buy in the jar, etc. They were gross. Fresh is best!


So the best one is the bottom left hand corner piece. Enjoy!

Tomorrow I will be making Gourmet Mac and Cheese!

Burning Down The House: What Caused Our Economic Crisis?

This is interesting and I just love the way he put it to music. It goes kind of fast, but definitly worth watching. Pass it on.

Damn neighbors!

So we are having a problem with some neighbors. Apparently they hate kids and we have aggravated them. They choose to drive recklessly around the corners, and when we nicely called them on it tonight and asked them to slow down when the children are out playing, they reference bicycle laws and they are not going over the 25 mph limit,so it is our fault and if the children get hit, it's our fault.

Can we not let our children play outside? This is a small little street, circle, that should be safe for them. I want them to get fresh air and exercise! I will not just let my kids sit in front of the TV or play video games. Yes, the outside world has some dangers and there is risk, but i will not put my kids in a bubble! Go have fun, be creative and get dirty!

Why can't people have some common sense? Some sense of community and "we're all in this together" mentality. We could not believe the immediate defensiveness they exhibited. They even whipped out a "badge" to scare us away I guess, it turned out to be the son was a probation officer. Why can't we just ask a neighbor to please slow down and take caution when the kids are out? They even said they would call the cops on us for harassment???? Huh?

So my reason for posting this, is to ask y'all a question. Do you think I can ask the city to post a lower speed limit in our small area? I have put up a picture for you. It's not quite to scale, but 25mph around the corners is absurd! Corner to corner in front of our house has got to be 25 yards. For them to hide behind the 25mph law in this neighborhood seems wrong to me. And I also think maybe now they may try to hit one of my kids on purpose to prove their point that I'm a bad parent. How dare I let them ride their bikes or play outside. Errrr...

I talked to a friend of mine who is a detective here in the police department, who said I could ask for an officer to come talk to them, but really there is nothing they can do, unless I have proof they are being reckless or speeding.

I have given the children an extensive lecture about riding their bikes only on the side of the road, getting out of the way of cars, staying away from the evil neighbors house, etc.

So what should I do? Can I make my own speed bumps?

I'd like to ....!!!!!

Thinking of more recipes to post

I have several more delicious recipes I want to post, but I want a picture of my finished dish to show you and post with the recipe, so I will have to wait and do one at a time over time. But I did want to give you a list of dishes I intend on making. Shout out which one I should make first. And remember, these are mostly easy to do recipes that taste great and anyone can do. I have spent many hours watching foodnetwork, getting tips from my Mom, and just experimenting in my own kitchen. My daughter even makes me commentate when I'm cooking, explaining every move like on TV. And of course, my kids have crowned themselves the judges.

Here's a few...

Gourmet Mac and Cheese with Ham
Chicken Enchiladas
Spaghetti
Jalapeno poppers
Scalloped Crock Pot Potatoes
Potato Salad

Yeah!!!! Cowboys just won!!! Ce...lebrate good times, c'mon!