Must-haves, Issue 1

I love this awesome griddle. In fact, I've used it twice today! See recipes below. It was relatively inexpensive. In fact, my sisters gave it to my for my birthday a couple of years ago. I just wipe it clean (sometimes!) I don't really use the grill side because it's hard to clean, but I have. It works.

I use it to cook tortillas, quesadillas, pancakes, french toast, reheat pizza, grilled cheese sandwiches, defrost meat, etc, (It's like magic. Chicken defrosts in like 30-45 minutes just sitting on the cold griddle!) Can you tell I watch way too many infomercials?

I have a gas stovetop and just leave it out all the time. See my last post for a photo of my stovetop.

Click here to get one for yourself! But don't get sucked into Crate and Barrel. You'll want one of everything! I just went to the actual store on Saturday and had to leave before I started adding stuff to my cart. I wouldn't have been able to stop.

Toad in the Hole Recipe

1 slice of whole wheat break

1 egg

butter

salt & pepper

1. Turn on griddle and smear with a bit of butter.

2. Cut a hole in the slice bread.

I use a sippy cup. It's a good size.

3. Place bread on griddle.

4. Crack egg and pour in hole.

5. Cook for a while.

6. Flip and season.

7. Cook for a while longer.

8. Don't forget to throw your circle on the griddle for extra toast.

9. Feel sad that your baby can't eat a Toad in the Hole :(

Darn alleries!

10. Make recipe #2 so that your baby is happy.

Here's the smoothie we ate today. No recipe, just tips.

Chocolate Banana Blueberry Smoothie

Avery said it was the best smoothie EVER! Kudos to myself :)

I sometimes use Quik, but as of late just cocoa powder and sweetener

2 cups of milk

a banana

frozen blueberries

2 T cocoa powder

3 T honey

1 cup strawberry yogurt

2 T ground flaxseed

1 t fish oil

I am going to start using the last two ingredients a little more just to give my kids a super-charge of brain power.

If you are wondering what on earth I'm talking about, Read this. It's such a great book on the importance of childhood nutrition.

The NDD Book: Nutritional Deficit Disorder

P.S. Buy it from half.com for about $7.

Everything and Nothing

I've been in conflict with my self lately... To blog, not not blog??? What is my blogging "voice?" Do I really have any readers? If so, what do my readers want to hear? Is this my creative outlet or a waste of time? For those of you who know me, know that I always have my fingers in a little bit of everything. Good thing my husband is a finisher, or we would get nothing done! Speaking of getting stuff done. He recently finished this little beauty for me. I've been waiting for this since we moved in. BTW, it's the backsplash :)

Well, back to my point, what do the readers want? Here are things I'm always thinking about writing about.

Products I've discovered that I can't live without...Thoughts on green cleaning...Views on parenting... (good in theory, hard in practice)...Recipes...Healthy Eating...My recent crusade to improve school lunch...Home lunch ideas...Images only...New blog name contest...

So if you are out there, and you are interested in any of my thoughts on these topics, let me know. I'd love to get all of my ideas out of my head so I could concentrate a little better :)Help me find my voice (or at least tell me which key.)

In the meantime, here is an image of my little darlin'. I was so happy how these shots turned out because it's straight out of the camera (SOOC). I thought the contrast and color were great considering.

Speaking of photography, Avery took this palm shot. She is entering an art contest with it and calling her image...

My imagination and I travel to the land of palm trees!