Another Birthday

Today, Scott celebrated another birthday!  He was not quite the excited birthday boy... he has the stomach flu! Not exactly the best way to spend your special day. Then to top it off, he went to the farm to check on the cows, and the bull was dead!  Yea, you read that right.  A pretty rotten birthday if I say so myself.   The one request he had was for vanilla cupcakes.  Since everything else was bad, I thought we had to pull through on this one.  I let Pickles make them, and today, well they were from a Confetti Mix.  You guessed it, she made them all by herself.  She did a great job, and had fun in the process.  At least that was a win!

these chicks  love cupcakes

 

Peck, peck yum!

Pretty in pink...

And a perfect one in red for Daddy!

Just in case you wanted to know, she took the photos... wrote the captions, and delivered her Daddy his cupcake with a scoop of ice cream.  

I am beginning to think the illness is just because he realized how old he is!  

Until next time, keep adventuring and looking for joy in the small details of life!

Sarah

Vanilla Cupcakes... Weight Watcher Friendly

Vanilla Cupcake that is only 1 Weight Watchers Point Plus!

OK my friends, I am officially back on the bandwagon. I will get this weight off if it kills me!!!  I am counting points and back to tracking everything that goes in my mouth.  I must say, when you count up every little thing I am amazed at how fast my points go. I know the first week is always the hardest, and I am determined to make it! Tonight I even went and exercised because I am hungry and wanted a few more points for dinner.  I know, pathetic!  However, when all was said and done, I didn't even need those activity points and they are banked for another day!  Yea Me!!!

My weakness is dessert.  I love all things sweet, and I really needed a little pick-me-up. Scott's birthday is tomorrow, and he was asking for vanilla cake.  I know if I make them I will eat one, so I was on a mission to create a low-point cupcake. I found a recipe that was very intriguing and made it my own to suit my personal taste.  The original was on the Biggest Loser website, and it is close, but I think mine is better.

This cupcake is a little more complicated than some, but when you consider it is only 1 point without frosting, it is well worth the little bit of extra effort.  Think angel food cake on vanilla steroids.  Not exactly spongy like Angel Food, but similar.  Let's get this straight... it is not the great buttery cake I like to make, but definitely a great dessert when you are worried about calories or fat.  Because of the lift you achieve with the egg whites, I am almost positive you could make this with Gluten Free Flour and have great results if you are on a gluten free diet.

If you are really feeling adventurous, go ahead and make a strawberry short cake with it.  It would be divine!

In the bowl of your stand mixer beat 5 egg whites until they get good and foamy.

Looks like they are about there.

Slowly add sugar and continue beating at medium high speed. 

Beat until semi- stiff peaks form.  These are perfect!

Add Greek yogurt and vanilla and fold in gently.

Continue to gently fold in the yogurt and vanilla.  Be careful not to overmix.

In a small bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder and mix well.

Add flour mixture to egg white mixture and continue to fold in gently.

And fold it in more...

The batter will not be smooth, but don't worry... You don't want to break up the egg whites.

Evenly divide batter between 12 muffin cups lined with baking cups.  Mine were pretty full. Don't worry, it will work out great!

A pan of pretty little diet friendly cupcakes.  I just wish you could smell them!

So, here is the recipe...

5 egg whites
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup vanilla fat-free Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Beat egg whites in a super clean bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment until foamy.  Slowly add sugar while the mixer is running and continue beating until semi-firm peaks form. See photo for illustration.  Add yogurt and vanilla and gently fold into egg white mixture.

In a small bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt.  Mix well. Fold flour mixture into egg white mixture until combined.  Be careful not to overmix the batter.

Evenly divide into 12 muffin tins that have been lined with paper baking cups.  Bake at 325 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes until lightly browned and the spring back when touched lightly.

Allow to cool on a wire rack and dust with powdered sugar before serving.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and hopefully I will be inspired to make more delicious foods that are in agreement with my new lifestyle.  I am open to any ideas you might have, and I will try and help you on your journey too.  I have found in my weight loss journey, planning and being prepared are the only way to succeed.  I am going to do this, and you can too!

Until next time, keep adventuring and looking for joy in the small details of life!

Sarah

Mommy Daughter Day = Perfection

Today, Pickles was out of school, and we decided we would make this a Mommy Daughter Day.  I let her choose what she wanted to do, and we did just that.

After a brief stop at Starbucks, we are ready to tackle the Memphis Zoo!

We finally made it on a day when the white tiger was on display!

Pickles just a posing.

Learning to read a map and plotting out next destination.

I share this because it kept grossing me out. This was in the aquarium, and these little worms were everywhere.  The lizard looking creatures kept eating them... Maybe it was feeding time and I just wasn't aware.

Must love a candid snapshot captured by Pickles!

Must love the eggs...The only time she wanted her picture taken.  Just for the record.

LeLe hanging out in the window.  The pandas are so neat, but they were pretty lazy today.

Ye Ye lounging in her dayroom...

After the zoo, we enjoyed a fabulous sushi lunch. Pickles tried my tuna roll and was an instant fan.  So, after the mall, and Whole Foods, we stopped off at Ben and Jerry's to have a little ice cream and play some checkers...

A very happy girl with her silky new pajamas.  What a fabulous day we shared! I can't wait to do it again!!!

I hope you enjoyed our adventure today.  We had a great time, and the best part was the time we spent talking and bonding.  It is amazing how much she understands and observes without being prompted.  I know we will make time to do this much more often!

Until next time, keep adventuring and looking for joy in the small details of life!

Sarah

Who is Polly? She sure knew how to make pie!

We'll call this comfort in a cup... Peach Polly Pie!

Today has been one of those days that Pickles just can't wrap her head around.  Everyone we know has two sets of Grandparents and they get to spend lots and lots of time with them.  It makes me sad that she longs for that which she can't have.

She cherished the time she spent with both Scott's Mom, and my Mom.  She loved Nana (my Mom) and loved to do all kinds of fun things with her.  She still talks about the things that they did.

Since MawMaw (Scott's Mom) became ill, she doesn't really know that she has grandchildren.  Some days she loves them, and other days, they never existed.  It makes me sad, because we never know what the day will hold, and even sadder because some of my most cherished memories are with my grandparents.

Scott's Dad has recently began dating a very sweet lady, and Pickles is so excited that she will have a "Grandmother" figure once again.  They stopped by this afternoon, and she has been daydreaming about all the things they can do together.  She can't wait to spend some time playing with Angel. It is amazing how much it touched her that Angel was interested in the little things that she was doing.  Today, it was making potholders with a loom.

The weaving of potholders jolts my memory back to summers in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas with my Grandparents.  I remember my Grammy teaching me to sew.  I think I was about five and we were making clothes for Barbie.  We sat on the floor and cut out scraps of cloth and sewed them together with a needle and thread, because she said I wasn't ready to use a sewing machine.  I still can feel her thimble on my finger as she took precious time to entertain me!  Another time she saved all of her magazines just for me so I could go through them and pull out all of the perfume adds and smell like a cosmetic counter at the department store. I still don't really care for frosting after she allowed me and my sister to "learn" to decorate cakes with an entire batch on the patio.  We had waxed paper on the tables and tried our best decorating.  She never said we couldn't sample our creations, and we both ended up with the worst stomach ache.  No explanation was necessary to Grammy, she already knew why we skipped out on supper!  Oh the fun I had with Grammy!

So, today has been a challenge trying to explain that she has many special friends and that she is loved by many people that consider her one of their Grandchildren.  I would give anything for her to have more time with my Mom, and all they fun stuff they could have come up with!

In memory of my Mom, I made Polly Pie tonight.  I am not sure who Polly was, but she was a wonderful cook. I think that Polly was a neighbor and she made this lovely cobbler and shared the recipe with my family.  This cobbler was Mom's go to dessert when she needed something tasty but didn't have much time to invest in her dessert.  I love this easy and elegant dessert, and the possibilities as vast as your imagination.  Tonight we are having peach, but any fruit works great. I think my favorites are blueberry, blackberry and apple.  I encourage you to try your very best hand at Polly Pie!

My peaches I put up this summer... Don't they look beautiful! Just put them in a little casserole dish.

Sprinkle with a little cinnamon and nutmeg.

Add sugar...

In another bowl mix flour, sugar, and salt...

add a beaten egg...

stir until it is crumbly...

pour it right over the fruit...

Melt one stick of butter and pour it over...

Ready for the oven...

Delicious and ready to eat!!!

Heaven in a cup... Add a little ice cream if you are so inclined...

Polly Pie

2 bags frozen peaches (you can use 2 large cans too... just pour the juice and all in the pan)
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1 stick butter

Place peaches in a baking dish.  Sprinkle sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg over the top. Mix together flour, remaining sugar, salt and egg until resembles coarse meal.  Sprinkle over fruit.  Melt butter and pour over the top.  Place in a  350 degree oven and bake for about an hour or until golden brown.

Valentines + Cookies = Huge Success!

Since I am the wanna-be over-achiever Mom, I some how was in charge of her class party.  Not a big issue, but you have to coordinate with the other Mom's and throw something together I let Pickle's help me with our party planning, since she was the reason for my involvement.  She doesn't eat cake, and really doesn't eat cookies, but her friends helped her with their thoughts.  She did request chocolate covered strawberries, and they were added to our party as well.

 I am not a big fan of Valentine's day, but it is fun for the kiddos to have a reason to overload on sugar and an excuse for a party.

What says Happy Valentines Day better than the little message candies?  I think a sugar cookie!  For Pickle's school Valentine's Day party, I thought sugar cookies with little messages would be just the perfect treat.

Cookies go over much better than cupcakes, and I think it is because they are easy to eat.

The cookies were a huge hit, and I even had a few left over.  I took it upon myself to eat them so that I could make sure and tell you just how great these were!  Now, next week we will be back to the diet friendly foods...

I hope that you had a wonderful Valentine's day!  I know my children loved all the sugar!!!

So, let me share with you the recipe I use to make just the perfect cookie.  I have been holding on to this recipe for a few years.  A friend shared it with me, and it is supposedly the recipe the Cookie Bouquet uses for their fanciful creations.  I promise you won't be disappointed, and the little kick of Kosher salt is a pleasant surprise!

If you want to make a bouquet, here is a sample photo of one I made for Pickle's class when she was student of the week.  You would know it would have to be ultra girly!!!

Student of the week bouquet...

And because I am a dork, I have a few pictures for you... Not showing every step, but the important ones...

I really measured... since I wasn't making a bouquet, I rolled them to 3/8 inch.  They were really thick cookies.

Using a basic buttercream frosting, I pipe a border around my cookies, and then "flood" them with a thinned down version to get the beautiful smooth finish.

I add corn syrup and half and half to my buttercream frosting to thin it down and then it "floods" the cookies. I wish I could give you exact amounts, but it varies every time based on the humidity.  FYI, it is the secret to get the icing smooth... I learned the hard way. 

Perfectly thinned icing.  It should run, but still have some texture.

Sugar Cookies

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

Mix together flour and baking powder.  In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Stir in the egg, salt and both extracts.  Mix well.

Slowly add flour mixture, 1 cup at a time.  Mix until well incorporated.  The dough might look a little dry, that is OK, and form together to a disc.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll the dough onto a lightly floured surface to approximately 5/8 inch thick.  Cut the cookies into desired shapes.  Place the cut cookie carefully on a parchment lined cookie sheet.  If you want to make a bouquet, insert a lollipop stick into the cookie.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges just begin to turn light golden brown in color.  Remove the cookies from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack and allow to finish cooling.

Basic Buttercream Frosting

1 stick butter, softened
1 bag of powdered sugar (2 lbs.)
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Half and Half (about 1/2 cup) but it varies.

Cream butter with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy.  Add powdered sugar, vanilla and almond extracts.  Mix well. Start adding cream, a little at at time. Continue mixing.  If you frosting is too thick, add a little more cream.  Be careful as you can quickly add too much and you will have runny frosting...

A Tonsil Tale...

Two weeks ago, our Little Man had to have his tonsils removed.  I know this is routine for many, however this Mommy was not prepared for what was in store for us. Pickles had hers removed at five, and it was a land of Popsicles and ice cream.  I didn't really think about the fact the Little Man rarely eats ice cream, and likes Popsicle only when it is hot outside.

So, to bring you up to speed, he has been sick for quite some time.  I was leaning toward a GI problem only to be reassured that his tonsils can cause all the symptoms I jotted down.  He had been sick since the early fall, and nothing seemed to be helping.  Round after round of antibiotics didn't do the trick. Miss one dose, and we were right back where we started from.

The morning of surgery, I was very nervous.  Besides the fact that he was going under anesthesia, he was feeling great.  He tried to climb over the glass wall in the hospital, which is on the second floor looking into the lobby on the first floor.  The staff thought I was crazy, and that he wasn't really sick.   As I chased him through the hospital, I was wondering if maybe he was miraculously healed, and didn't need this procedure after all.

Before surgery... Playing and having fun.

His first Popsicle...

Not really liking the Popsicle...

The only time he spoke in the hospital, "My frowt huts."  Poor baby1

So, after surgery, we spoke with the Doctor who proceeded to tell us just how enlarged his tonsils were, and that his adenoids were even worse.  He reassured me that is was not a joke. The poor baby couldn't breath through his nose.  So, now I am feeling better about having the surgery.  Then, we got to see him and help wake him up.

This was a whole new ballgame.  He didn't come out from anesthesia very well. He fought, tried to pull out his iv, tried to jump out of the bed, kicked, flailed and grabbed everything in sight.  The nurse was so glad to see us, because his super human strength was almost more than she could handle.  He only wanted Mommy, and that wasn't really good enough!

After a long night.  Make that a very long night in the hospital, where the lights in our room kept coming on voluntarily, the Little Man wouldn't eat or drink, and no wet diapers, but we were able to leave the hospital the next morning regardless. The doctor again reassured me that once in his own environment, he would eat and drink again.   I had enough foresight to grab some french fries, and food for Mommy, and we came home.  I just knew he would rest.  Wrong.  He went to eating his french fries, and before I knew it, he was eating everything he could get his hands on!  I guess after two months living on milk, he was hungry.  This hunger lasted about 24 hours, and now we are back to our picky self.

This week, he went back to school and was so excited to see his teachers and his friends, but most importantly have someone to play with.  Praise the Lord, we haven't had any GI issues since the surgery, and I am so very grateful.  He is a completely different child when he feels good!

My sweet baby feels so much better!

He's back to his mischievous self!

Thanks for all your prayers and concerns during this time.  I am thankful there was a solution for his problem!  I am thankful for the moments when he wanted to snuggle, and watch a movie, and I am thankful for a great surgeon who took special care of our precious baby boy.  Now, on to potty training!

Until next time, keep adventuring and looking for joy in the small details of life!

Sarah