I'm Not a Short Order Cook...I'm a MAMA!

I have picky eaters. Let's just get that out and said. In fact, we have two particularly picky four year olds...which is interesting to me, as they ate almost EVERYTHING when they were babies.

But now...well, they do not eat vegetables. At least, not unless they are french fried or pureed. Odd, I know, the pureed part, but I think it's a texture thing. Or a particularly stubborn, "Hey, don't change what I'm used to," thing. Not really sure. (Though I cannot stand the texture of pears, so I can totally understand that one...)

And so mealtime has been the constant source of an endless stream of frustration and headaches on my end, crying and frustration on their end.

"Come on, take a bite!!! Just one???"

While Heckyl can usually be conjoled into a bite or two, Jeckyl is another story altogether. He would hold an offensive bite in his mouth for a whole evening if you let him. And I don't. I can't stand it. I'm NOT going to do that to him or me, either one. I can't see as it would actually help anything. It certainly wouldn't make him more apt to try another bite, for that I am certain. I know him. I've met him. He is the stubbornest creature I've ever met...and that's saying a lot, as we're all pretty stubborn in this family.

But I've looked up lots of ideas on picky eaters...and am pretty appalled at what I've found.

Soooo many sites suggest just offering the kid the food, then not feeding them again until they eat it. "No kid will starve themself." But seriously??? I have to ask myself. Has it come to that? Really, starve your child until they bend to your will?? Really?

Now, I could see if we lived in an environment where we could not afford other foods or where things just plain weren't available. But in my home, that is not the case. Is it really such a big deal to give a kid a peanut butter and jelly (all fruit spread) sandwich when we have chili? When I was a kid, I didn't eat chili either. Especially when they eat it all, rather than cry and scream and wail over ONE bite of the chili??? Is that really better?

Offer it, sure. Make it available, sure. FORCE them to eat it, rather than starve??? I think not. Because I know how stubborn my child is, how stubborn his uncle and grandfather are, and I guarantee you that all three of them would go to bed hungry, tummy rumbling before they would eat something they hated. (Can't say I feel much different myself.) I know. My father actually did that a lot when he was younger, because he refused to eat certain things. And it NEVER made him want them. These parents who make their kids sit there, but who (the kids, that is) finally relent and eat it so they can have that cookie aren't REALLY picky kids. They're just being difficult. Or maybe they're mildly picky. I have the other extreme. There is no force on earth, save actual starvation, that would force my boys to eat a meal they didn't like.

And so I am done. Done with the arguing and the pleading and the bargaining and the forcing. There's no point. It does no good for anyone, doesn't solve anything and just makes us all fairly miserable at a time that should be a fun together family time. And so, I have decided that it doesn't hurt if my boys like pureed peas or squash. They feed themselves, eat it like applesauce. But they're still getting the NUTRITION. And then they can eat their grilled cheese or peanut butter and jelly or pizza or whatever. Does it really have to be that big a deal?

And I try to get creative. I like that book, The Sneaky Chef, though I don't make all the recipes. I like the IDEA of just putting veggies in stuff they already like. I used her white puree (zucchini and cauliflower) last night on their grilled cheese. I spread it over the bread, then toasted the bread, and they were none the wiser. And they like pizza. (I can put zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, and peas all in that good ole' tomato sauce.) And it's not that I'm really trying too hard to HIDE it, just to prepare it in such a way that they LIKE it, and EAT IT readily. That's the main thing. By the way, we LOVE her Sneaky Chef Chili, the adults, that is. LOL And it's much better for me than the canned stuff!!!

All that to say, what's the big deal if my kids are picky? So am I. I don't eat mushrooms or onions, brussel sprouts or asparagus. Big deal. Neither does my daughter, though we both LOVE spinach and other good for us veggies. And my boys are healthy and strong with good appetites, even if they are a bit more finicky (okay, a LOT) than most kids. But so what? Aren't they healthy? Aren't they happy? Isn't THAT what matters, much more than the extra three minutes it will take me to whip up a sandwich or throw some chicken fingers in the oven? No, I'm not a short order cook, I'm a MAMA, and my kids are worth the extra effort.

Chicken Parmesan

Yum! That's all I'm sayin'. :)

Homemade Chicken Stock

I finally got the opportunity to make my own homemade chicken stock. We had purchased a rotisserie chicken from the store the other day, and when everyone had eaten all they wanted, I kept the carcass for myself, threw some water, herbs, veggies, and spices into a pot and made stock. :) Just pour it up through a strainer and WAH-LAH, stock! (I stuck it in the fridge overnight, then pulled off the fat that had settled and cooled on top, then froze it for later use.) :) Makes you feel good to get something for "almost" nothing. (granted, the herbs and spices and carrots and heat from the stove actually DO cost something but not much.) And it made a good bit, is very flavorful and no added preservatives or anything I don't want in there. :) Healthy, handy, and frugal. Awesome!

Homemade Butter

Well, I finally did it, after talking about it for months and months. I've finally made my very own homemade butter. And am AMAZED at how quick and easy it was. Seriously. Just popped the cream into the food processor and BAM! In just a few minutes...not even that long, I had butter. I must've had it at EXACTLY the right temp. or whatever, because it didn't even take the 5-8 min. everyone online said it should have. More like two. Cool.

Of course I did have to pour up the buttermilk and then rinse the butter repeatedly with ice water until it ran clear (which was easy enough)...then get all the leftover water out. (If you've never made butter, the ice water doesn't mix with the butter, but you have to squish and mash the butter really good to get all the remaining droplets that stick in all the little nooks and crannies.) That last part was slightly a pain (and stupidly, I let a big hunk of the butter fall into a dirty bowl in the sink while trying to do this...I didn't have it squished good to the side...sigh), but I think it would be much easier if I could find my cheesecloth, which, of course, I can't. Naturally. And the store didn't have any that I could find, so I guess I'll have to order me some more or wait until I go to the kitchen store next time.

But back to the butter...I saved some just salted, then jazzed up the other as honey butter. And oh my goodness, it's good! I tried some on some homemade blueberry mini muffins just last night, and "OH! MAN!" I am seriously going to start doing this on a regular basis. I am most certainly sold on this and esp. the honey butter, though my Little Bit insists the plain butter is best. SHRUG Go figure. To each his own, huh? :) Still, never thought I'd see the day when my child was telling me the plain was better than the SWEET. Kind of odd. Oh, well. :)

Anyway, this is what they looked like, only there was much more...this is after having eaten a big portion of it...

Soup and Blueberry Jam

Well, I've begun my preserving for this year, that is, if you don't count freezing, as I've already frozen quite a LOT of hand-picked blueberries from the farm nearby. But I managed 13 pints, if I remember correctly, of homemade vegetable soup and 7 and a half jelly jars (1/2 pints) of blueberry jam. I also put up five quarts of frozen fresh corn. I'm quite pleased with myself, though I am hardly finished. I plan to make some blackberry and strawberry jams, as well. Hopefully, in the next week or so, though this week I've a birthday party to plan. :)

Cheese Danish

I LOVE Cheese danishes. Almost to the point of wrong-ness. LOL There are few things more delightful to me than a fresh (still warm) cheese danish (or if you can't get right out of the oven, you can nuke one for a few seconds until it's nice and warm and soft again), drizzled in a glaze icing with a nice tall glass of milk. It's almost heavenly. But these were things you bought at the bakery or enjoyed at some luncheon that someone bought and brought from who know's where. This was not something you make at home. Was it? And then one day, I was watching the Barefoot Contessa as she made her own version of the EASY cheese danish, and something inside me clicked...and rejoiced! I COULD MAKE MY OWN????? So, I can guarantee you I went right out to get the ingredients (though I do cook often, I generally bake "normal" at home goodies (cookies, cakes, brownies, muffins, etc), and I had never before enjoyed the wonders of frozen puff pastry. Oh, yeah, it's probably better for all had I NOT found this out.) But I whipped them up and BAM, perfection. :)

Delicious, delectable, de-LIGHT-FUL! (Those of you who have watched the Upside Down show regularly might actually appreciate that little reference. Awesome kid show...even if you're not a kid...) I did make a couple minor changes. She only folds two corners, but I found it made an odd shape, and I could only fit half as many on my stone that way, so I made them square, and I added that little drizzle of icing, because, COME ON! You gotta' have icing! What was she thinking?! LOL No, really, they'd be very good without the icing, but I much prefer them WITH, I can promise you. And I don't put too much, as you can see, just enough to give it that extra little boost of sweetness to compliment my deliciously tall glass of extra cold milk (If you put it in the freeze for about ten minutes or so, you actually get a tiny sheet of ice on top. Ah...I'm actually shivering with anticipation... The only drawback...I wouldn't exactly call this a "cheaper" version of the dessert/breakfast/snack, though I guess it would depend on where you buy yours and so on. The puff pastry itself isn't exactly cheap, as a whole box will only make eight, though it probably comes out about the same as buying them at some decently priced bakery. But, I'm serious, just the JOY of being able to say, "hey, I made cheese danishes today." is enough satisfaction for me to say, "Oh, yes. It was worth every penny."

Awesome Muffins

I thought I'd share these...These are very possibly the best muffins EVER! They're actually supposed to be Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins, but I'm not really much of a pumpkin fan, so I switched them out for sweet potato, but I'm telling you! Wonderful! It's an Emeril recipe from foodnetwork, though I switched out the pumpkin, put the cranberries in the food processor (for the kids' sake, though I actually like it better that way, myself--distributes the craisins all over, so you get a little in every bite), and I also made them mini size, again, for the kids. But who doesn't like a mini muffin? :)

Homemade Pretzels and Recycling

The first photo is of the delicious pretzels we made the other night, hubby and me. He is absolutely addicted to these big soft pretzels but gets mad at the mall when they want $3 or more for one. And so I became determined to make my own at home and dang it, but these were so good, I just had to post a picture. :) Thank you, Mr. Alton Brown!

The next pictures are of my Little Bit and her version of recycling. See, I make felt cookies for my etsy shop, and I had one from long ago that was a trial as I was determining how best to sew up the edges. Anyway, Little Bit wanted it to play with, so I gave it to her. Skip ahead several weeks... So, I have this Kimochi bear thing that my dear friend gave me for Christmas a while back. It's the cutest big green bear that "eats" emotions. The little emotions are little round "people" that fit into his mouth and stomach. My daughter FELL IN LOVE with him and plays with him all the time in my sewing room as I sew (because that room is his home, and he doesn't want to leave it, as she informed me.) Well, as I was cutting off my way too long pants to hem them today, and she asks me for the cut off part. I ask her why, and she tells me that she wants to use it to make arms and legs for her little "K'mochin." (What she calls the people.) At this point, I'm looking at her like she's lost her mind, having no idea what she's talking about. So, she tells me that that's "recycling" when you use something old to make something. To which, of course, I'm thrilled to hear her say. Well, I gave her my fabric marking pen, and she gave it a face, then she told me how to cut out the fabric to make "bumps" for the arms and legs. She wanted to glue them, but I convinced her sewing would be a bit more sturdy, and so, her new "Happy K'mochin" was born. And naturally, happy is a fitting name for him...and her.

Chocolate Owls

I love Halloween. I mean, REALLY love Halloween. There's just something about it that really gets me happy. Part of it is the weather. I am totally a FALL girl, so I love bright plump pumpkins and brilliantly colored leaves everywhere. I love the crunch it makes when you walk on them, the cool breeze blowing. Blue jean weather, I call it. And I love it!!! Add to that my love of dressing up I've had since a kid and an unsatiable addiction to all things chocolate, and you can see how this is an amazingly fun holiday for me. :) I generally decorate the whole house, though I've had to scale back now that I have small children...hard to put out breakables when you have a little boy who thinks he's supposed to throw everything. But still, it's just so much FUN!!! And one more thing I enjoy...making treats. :) There's just something about fall weather that sets me in baking mode, and I want to make EVERYTHING. Not a great thing when you're on a diet, but very hard to fight this baking urge I get...which is why we had cupcakes at 10:00 at night two nights ago...

And though it isn't baking, I have found a new fun pasttime in making chocolate lollipops for the kids. Little Bit LOVES them. I have to limit her, else she eat the whole batch in one sitting!!! (That's my girl! She gets it honest!!!) But I was quite happy with how they turned out, esp. since I forgot to buy a paint brush to do the little details... oops. Still, they turned out rather nice, and very tasty! And super easy to do, really! I'm going to have to get some turkey molds or something for next month, though I suppose owls can be a whole fall thing, hmm?