Thursday, December 15, 2011

Quick Roast, Kale Chips and Oat Pumpkin Bread

I had some unexpected success with a roast last night and thought I'd share. I had a frozen roast which I had intended to thaw the night before and then place in the crockpot come morning. However, since I didn't remember the roast until 3:00 yesterday afternoon, I placed the frozen roast in a pot of boiling water. I kept the roast in boiling water on medium heat for 1 hour. Then, I placed it in the crockpot with the following ingredients, on high heat for 2 more hours.

Ingredients to add to crockpot:
4 cups broth water (that you boiled roast in)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1.5 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
Spices (I added Thyme, Onion flakes, Pepper, Rosemary, and Oregano)
1 teaspoon orange peel

It was incredibly tender and quite tasty.

And some of you have asked about Kale Chips:
Fill a cookie sheet with finely chopped Kale (you can buy it pre-chopped which is a lot easier). Cover lightly with olive oil and spices (I use a pre-mixed organic spice mix from Costco, but anything like Dash would work) and a little salt. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Yummy!

For the pumpkin bread I used the following ingredients:
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup butter, melted
1.5 cups honey
1 can pumpkin
4 eggs
1.5 cups whole wheat flour
2.5 cups oat flour (take old fashioned oats and grind into powder)
1/2 flax seed powder
1.5 cups chopped walnuts
1/4-1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger powder

Place in two large well oiled (with olive oil) bread pans and bake for 65 minutes at 350 degrees.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

100,000 Huzzats (and other random things I love)

"Huzzat?" Translation: What's that? Madigan asks this question at least 1,000 times each day. Trash days are my favorite as there is a Huzzat (or sometimes two) for each trash can we pass on the way to the barn. So, if you bugged our car you would hear: "Huzzat?" "Trashcan." "Huzzat?" "Trashcan." "Huzzat?" "Trashcan." "Huzzat?" "Trashcan." "Huzzat?" "Trashcan." "Huzzat?" "Trashcan." Etc.

It was dark when I stopped to open the corral gate leading into the barn two nights ago. It was a still night and remarkably quiet as I fiddled with the latch trying to get it open. I barely noticed the three little figures standing directly behind me, lined up in a neat little row waiting with great anticipation for me to make my next move. The ducks, who have been historically shy and hesitant to approach people, were standing approximately 14 inches from me, staring up with their heads cocked to one side, watching me closely. When I acknowledged their presence, they responded one by one, right after the other, with a "Whack", then a "Whack", then a "Whack". I felt like Mother Goose as I walked into the barn with the three white waddlers on my heels.

I think it's so cute that Devany happily spends her nights in her stall with the companionship of 3 ducks, and one great white dog. She's a pretty special horse.

Madigan includes his beloved "Tigger Hun" in everything, including his daily barn duty. As I picked out the stall this morning, he came running in with his man shovel and he and Tigger helped shovel shavings into the wheelbarrow. Tigger-Hun is a valuable part of our hard-working team.

Declan Wil-YUMMMMM (as he is affectionately referred to around here) is such a delight! I've never been around a better baby! Almost every morning I wake up just a little bit before him and can't wait see his little round face, blue eyes and quick smile. He giggles when we tickle him, rolls from his back to his front like a pro, has started to show an interest in real food and has even started tasting a little rice cereal, and he's always watching everything going on around him, paying special attention to the antics of his big brother. He's completely and ridiculously kissable! Sometimes I pinch myself just to make sure it's real that he's our boy. :-)

Lisa made me a red hat and I absolutely love it! I've never liked a hat so much and wore it today even though the temp really didn't justify it.





2011+

As we approach Christmas 2011 I definitely find myself reflecting on this past year and all that I have to look back on... including (but decidedly not limited to) a whole lot of wonderful 4-legged babies, the speedy and exciting arrival of our beloved Declan William, the birth of my dream horse, the growth (and maturity) of one marvelous red head, another year loving my George, working and living alongside Virginia who has become one of my dearest friends in all the world...

I know I will forget so many of the smaller yet meaningful details that have made this year part of my life, but I hope that perhaps the smattering of brief written accounts in this blog, as well as the photo log will help me remember, even when more years have pushed us beyond this moment in time. It is a good life we've been given and I count it a sincere blessing.

Monday, December 05, 2011

Blow outs and cute faces







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It's always a good time for a bath

I was filling up the ol' red pot with some water and Bundle enthusiastically requested to be able to dip his hands into the warm water. I agreed and before I had time to react he had climbed completely into the pot, clothes and all! He didn't seem to think anything was out of the ordinary with this particular bath. I think parenthood is teaching me one thing repeatedly: flexibility. My ideas/notions of how things should be done is constantly coming into question with this little Tiger around. :-)







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