From My Nest

autumn is fun

The autumn tradition of jumping in leaves is probably as old as time.  Yet, it hasn't lost it's appeal.  Taking time to celebrate the changing of the seasons, the continuous cycle of rebirth, can bring a peace into your soul that only nature can provide.  For a thing of beauty is a joy forever. 

halloween 2009

Two little fairies spent the day with us on Halloween.  We took them to the Children's Museum to play games, get prizes, show off their new costumes, and took them out to lunch.  Both were thrilled to wear wings out and about, even though Kevin ended up being their wing guardian most of the day. 

After dinner Kevin took them out trick-or-treating while I stayed home to answer the door.   They drove, walked, and plotted to get the most candy possible.  I think they did pretty well for an hour and a half.  

 

Hannah as Fawn (from the new Disney Fairy books and movies.  She's a big fan of the books.)

Becca as Iridessa.

the freezer is my friend

This whole thing started with chicken and my crock-pot.  Okay, so I have this confession.  Ever since I started cooking chicken in my crock-pot, I can't eat it any other way.  I know, I am such a food snob.  Could it be that there's just something about the way in simmers all day long - not needing my attention - and making my life so much easier?  No, it couldn't be that.  Not at all.   

So I have heard of people cooking large amounts of chicken, cutting it up, and freezing it just to save time.  And yes, I thought they were crazy.  All I ever got out of it was a frozen block of chicken that I had to wait to thaw out (or, ahem, hit it with a frying pan to break it up).  If it's going to save me time and get me out of a crunch, then I need to be able to use it right away with as little planning ahead as possible.  

 

A while ago, I had this epiphany.  I'm sure that you all already know what my solution has been.  After I cut up the chicken, I put it on a sheet pan lined with non-stick foil and freeze it a couple of hours then I separate them into bags gloriously resulting in individual chicken cubes.  Oh. My. Goodness.  This has been wonderful.

I know what you're thinking, now before you push it off, try it.  You will seriously be thanking yourself every time you pull out that little time saver from the freezer.  Then, you too, can call your freezer your friend.

 

Now about once a month, I stuff my crock-pot full of chicken and freeze it (I use it mostly for soups or when a recipe calls for cooked cubed chicken).  I've loved it so much that it has inspired some freezer madness.  I am freezing blueberries, meatballs, cooked ground beef, and now I am trying cooked beans.  (We'll see how that one goes since it involves some thawing.) So say it with me people, "the freezer is my friend."

they might be giants

Very often when I mention the 90's band They Might Be Giants (TMBG), I find myself receiving a blank stare.  Although, at one point I was one of those giving the blank stare.  Some people marry into hobbies, lifestyles, religion... Well, you might say that I married into They Might Be Giants, an obsession, I mean, not the actual band.

So many of those songs seem to bring me back in those early days of parenting.  I remember so many late nights and early mornings when I found myself holding a wide-eyed little girl whose plans were oh so different from mine.  Kevin would calmly take over and serenade them with these songs, lulling them back to sleep with his voice. 

 

And since then, they've grown up with these songs.  They know most of them by heart.  So when they came out with their first kids album, there was much excitement in our home.  Even more when their second, third, and their recent fourth albums came out. Yes, we have them all.

Then, this summer, we discovered that there was a kids concert nearby (well nearby to Kevin's parents house in Chicago).  We made a weekend trip of it - listened to TMBG on the drive there and back - and along with Grandma and Grandpa, went to the concert where we sang the songs at the top of our lungs and was covered with confetti.  

pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

Mmmmm....doesn't the name just speak for itself?   I probably didn't even have to take a picture of them to show you how wonderfully scrumptious these are. 

This is my sister-in-law's recipe. (I am just giving her the credit, all the blame still goes on me for your addiction to these. Don't say I didn't warn you). 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup shortening

1 1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1 15 ounce can Canned Pumpkin

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

16 ounce bag of chocolate chips

1.  Preheat over to 350.

2.  Cream together shortening, sugar, egg, and canned pumpkin.

3.  Add baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and flour.  Mix well.  Add chocolate chips.  Mix again.

4.  Drop dough into 2 Tablespoon sized drops onto an ungreased baking sheet, allowing room to spread.  Bake about 15 minutes* and transfer to racks to cool. (Yields: 2 - 3 dozen)

*I like mine a little on the gooey side and 15 minutes is perfect for me.  If you want them a little more well-done try 16 minutes, but watch them because the bottoms brown faster than the tops.