Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Help!!!

So CJ has been potty trained during the day for a really long time.  He just decided one day well over a year ago that he was going to wear big boy underpants and never an accident, unless he was asleep.  Both kids still wear diapers to bed at night, but not at nap.  Occasionally they will have an accident at nap if they are totally exhausted, but other than that, no accidents from either one of them.  All of a sudden this past two weeks CJ is peeing in his pants at least once to three times a day!  I don't know what is going on.  At first I thought maybe because we were going away for the weekend, he was overtired, then the storm.  But I don't think any of that is it.  Is this normal?  I don't know what to do.  In addition when I ask if he had an accident he lies to me, which I hate.  I usually take away something special if he lies to me.  And now today Eliza had an accident, I am pretty sure so she can be like her big brother.  I don't want him to feel horrible, but I also don't want to have him go through four pairs of pants and undies a day.  I need help!

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups quick oats
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped nuts, sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds

Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, combine sugar, brown sugar and butter; beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and egg; blend well. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Stir in oats, raisins and nuts (0r seeds).
2 Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto cookies sheets. Bake 7 to 10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Yummy Snack Mix/Granola/Granola Bars

So the kids LOVE granola, so we have been making it fairly often.  We make granola for breakfast, granola bars for dessert, snack mix for snack.  The basic recipe stays the same, we change up the add ins and flavorings, add more syrup or honey to make the bars.  Here I will give you the simplest version, which is easily adaptable to your favorite flavors.  You can add flaked coconut, use coconut oil and flavoring, use your favorite seeds, nuts and fruits.  I will warn you this makes a ton, so feel free to cut it in half, but it also lasts a good long time when stored airtight, and we have never had any go stale.  It is also great for a party.

Snack Mix

Preheat oven to 275. 

3 cups old fashioned oats, can use some barley or wheat flakes as well
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup flax seeds, or flaxmeal
1/4 cup wheat germ or oat flour
1/4 cup sesame seeds

Mix all together in large bowl.  In a separate bowl mix together

1/2 cup honey or maple syrup, or a mixture of the two
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Stir both mixtures together gently.  Pour onto greased cookie sheet.  Bake till golden and crunchy stirring every 10 minutes.  Pour into a bowl to cool.  When completely cool gently mix in

1 cup chocolate covered sunflower seeds
2 cups pretzels
2 cups dried fruit, we like raisins, craisins, dried berries
1 cup of your favorite cereal, we use cheerios or puffed brown rice cereal

To make this into granola bars skip the pretzels and cereal.  Mix everything together, and double the liquids.  Press into a 13x9 pan that has been greased.  Bake at 325 for 25 to 30 minutes till golden.  Cool for 10 minutes, remove from pan and cut into squares or bars, or cut while in the pan.  Don't separate till completely cool. 

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Whoopsie!

Okay so I just made the most delicious oatmeal, chocolate chip, pumpkin seed cookies ever... The problem is, they are so crumbly all I can get is big handfuls of crumbs of them to eat.. I was thinking of serving them over fresh fruit and ice cream. Still, I'm not sure exactly what happened, I followed the recipe to the letter (except for adding pumpkin seeds instead of pecans - which I can't imagine made that much of a difference). I might re-post the recipe if I can figure out what happened!