Recipe Swap

Hey Momma's!

Part of Surviving Motherhood is figuring out what to make your family to eat ahead of time, saving you the last minute headache that we all have experienced. My husband is extremely picky and so are my kiddos so making something that everyone will enjoy is a task in itself. Most of the time my kids wont eat what I make so I usually make something that they will eat along with offering what I have made. Each time I offer them something new is a chance for them to try it and (hopefully) like it! Over time I have accumulated recipes that have been easy to make and delicious. I hope you all might be able to use some of these recipes and I would love for you to share your recipes with me and other mommies!!

Chicken and Chickpea stew

This is one of my favorite dishes to make...and to eat! This healthy, hearty and filling meal is great for those cold winter nights. Trader Joe's has all of these ingredients and even has a mixture of the celery, carrots and onion diced and ready to go in one container. Also, you can buy pre-cooked chicken (at TJ) and save yourself time cooking chicken. Side this awesome dinner off with some sweet cornbread and be pleasantly surprised=) enjoy!

1 cup celery
3/4 cup diced carrot

1/2 cup  chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups fat-free, less sodium chicken broth
3 cups basic marinara
1 cup canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans) rinsed and drained

3/4 cup uncooked ditalini (very short tube-shaped macaroni)

1/2 black pepper

8oz boneless chicken (I prefer to cook it before putting in pasta--some people cook with stew) cut into1/2in pieces

6 tbls shaved parm cheese

I usually get my huge stew pot and put in over medium heat. I coat the pan with cooking spray and then add the celery, carrots and onion until tender (usually 12 minutes) stirring occasionally. Add garlic; cook 30 second, stirring constantly at thins point. Add broth and next 4 ingredients (through pepper); bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 12 minutes or until pasta in tender. Add chicken...sprinkle with cheese and viola!!

Baked Ziti

This is another hearty, filling dish. If your a cheese lover then this is the dish for you! Side this dish with some homemade garlic toast- top bread with butter and garlic salt and place in oven for a minute or two. Add a salad and your meal in complete.

1lb dry ziti pasta
1 onion chopped
1lb lean ground beef
2 (26oz) jars of spaghetti sauce
6oz provolone cheese sliced
1-1/2 cup sour cream
6oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
2tbs grated parm cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Cook pasta. In skillet cook ground beef and onion until brown. Add sauce. In a 9x13in dish layer: 1/2 ziti, Provo, sour cream, 1/2 sauce mixture, ziti, mozz.........repeat until ingredients are finished or there is no more room in dish. When finished layering top with parm and bake for 30min.

Enchilada Bake
There are so many ways to make enchiladas: plain cheese, potatoes, steak, chicken etc. I love adding some beans and corn to it. This enchilada dish is so good and allows you to be a bit creative with out worrying about a cooking mishap.

1 bag of corn tortillas (10-15 tortillas: you may or may not use them all)
1-2 cans of black beans (depending on how much you want)
1 can of corn
1 small jar of diced green chili's
1 can of sliced black olives
2 medium boneless chicken breast
1 bag of cheddar/jack cheese
sour cream
1-2 cans of enchilada sauce

NOTE: I didn't put the exact amounts for the ingredients because this is a dish that I play with. I usually "eye" the ingredients and add more or less depending on how I make it--ie: leaving out corn or adding potatoes--also, depending on how much I make. Be careful with the enchilada sauce because if you put too much then the dish will come out watery at first (once it sits for a bit then it will be fine).

Cook chicken prior.
Place tortilla on bottom of baking pan (I use 9x13) then enchilada sauce, black beans, corn, chili, olives, chicken, sour cream and cheese. Repeat until stacked to the top of baking pan. Cook at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Blueberry French Toast Bake
If you love french toast and blueberries then you will LOVE this dish. This dish is to be made the day before allowing the liquid to soak into the bread for 8-24hrs BEFORE entering the oven.

1 (24-inch) baguette
6 large eggs
3 cups whole milk
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) of butter
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups blueberries

Butter bottom of 13x9in baking dish. Cut baguette into 20 (1in) slices and arrange in one layer on dish. In a large bowl whisk together eggs, milk, nutmeg, vanilla and 3/4 cup brown sugar (remaining amount of brown sugar will be used the next day before putting in oven) and pour over bread. Cover and chill mixture in fridge until all liquid is absorbed (8-24hrs).

Next day: Cut 1/2 stick of butter into pieces and in a small saucepan heat with remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar, stirring until butter is melted. Put blueberries over bread then drizzle butter mixture over the bread and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Bacon Quiche Tarts

These are so good I could eat them any time of the day. These are the perfect addition to any sweet dish such as the recipe listed above.



~Blueberry French Toast Bake and Bacon Quiche Tarts~



3-4oz cream cheese

2 eggs

5tbls milk

1tbsp green pepper chopped

1tbsp onion chopped

1 cup Colby-jack cheese

6 sliced of cooked bacon-crumbled

1 tube(8 triangle) Pillsbury crescent rolls

Place crescent rolls in muffin/cupcake bake. Press crescent dough into area for muffin making dough form similar to a cup. Sprinkle bacon crumbles on bottom of crescent dough. In a bowl mix together milk eggs and cream cheese until smooth. Add green pepper, onion and cheese. Place mixture into crescent cups. Put remaining bacon crumbles on top of crescent cups. Cook in oven at 375 for 18-20 minutes.

ENJOY!

Mastitis when Breastfeeding: I call it SABOTAGE!

Friday morning started off as it always does: Adam up for work, Logan and Isabella creeping by my side to wake me up and Nolan squirming around for a feeding. Immediately I noticed that something was wrong. My right breast felt sore and Mastitis was the first thing to enter my mind. I should know since I had Mastitis while breastfeeding my other two kids. As the day progressed my breast continued to feel sore accompanied with new symptoms of redness and warmth. I began to panic. How could this happen, again? I know all too well the possible results of Mastitis, one being weaning, due to a decrease in milk supply, nipple and breast pain and fatigue, women tend to supplement. I have struggled through Mastitis with my daughter and together we got through it. She did her part, nursing and unclogging the milk duct and I did my part, resting and being persistent with constant nursing. It was tough but it was what I needed to do to continue with breastfeeding.

My husband came home early to help me so I could rest and by the end of the day I felt much better. Saturday we went to Disneyland and for most of the day I felt pretty good. By the end of the day things started to change. My body began to ache and I was getting chills. My eyes felt like they were on fire and my breast became extremely sore. These symptoms  came on fast and hard. All of a sudden I felt my body beaten down as if I had just been pelted by a million darts. I hated the thought of ending the night early but eventually I succumbed to the apparent needs of my body. The car ride home was a difficult one. My body aches were throbbing and my eyes still felt as if they were of fire. I had my jacket on with the heater on blasting in my direction for a second and then turned off to not over heat the car. The next day I continued to fight what I was sure I had.....Mastitis. By the end of the day I found myself a seat in urgent care. Hopefully some of the information below will be helpful for other mommies.

What is Mastitis:
Mastitis is inflammation of the breast from an infection. Mastitis can be caused by bacteria from a babies mouth entering through cracked nipples, producing a lot of milk and failing to properly drain breasts, engorgement, stress, extreme upper body activity such as lifting weights, lack of rest or being "run down" and anemia.

Signs and symptoms:
Some of the signs and symptoms are as followed:

• Sore and red area on breast
• Breast feels warm to the touch
• fever
• chills
• body aches
• fatigue

Treatment:

From my experiences with Mastitis, talking with my doctor and research there are a few things you can do at home to help recover from Mastitis. Eating well, drinking lots of fluids and getting plenty of rest is crucial to the recovery process since these are key to a healthy mind and body. Use a heating pad or warm (good for circulation) and/or cold (relieves pain) compress on the sore area of breast, take a warm shower; massage sore area of breast, vary positioning of baby at breast, take Acetaminophen and/or Ibuprofen; don't wear a bra, nurse, nurse and nurse some more. If there is no improvement within 24 hours then see your physician who will most likely prescribe you an antibiotic.

NOTE: When restoring your milk supply that you once had (since Mastitis decreases your supply) don't be discouraged when your baby wants to nurse ALL day long. If you can let him/her. Your baby is building that supply right back up!

I hope that this little bit of information helps a breastfeeding mom that might be faced with the same issues that I have dealt with. If you have had Mastitis please share your experience. Mastitis can be a tough illness to deal with especially with the daily demands that we all have. If your desire is to continue breastfeeding then don't let Mastitis sabotage it.

Time out for mommy!

So my day had just begun and already I had been jumped on, sneezed on and drawn all over. Somehow my kids are bouncing off the walls as if someone snuck into my home and gave them each a big ball of sugary Cotton candy. We make our way down stairs where the sun peaks through the blinds and the chill of the house awaits us. I am rubbing my eyes, trying to wake up. Breakfast, what to make for breakfast? "cereal" the kids reply with out a second to spare. "We want Lucky Charms" and so the battle for Lucky Charms begins. Logan starts giving me reasons why he NEEDS Lucky Charms with his side kick sister yelling "yeah". It's two to one and well, frankly they can get pretty convincing. Do I want to hear them scream for an hour or just give them a little bit of this darn marshmallow cereal. So much for the eggs and toast, pancakes or oatmeal....there's no way to get them to eat that when Lucky Charms is in front of them. Thanks to daddy our pantry is filled with sugary cereal, sure to wreck havoc on any hope for a calm day.

I have become quite good at juggling.....multitasking that is. Breakfast is done and getting dressed, doing art, playing with toys and running around outside is all done while nursing a two month old. I'm up the stairs only to run down them and up them again. I'm cleaning up toys only to find another bucket of toys dumped out. I have lead excursions to find dinosaurs and unicorns. I have built forts meant for kings and swam through moats to get there.

Nap time, yay!!! I say it with a smile as I watch my kids faces begin to shift from happy to mad. "NOOOO" they scream, and before I know it they're running inside the house in opposite directions. I become alert; capturing them like fish on a line. I'm reeling them in and before they know it I have them in my arms being tickled until they cry with laughter. Nap time is my time to get things done around the house: dishes, laundry, dusting etc. If I have a little more time I do homework or blog. Nap time is a must and I have to get them in bed before they past the nap time hour and enter the "overly tired-cant sleep at all" phase. Success!! They are all asleep!

Before I know it my daughter is up, calling my name and greeting me with a smile. I can't help but to smile back, reach out my arms and hold her. I hear footsteps upstairs in one of the rooms....then downstairs. Logan is peeking his head around the corner. "Come here" I say with a smile....I guess it's a "no nap" day. Darn. So here I am, back to the dinosaurs, unicorns and play-doh. Time is no longer important since the days seem to fly by and before I know it's time for dinner. Dinner is being made with my lil' chef's. I reach for an ingredient and before I can get to it my daughter has tossed it on the floor. Fantastic. The front door opens and in comes Logan and Bella's hero. Daddy is here and the kids are ecstatic. I greet my husband, place dinner on the table and then vanish. The great Houdini has nothing on me. I slipped away leaving no trace behind. How sweet it is to have silence. A moment that is meant for nothing. No rushing, needing, wanting or doing. Just peaceful, even if it's just a moment. I hear someone coming....darn, they found me! "What are you doing, Hun?" My husbands face looked confused while also looking as if he's at the brink of busting up in laughter. "Why are you in the closet?" ......"I needed a time out" I said with a smile. My kids followed behind their daddy giggling and being playful as they should be. How lucky I am to have such a wonderful family, a family that looks for me if I am gone for 15 minutes!!....how special I feel. As much as I need a "time out" I can't be in hiding for too long. Being with my husband and kids is where I want to be...no matter how bad a moment of silence is needed!

My Breastfeeding Kit

There are two things that I can not live with out when running errands and breastfeeding: Hooter Hider and Baby Bjorn carrier. These two items have made my life so much easier. I have been able to run errands and do light house work while carrying my baby in the Bjorn and nursing at the same time. Before I started using the Hooter Hider and Bjorn carrier I would have to take time to sit down and nurse or if I was out I would have to find a place I felt comfortable with and nurse. I have had different experiences nursing all three of my kids from extremely difficult to an absolute breeze. One thing that has been consistent when nursing my children is that they wanted to nurse ALL of the time. This meant that I would be confined to the couch or bed for most of the day. As mom's we are always busy which is exactly why I love these two items for giving me the freedom to do what I need to do.

The Hooter Hider can be purchased online at http://shop.bebeaulait.com/Hooter-Hiders-New

These nursing covers are comfortable to wear and give the discreetness that women want when nursing out in public. You can choose from a variety of patterns and designs that fit your personality. This item goes for $35.00 dollars. If your looking for something that fits into your budget than go to Target for their version of the Hooter Hider. This nursing cover goes for $14.00 dollars. The material is a bit thinner and there are some mixed reviews on it so make sure to do your research and see which one is better for you.

The Baby Bjorn carrier has been a life saver for me. I have been able to carry my newborn, hands free, while getting snacks for my other two children or picking up a few things around the house. The carrier is comfortable, sturdy and easy to use. I have had the same carrier for 4 years and it is a durable as the day I purchased it. Go to http://www.babybjorn.com/us/ and take a look at the variety of carriers that they have. You can also get a Baby Bjorn carrier at Target and Babies R Us to name a few. I have not only used this carrier for running errands with my baby and holding him at home but also for going on hikes. I promise you wont be disappointed.

Put these two products together; go out wearing your Bjorn carrier and Hooter Hider and walk around, holding your baby close and nurse him/her.... tell me what you think. I remember feeling very relaxed knowing that my baby was close, calm and full. A stress free mommy is a very, VERY happy mommy. Enjoy!

Let's begin!

Finally, my blog has come to fruition. I have been wanting to start a blog for some time now, allowing me to express my feelings on motherhood and what has and has not worked for me. I am looking forward to sharing my experiences as a mother. Being a mother is wonderful and nothing in this world compares to it but on the same token it can be overwhelming and exhausting. But holding my children in my arms, seeing them smile and hearing them giggle is what makes life so amazing and those overwhelming, exhausting moments worth while. I am enjoying the ride and taking each day at a time. This is especially difficult for me since I tends to be a bit overly compulsive in achieving some aspect of perfection. I have often times worried about making sure the children are bathed everyday, house is spotless, dinner always ready by 6pm, etc. Now, I am trying to let things go and truly enjoy the "messy side" to mothering.

Being a mother to three amazing children I realize how much my children have taught me and how it has molded me into the person I am today. I went from a selfish, scared, new mother to a selfless, confident mother of three. I have become more patient and calm. I have learned the tricks to making shopping trips with my kids possible with out pulling half of my hair out. I have discovered great activities to do with my kids that keep them busy and me sane. I love being a mommy but let's face it....we need to survive it as well!

I look forward to all of the growth that will transpire from our precious duties of motherhood. This spiritual trajectory that we are being taken on is what makes life momentous and full of depth. Each day we live is a day not wasted and I intend to do so, with absolute gratitude for the life I have and the life I might touch.