ShE's NoT yOuR aVeRaGe MoM: TiP fOr TuEsDaY

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

TiP fOr TuEsDaY

The power of "No".

First off I hope everyone was able to fully enjoy their 3 day weekend this weekend! I hope everyone enjoyed their barbecues, their dips in the lake, and I hope that everyone took a moment to remember those who served to protect the freedoms we enjoy. Now that has been said and I have been able to shuttle my kids off to school for the next 4 weeks (year round), I'll get to my blog!;0)

As a parent, I have found that I am well aqcauinted with the word no. "Mom, can I play my video game?" No. "Mom, can we have dessert first?" No. "Mom, are you REALLY sleeping?" No. You see? I find that I use the word all day long.
Now here's a question, have you ever found yourself saying it too much? Too much? Hear me out...If that word is about every other word out of your mouth, you're probably saying it a tad too often. I know how it goes, I just cleaned my house and the kids want to start an art project. Before I automatically say no, I stop and ask myself, "Is anyone coming over this second? Have I let the kids do anything fun today? Will I die if I have to clean up again?" I can't let myself be the Mom that only expected her kids to clean all the time or to never make a mess or to not be kids! I honestly had a friend once that was so obsessed with being clean, that is all she and her kids did together and then she wondered why they went to their Dad's and didn't want to come back! Wow.
Saying no all the time doesn't help with disciplinary issues either. If you have a child who is chronically disobedient, step back and think about it first. I tell her no all the time, "Are my expectations too high? Do I spend any time with her individually? Is there something I'm doing and not realizing it?" Saying no constantly and having no result is frustrating for you and your child. Set clear boundaries and be upfront with your child about consequences and watch your "No's". My daughter and I clash occasionally and she can be fairly defiant when she wants to be. A lot of times I find, it's because she has asked me to do something with her several times and I have been busy. I stop saying no and paint her toenails or draw with her or play a game for a while. I get my always helpful, good-natured little girl back and all it took was to not say, "NO". Here's your TiP fOr TuEsDay! =0)

2 comments:

Maharry Balls said...: This is an EXCELLENT post!! I couldn't agree more with you! I have a friend who says "no" (or something equally as negative) to her kid a lot and I often times think she's being a tad too harsh. Saying no too much will make it lose it's meaning and it's no wonder parents are always saying it! I'd rather my kid (if I had one of course! ha!) know that when I say no it's serious and not something to debate on or repeat the action that led to that "no". It makes me happy to hear you take the time to slow down a bit and really enjoy your kids and let them be kids!; June 1, 2010 at 11:26 AM
jgirl said...: I'm glad I have agreements thus far! ;0); June 1, 2010 at 1:02 PM

qUiCk ReCiPe GuIdE

Being Gluten-free rocks!

Honey Lemon Barbecue Sauce (gluten-free)

3 tablespoons clover honey
1/2 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons brown mustard
1 tablespoon garlic powder

Recycled Chicken Enchiladas (gluten-free)

2 to 3 pieces of leftover cooked chicken
small can of diced green chilies
1 lrg green onion (chopped)
1 can black olives (halved)
1 can black beans
1 can authentic red chile enchilada sauce (Las Palmas)
1 package corn tortillas or Frito's corn chips or 5 minute rice
2 to 3 cups of shredded Mexican blend cheese
sour cream

Heat chicken, green chilies, and onion in skillet over medium heat...stirring occasionally. Add black olives and black beans and red chile sauce, simmer for 10-12 minutes on medium/low heat. Wrap in corn tortillas and cover with cheese and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Serve with sour cream. OR serve over bowls of Frito's corn chips, cover with cheese and sour cream. (kid friendly) OR serve over instant rice with shredded cheese and sour cream.

Ham and Potato Soup (gluten-free)

1/2 large onion (chopped)
1/4 margarine or butter (soy butter works as well)
2 tablespoons Bob's Red Mill all purpose flour (gluten-free)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dill
2 cups water
4 to 5 medium red potatoes
1 lb cubed ham (or turkey ham)
2 cups milk (dairy or soy)

In the bottom of your large soup pot combine margarine and onion and saute till onion is translucent. Remove from heat and stir in flour, salt, pepper. Add water and potatoes and return to medium heat. Stir in milk and bring to a boil letting simmer about 5 minutes or until sauce starts to thicken. Add cubed ham and garlic and dill and reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer 25 to 30 minutes. Stirring occasionally. Serve when potatoes are no longer firm.

Pumpkin Bread (Gluten-free)

(I actually converted this recipe from a traditional pumpkin bread recipe, if you don’t need gluten-free just use regular all-purpose flour and enjoy)

1 can (15 oz) of pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

1 2/3 cups sugar

2/3 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons pure vanilla (not imitation)

4 large eggs

3 cups Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-free All purpose Flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ raisins or chocolate chips if desired

Move oven rack to lower position to ensure tops of loaves will be in the center of the oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottoms only of (2) 8 ½ x 4 ½ x 2 ½ loaf pans or (1) 9 x 5 x 3 loaf pan, (Pam spray works)

Mix Pumpkin, sugar, oil, vanilla, and eggs in large bowl till blended. Stir in the remaining ingredients (minus raisins, or chocolate chips) until blended. Stir in raisins or chocolate chips. Divide batter evenly between pans.

Bake 8 inch loaves 50 to 60 minutes, 9 inch loaf 1 hour and 10 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes on wire rack.

Loosen sides of loaves from pans. Remove from pans and place topside up on wire rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours, before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature for up to 4 days, or refrigerate for up to 10 days.

The best vegetable soup ever, no kidding (courtesy of the Today Show) *this recipe is naturally gluten-free as well!

Mark Bittman, New York Times columnist and author of "The Food Matters Cookbook"

Ingredients

3/4 cup olive oil, more or less
2 onions, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, peeled and chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch parsley, washed and chopped, thick stems discarded
2 or 3 cabbage leaves, chopped
1 bunch chard, preferably white, washed and chopped
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 cans white beans (such as cannelloni) with their liquid if possible

Preparation

Put about a third of the olive oil in the bottom of a deep pot and turn the heat to medium.

Add half the onion, carrot and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften, which takes about 10 minutes.

Add about half of the remaining oil and repeat the process, seasoning with salt and pepper as you go.

Add the remaining oil with the parsley, cabbage and chard and cook, stirring occasionally, until everything is softened but not browned.

Add the tomato paste and stir.

Mash the beans so that they're about half mashed and half more-or-less whole. Add this mixture to the pot, along with any bean cooking liquid and enough water to make the whole mixture stewy but not watery.

Continue cooking, tasting and adjusting the seasoning as necessary, until all the vegetables are very tender and the soup is hot. Serve hot or warm.

Serving Size

Makes about 10 servings

Impossible Pumpkin Pie

3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup gluten free baking mix ( I like Pamela's)
2 table spoons margarine
1 13 oz can evaporated milk (or 1 1/4 cups Coffee Rich)
2 tea spoons gluten free vanilla
2 eggs
1 16 oz can pumpkin
2 1/2 tea spoons pumpkin pie spice

Preheat oven to 350. Beat all ingredients until smooth-1 minute in blender. Pour into a lightly greased 9 or 10 inch pie pan. Bake until knife inserted in center comes out clean, checking at 45 minutes.
Optional: add 3/4 cup chopped pecans in mixture before pouring into pan. Garnish with whipped cream.

ShE's NoT yOuR aVeRaGe MoM

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

TiP fOr TuEsDaY

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