ShE's NoT yOuR aVeRaGe MoM: TiP fOr TuEsDaY

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

TiP fOr TuEsDaY

Be prepared!

I am the mother of three kids. They are happy, healthy, and fairly well adjusted. They have all gotten bigger now, well big enough I don't have to follow them around constantly anymore to keep them out of harms way now. I remember when they were little though, it wasn't always that easy to keep them safe, we had our mishaps, bumped heads, falls down Grandma's stairs, sickness, near-chokings. I couldn't always keep them safe, but I was prepared when things did happen. You don't always know what to expect when you become a parent, but being prepared for "just in case" was always helpful. How does one become "prepared"? Let me give you a few tips on what has helped me!
Take a first-aid class.
I have taken several over the years and have retained the knowledge to today and I believe it is essential to have some knowledge as a parent. I know how to treat a fever and perform the infant Heimlich maneuver. I can stabilize a broken bone and apply a tourniquet. I know how to slow/stop bleeding and administer mouth to mouth resuscitation. I know not to panic when the kids get hurt and when to seek medical assistance when necessary. I can't tell you how many times I've found these things useful in my life and in fact I got to demonstrate the infant Heimlich for a friend yesterday. The baby was fine, I just realized her Mom didn't know what to do for a choking baby....wow!

Invest in a child-rearing publication.
I believe on of the very best things my Mom ever did for me, was get me a subscription to Parents magazine. You'd be amazed at how many things you can learn from the experts they have that write articles. Anything from developmental expectations to toy recommendations and product reviews. I used to read it from cover to cover. Also, get yourself a great book such as Dr. Spock's Baby and Child Care. I used this to tell what my baby should be eating at 6 months and beyond and developmental milestones to be on the look out for and any questions I had, could easily be referenced in his book.

Use your friends/relatives that have/had kids.
I'm sure you can't tell by this blog, but I try to not be pushy with other parents on sharing tips and pointers. If I know you well enough though, you'd better believe I'll let you know what works best for me! If you are having a hard time with a child and are fed up or are unsure what to try next, hit up a friend who had done that same thing. I don't know what I would have done if I couldn't call my Mom and ask for her advice when my kids were little and even now! She always remembered what it was like and what she would have done and somehow it always made it better.

Being a parent isn't always easy and try as we might, we can't always keep them safe. Being prepared for the "just in case" in their little lives is essential to knowing what to do and when and how to deal when it does. That's your TiP fOr TuEsDaY! ;0)

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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, August 31, 2010

TiP fOr TuEsDaY

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