...it could always be worse

It's been one of those days....

where I shouldn't get dressed, let alone get outta bed....

but out I did get at 5 am....to two bright eyed and bushy tailed mctwins.....laughing and ready to play.  Later they repay my kindness, by sleeping the morning away.....while I clean/laundry/sit on the couch and eat bonbons.

On this day not only would our second laptop in less then a year take a dive off a high cliff, with all of our pictures downloaded on one or the other, our a/c would also poop out....(a special shout out goes tot he builder who put in a way too small unit!...you're the best!) but thankfully September finds us cool enough to open the windows and let in a fresh breeze...

andto top it off...Mctwin # 2 would use me as a puking basin...that was great....warm, slightly curdled and totally disgusting....I wonder if there is some benefits to the skin?

No...just checking.....


but here I sit...laughing and blogging about it....

because if I don't, I will bawl.....which will get me no where but a headache and blotchy eyes

and because as a wise friend says...."it could always be worse"....

 and it can......

in less then six months we have been to the ER no less then FIVE times, two of which consisted of overnight/extended day stays, this does not even count the ear infections, shoulder dislocations and tears and physicals and well baby checks.

Thankfully we have had excellent hospitals and healthy outcomes...with a few scars to show for it all.

...and after dealing with insurance companies on a few of these situations......I had had enough.....

so I made cake pops...

oh, you have heard of them

pure deliciousness....

I took pictures, but my ancient pc won't recognize the camera...so please use your imagination!

This all came about because yesterday I was making a cake for a funeral dinner...and it fell. So I needed to make another one...because heaven help us...there was no hiding a 2 inch hole in the middle and I couldn't pull off this story here.  Thankfully the second cake held up; thank you cousin Rachel for that recipe, and I only burned the coconut topping under the broiler....

After dropping the cake off to feed the intended persons.....I had an extra horrendously ugly cake.... that still tasted yummy.  having just received a family cookbook from my cousin who complied more then 400 recipes from her family (I promise the check is in the mail!) and perused it while salivating.....I saw the recipe for cake pops from cousin Mandy.....and it looked fabulously easy, whereas some of the recipes I have seen...well seemed to take too much time....

so we crumbled the cake, whipped up a batch of peanut butter frosting, mixed it furiously...and set it in the fridge for a couple of hours to cool....later while finally being able to watch"Parenthood" finally!!! and if you didn't see it last season...please tune in...so funny...I laugh...because....well I think they have read some of my mind!!

I rolled the cake/frosting mixture into balls and stick a lollipop stick in it...not so hard.... and stuck them in the freezer. And today...I dipped them in chocolate ganosh....and it was good...........

Thanks to Bakerella,  where you can find recipes and directions galore the world is a much better place because although mine aren't half as pretty, I know that we are all happier people because we are eating cake off a stick....

and things can always be worse.....

so off I go to have another cake pop, count my blessings and try to fix my camera.....

love yer guts for making my world better!

Am I gettin' old?

I ate oatmeal...again....scratch your head and cover your eyes in fear...

I ate it like 3 times last week....and I plan on eating it pretty much all of this week.

I even...gasp....put dried blueberries in it.....

I know to some that this is ordinary getup and eat breakfast and go out your door and get on with your day kinda news,

but for me......

HUGE! BIG!

(Think pretty woman in store berating sales clerks)

You see.....I am not an oatmeal eater, never have been, never planned on it....

you see the picture?  My childhood was scarred by lumpy, gumpy, sticky like glue filled with raisins oatmeal.  It was terrible. I mean horrendous!  To have the relation ship I have with raisins and then to add terrible goopy mush thrown at me at the same time...

Heaven help us all...cuz I had to sit there till I ate it...or school started...and a couple of times it was there for me at dinner.....

I didn't eat it then either....along with liver.....seriously....lumpy oatmeal is a crime!!!

Fast forward to today....

I liked it.....

I must be getting old, maturing in my ways, learning to try new things...just before I turn...um...aaccchhhmmm....40!

has the world stopped on its' axis?  It must have...

My mother would claim victory...but ummm......no.....she should nt have made lumpy not even the dog would eat it oatmeal.....

I would have tried it sooner and then my a few of my kiddos wouldn't be balking either.....and they wouldn't have to microblog or whatever they will call it in the future about their (me) mother scarring her for making her eat oatmeal...

she didn't....I relented and she ate rice krispies.....so much more nutritious and stickittotheribsness.

Would you deny this face???

Or this one?? I can't seem too....little punk

BUT, my oatmeal wasn't lumpy or mushy or sticky or made with powdered milk......it had cinnamon and blueberries in it....

It lowered my cholesterol....but now I have to go work on my blood pressure because it is now elevated since talking about my childhood....and throwittothepigs nasty oatmeal....

Don't even get me started about cream of wheat.....nightmares!!

But I must....I have to keep up with these two!!

Now if you will excuse me...I have to go continue being a grown up and mop my floor!

o, and if you are, always have been and never had a problem with hot oatmeal and/or raisins....God bless....

Love your ever livin oatmeal eatin guts!

Peachy Keen

Tis the season for peaches...and it makes me oh so thankful.....

For the last couple of weeks we have had.....

Fresh Peach Pie
Peach crisp
Peach Ice Cream
Peaches and Cream
Cinnamon Peach Crepes
 and oh so my favorite......Peach Salsa
and of course fresh peaches.....I have  even canned a few for winter storage......

and oh yeah...thanks shay for letting us steal off your trees and only threatening the cops once....that was great!

I have meant to post these recipes several times but because life has been crazy crazy crazy and not all peachy.......blogging has taken a back seat......I used to fancy myself a writer! HA!

Now I fancy a clean house, happy kids and a smiling husband...not always in that order!

and though life has turned a few rough corners and offered some bumps and bruises....we are still thankful for healthy kids, and state of the art hospitals, doctors that follow their instinct and friends that fill in for parents when we are gone, kids that step up to the plate to pitch hit for their parents and so much more, and thankful that tomorrow is always another day....but especially we are thankful for the goodness that come with biting into a fresh peach and have the juice spill done our chin and know that life is good...despite the bruises.

So here is to summer sunshine that is fast fading and the joys of eating....

Cinnamon Peach Crepes

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the eggs. Gradually add in the milk and water, stirring to combine. Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.
3. Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. Serve hot. 

Filling (makes 4 pints)

6 pounds of peaches
2 1/2 c sugar
1/2 flour
2 t cinnamon
1 t nutmeg
2 t lemon peel
1/4 c lemon juice

Peel, pit and slice peaches and treat so to prevent darkening. Combine sugar, flour and spices. Rinse and drain peaches. Stir peaches into sugar mixtures and let stand until juices begin to flow, about 30 minutes. Stir in lemon peel and lemon juice, cook over medium heat until mixture begins to thicken. Ladle into pint jard, leaving 1/2 inch head space.  Cool for no more then two hours and then freeze...or use fresh in the crepes!
Top with blackberry syrup and fresh peach ice cream!!

Fresh Peach Salsa

Ingredients

• 2 cups chopped, peeled fresh peaches
  
• 1/4 cup chopped sweet onion
  
• 3 Tablespoon lime juice
  
• 2 to 3 Tablespoon finely chopped, seeded fresh jalapeno pepper
  
• 1 clove garlic, minced
  
• 1 Tablespoon snipped fresh cilantro
  
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
  

In a medium mixing bowl stir together peaches, onion, lime juice, peppers, garlic, cilantro, and sugar. Cover and chill for 1 to 2 hours.
Makes 2 cups. 

uuuummmmm...................just posting this recipe makes me want some of this salsa right now!!!!

Fresh Peach Ice Cream

I will add pictures later this week when I make the ice cream for Relief Society...so all you sistas that will be there....yumm!!!!

(From the book: Give Me a Home Where the Dairy Cows Roam — True Stories from a Wisconsin Farm. Coming Soon — Fall 2004)

• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup milk
• 1 pint heavy whipping cream
• pinch of salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs for several minutes until thick and lemon colored. Add 1 cup of milk and blend into the eggs. Mix sugar and cornstarch in a large saucepan. Add egg/milk mixture to the sugar and cornstarch. Cook until thick (about 5 minutes) stirring constantly. Allow the custard mixture to cool to room temperature.

When the custard is cool, put into a freezer-safe bowl. Blend in cream and salt. Freeze for 2 hours or until slushy. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla. Whip for 5 to 10 minutes with an electric mixer. Return to freezer and finish freezing (several hours or overnight).

Variations:
After you have whipped the ice cream, fold in 1 to 2 cups of fresh or frozen fruit, nuts and/or chocolate before returning the ice cream to the freezer to finish freezing.

Here are some ideas for additions to your ice cream:
Strawberries
Blackberries
Raspberries
Peaches
Cherries (or Maraschino Cherries)
Chocolate chips
Butterscotch chips
Crushed Heath bars
Crushed peppermint candy
Chopped walnuts
Chopped pistachio nuts
Diced bananas
Coconut
Chocolate chip cookie dough (drop into the ice cream by small spoonfuls and carefully fold in)
Caramel or chocolate or fudge syrup (drop into the ice cream by small spoonfuls and carefully fold in)