Monkey and Military Monday

A couple of weeks ago, Jason’s Platoon was helping put on a field day at a local elementary school, including bringing a few of their vehicles for the kids to climb on and explore.  Jason invited me to bring the boys so they could see the new vehicles that Daddy was working with (Jason is no long on the M1A tank)…..of course I said YES!  They would love it.  It was the perfect day, warm – not hot, sun was shining – not a cloud in the sky, though of course we forgot the sunscreen.  The boys ended up with red cheeks, and Mama ended up with one heck of a sunburn.  Oh well, was almost worth it.

Here are some pictures of our afternoon. 

Please make note of the name of the MGS….CUPCAKE!!!  Perfect right?

It was a great afternoon and the boys and I really enjoyed seeing who and what Daddy’s working with.  Now to see if I can get them to come to Jakob and Aiden’s school next year….

Thoughtful Thursday

It’s not them, it’s me…

I realized this morning that the escalation in naughty behaviour by my precious little boys isn’t actually so, and that the problem has been with the way that I have been reacting to said behaviour.  I have lost my Zen Mama Groove.  I am usually a much more mellow, easy going Mama.  Not letting the small things get to me.  Something changed.  Since the move here I have been saying that they boys behaviour has deteriorated to the point of disaster, and that I am at my wits end.  But maybe it is me.  Have I just given up trying?  Have I just lost the ability to handle them?  To have fun with them and enjoy their craziness and go with the flow?  I think so.  And this makes me sad. 

I need to lighten up.  Find my place again.  I have started taking the steps to get back into the groove that I enjoy.  Playing with my boys, baking, creating, getting involved in volunteering, learning.  Do what makes me happy.  Tired of worrying what people think or perceive as reality and get back to what really matters.  My boys.  All three of them.  Be kinder.  Talk sweeter. And stop being so hard on myself. 

Gone in 21 hours….

And 10 of those Aiden was sleeping!  Aiden has devoured 75% of this yummy cake:

Aiden is my baked goods fiend.  He will try my creations and ask for them over and over again.  Jakob likes certain things I make; chocolate chip cookies, cupcakes, sugar cookies, and chocolate cake.  But when it comes to new things like scones, biscuits, or this ah-mazing Strawberry Cake, he hesitates.  Not sure if he will like it he immediately says “No, Thank You” rather than taking a bite to see if he likes it.  Quite frustrating as this goes with ALL food, if he isn’t sure he will like it he refuses to try it.  Makes for a very limited diet for him.   But I digress.

Aiden makes it easy for me to consider if a recipe is a success or not, usually by how quickly he devours it.  And I will guarantee that this recipe from Maria, Two Peas and Their Pod, is a KEEPER.  With strawberries about to come into season here, I can picture this being made many times over.  And will make it with other berries as the seasonal fruit comes in. I look forward to making it again and adding a little bit of lime to it….maybe a glaze?  Not that it needs it.  It is light, a delicate crumb, with the burst of berry slices peeking out.  It is called a cake, but I had no problem serving and eating this for breakfast….Aiden inhaled his piece! (I also recommend eating this with a little dollop of whipped cream….just saying!)

You can find the recipe HERE.  And while you are there, check out Maria’s recipes for cookies….she always has great cookies going on!

Stop the Search….I found it.

I have always talked about the search for the best Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe.  And I have no idea why I haven’t tried this recipe sooner.  I have heard about it often from friends.

Cook’s Illustrated did some serious work testing for this recipe.  And I think they NAILED it.  They are just what they claim. “A chocolate chip cookie that’s moist and chewy on the inside and crisp at the edges, with deep notes of toffee and butterscotch”  These cookies TOTALLY live up to the hype.

Cook’s Illustrated is kind enough to have their recipe on their website without having to be a member to their site.  (Thank you very much!)  Also instead of chocolate chips, I used Trader Joe’s Mini Peanut Butter Cups….couldn’t resist.  I put them in the freezer for a bit so that they wouldn’t entirely melt while the cookies baked. FYI.

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies (Source: Cook’s Illustrated)

Ingredients

• 1 3/4cups unbleached all-purpose flour (8 3/4 ounces)
• 1/2teaspoon baking soda
• 14tablespoons unsalted butter (1 3/4 sticks)
• 1/2cup granulated sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
• 3/4cups packed dark brown sugar (5 1/4 ounces) (see note)
• 1teaspoon table salt
• 2teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 1/4cups semisweet chocolate chips or chunks (see note)
• 3/4cup chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted (optional)

Instructions

1. 1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large (18- by 12-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.

2. 2. Heat 10 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and, using heatproof spatula, transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter until completely melted.

3. 3. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Let mixture stand 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny. Using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (if using), giving dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.

4. 4. Divide dough into 16 portions, each about 3 tablespoons (or use #24 cookie scoop). Arrange 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets, 8 dough balls per sheet. (Smaller baking sheets can be used, but will require 3 batches.)

5. 5. Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 10 to 14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies completely before serving.

I had to take a picture of the perfect scoop before I baked them!

I also think that this is a great cookie base and look forward to trying it with chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and any other goodies I can think of.

Happy Birthday, Jakob!

 

Today Jakob is six years old.  Holy Smokes, we managed to keep him safe and sound (minus a few bumps and bruises) for six whole years.  That is an accomplishment.  Seriously, it is.

Last night I was trying to remember what I ate for dinner the night before Jakob was born, and I was sad that I couldn’t remember.  Probably not the most important thing to have to remember, not like his birth weight, the hours (minimal) of labour….etc.  Jason looked at me like I was crazy. Guess he didn’t think it was so important to remember either.

I cannot believe that this little babe is now six.

And that he is now this big.

I cannot wait to see what he will look like in another six years.  I wonder (probably too much) about what my boys will be like when they are older.  I should probably slow down and enjoy them as they are now instead of wondering what they will become.

Well….Happy Birthday Jakob!  We love you will all our hearts.

ps….this is one of my fav Jakob’s Birth pics.  It is Grandpa with Jakob in the hospital.  I miss him every day and know that if he was still with us, he and Jakob would be the best of friends.

Pie Love(r)

 

I adore a good piece of pie.  The flaky crust, the yummy filling….I am drooling.  I prefer a fruit filling, but am not one to turn down a cream, pumpkin or pecan pie.  

When doing some research a few months ago about all the places (mostly food related) that I wanted to visit in Seattle when we moved out West, I stumbled on High 5 Pie.

I knew that it would have to be one of the first places I check out.  So last week when I was in desperate need for a break from these crazy boys, I tweeted that I was heading to Seattle for some pie, and did anyone want to join me.  I was super excited when a new (and awesome) friend said that she would be in the city and would love to join me.  Yippee!  Pie and conversation….yes, please.

Libby and I decided to share a couple of slices so that we could, without huge guilt, try two slices out of their incredible looking selection.

Lemon Shaker

and Maple Blueberry

I have to say that I can’t decide which I enjoyed more….they are both delicious and so different from each other.  I had never heard of lemon shaker….but it is a candied lemon peel filling.  Tart, tangy and just a little sweet.  Perfection.  Loved that the Maple Blueberry was a one crust pie with a crumble topping…it was so great.  Had those tiny blueberries that just burst with juice when you bite them. It was so good that is what I chose to bring home to Jason.

So, if you are ever in Seattle, and want to go for some pie….this is the place.  And call me, I’ll join you for a slice!

 

Thoughtful Thursday

 

Those of you who know the Army, you are not going to be surprised by my next statement.  LOL

Sometimes the Army just doesn’t make sense to me.  Tee Hee.  But seriously, Jason just found out that at the end of June he will be heading BACK to Georgia for two months for a course.  (Don’t ask me what course, I didn’t get too many details)  Crazy right?  We report to Washington March 10th, hopefully get settled quickly and then three months later he is gone for most of summer break, back to where we just left.   Seems a little silly to me.

I should be use to being dropped off in new places and then have him disappear to a course, or deploy.  He has “done it” to me at each duty station.  Not by choice, I understand this, but still…come on people!   This wont be as bad as when we moved to Colorado and he left within a few weeks and left me with no drivers license, no ability to drive for that matter, no friends, a dog, and NO IMMIGRATION status….I did it all by myself that year.  And gained so much independence.  It made me realize that if I had to, I could do it all alone.  Kind of like this last deployment.  I was really scared to be a single mother for a year, but it helped me understand my strength….that if need be we would be JUST FINE.  And now we are happy to have him home and dread the day when he leaves us again…which apparently will be the end of June.

Never a dull moment.  Thank you Army for making me say, HUH?

Thoughtful Thursday

Well, the Mama Guilt is on overload today.  My buttons are like a brand new touch mouse pad….so sensitive.  I am not sure what is going on, but Jakob and I have been battling for weeks.   We have our good days, and good moments, but for the most part we are not liking each other very much.  There are just a few behaviours that drive me up the wall, WHINING and BACK TALKING are at the top of that list.  Jakob has always been a whiner….he thinks that if he whines he will get what he wants. Not so much.  For some strange reason he has now decided that back talking is the way to go as well.  Again, not so much.  There are days that my tolerance for his behaviours is pretty high, but these last few days that is not the case.  I have spent more time yelling and arguing with him (I know, arguing with him is not the way to go), than I have loving on him.  This makes me feel so guilty.  I understand that this is just a few days out of a (hopefully) long life together, and that I shouldn’t let it get to me, that we all have these days….but it kills me.   

I want to have fun with my boys.  But it is hard for me to have fun with them when I don’t feel that they deserve it for acting poorly.  I am in a catch 22 position.  And here we are thinking about driving to the Jacksonville Zoo on Saturday….and Jakob has been misbehaving in school and he and I had a huge blow out this morning walking to school.  Do we still go?  Will he consider it a reward for his bad behaviour?  Or do we suffer for it too and stay home, knowing that it will be a rough day of whining that we didn’t get to go?

I need help.  I need a way to hold back my anger and not let this take over.  I need to figure out how to explain to Jakob that this behaviour wont be tolerated and that it is just disrespectful to talk to us like that.  I need to get back to parenting with love, not a raised voice and punishment.  I am taking any advice you may have for me.  Lay it on me, books, strategies, things that have worked for you, bribes, anything….please.  I feel desperate at this point.

AboutOne Twitter Chat….Raising Kids

I have recently discovered AboutOne.  It is an online website to “Safely Store and Manage Your Household Information”.  A great site to record memories, scan and keep important documents, and health info about the whole family. And now I am going to be a blogger for them, check it out.  (scroll down and you will see me!) I am going to write bi-monthly posts about Military Life….the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Today’s twitter chat was about raising kids.  Some great questions, some interesting answers.

Question #1: What are your tips for traveling with children? Do you travel a lot with your family?

We use to travel quite a bit.  When we were living in Connecticut we were only about 8 hours from my parents and I would make the drive with Jakob (and then Aiden too) about every three months.  It was a long day of driving, but worth it.  Most visits it would be just me driving, leaving Jason at home, so I had to make sure I was prepared.  Snacks, drinks and toys all within reach.  I made sure that all the snacks were portioned out, and easy to open.  Drinks were either juice boxes or premade sippy cups.  And when Jakob and Aiden were infants I made sure to have water from home, or bottled water, for their bottles so that there wasn’t anything in the water that their tummies weren’t use to.

The other side of travelling with children is entertainment….keeping them occupied = happy children!  DVD players in the car was key for us….the perfect distraction.  Now it takes a bit more.  Both Aiden and Jakob are obsessed with my iTouch.  They love the games (the free apps are awesome), and the videos and sometimes the music.   I have a feeling it will be a lifesaver for our cross country trip to Washington.  8 days on the road…help me!

Question #2:  How much TV do you let your kids watch? Do you limit? What are their favourite shows?

I am guilty of my boys watching a lot of TV.  I know it isn’t right, I know it isn’t good for them….I know.  Enough said.

Shows…..Phineas and Ferb, Team Umizoomi, Magic School Bus, most of the shows on PBSKids, and the Food Network!!  LOL

Question #3: Has your child ever been bullied? Have you talked to them about this issue?

Jakob has not been bullied at school.  And Aiden isn’t in school.  Jakob is a pretty popular kid, bit of a teacher’s pet too.  But there have been days that he has come home and said others were mean to a friend, which strikes a convo about how it isn’t nice to be mean to someone.  He knows what is good and bad behaviour, what is nice and what is mean.  He’s a good egg.

Question #4: How do you give your children quality time?

Jason and I try our best to spend some one on one time with each of the boys.  Jakob is old enough to sit through a movie, but Aiden isn’t quite there yet, so Jakob gets some one on one time going to the occasional movie.  Aiden gets special treats like trips to the ice cream shop.  We also do things like taking one out to run errands while the other stays home. 

We also swap out bedtime.  We each take a boy, read or talk, and tuck in.  That way they are getting equal attention from us.

It’s important. We make it a priority.

Question #5: How do you treat yourself?

I am happy to say that I am pretty good at treating myself.  I work dinners out into our budget so that there are days that I don’t have to cook.  I take time with my friends to get our nails done, go out for lunch, or even go to the bookstore for a coffee and poke at some books.  I am lucky.  I have a great husband who understands that “if Mama ain’t happy, no one is happy”.  Jason is great at hanging with the boys so that Mama can have some me time.

I also find a few minutes at the end of the day to reflect.  I keep a gratitude journal and write the highlights of the day.  Things I am thankful for.   AboutOne has a section on their site for keeping track of memories and I am looking forward to adding to that part of my account as well.

Whew….Those are some great questions, and long answers.  It was a great opportunity to hear what some other mother’s are going through, and realizing that I am not alone, that we all have similar things going on, choices to make, and love for our children. I will definitely be participating in the AboutOne chats on twitter.  You can too!  Wednesday mornings, 10 am EST, #AOChat  See you there?

Fixation Friday.....Chocolate Cheesecake

Jason left today for NTC, a lovely training center in the middle of the Californian desert. He will be gone for the entire month of August and probably the first week of Sept. BOO! But before he left I wanted to make some yummy food for him. This week we have had Greek Steak with Orzo and Feta, Pad Thai, Chicken Pasta, a Lasagna kind of dish....and some sweets of course! I decided that he needed a treat, so I made him one of his favorite desserts - cheesecake....more

specifically Chocolate Cheesecake! I was scrounging through the cupboards for some oreo crumbs but couldn't find any (must have used them and don't remember!) so I used plain old graham crackers for the crust (my fav!) and of course used Dorie's recipe for her uber creamy cheesecake. I love making mini cheesecakes. The little four inch springforms that I bought months ago have been getting a lot of use! I love them. And Dorie's recipe is so easy to quarter and it makes two perfect little cheesecakes.

Here is the cutest slice of cheesecake ever...

For reference....the plate fits in the palm of my hand!!

Recipe.....

Adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Baking, From My Home to Yours

For the Crust

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 1/2 Tbsp Sugar

2 Tbsp Butter (Melted)

Mix all the ingredients together until all of the dry ingredients are uniformly moist. Divide the crumbs between two 4 inch springform pans that you have already buttered. Press the crumbs up the sides and evenly over the bottom. Wrap the pans in double layers of aluminum foil. Then put the pans in the freezer while your oven preheats to 350 F. Bake the crusts for about 8 minutes - keep an eye on them so they don't over bake. Set aside the crusts while you make the cheesecake batter.

For the Cheesecake Batter

1 four ounce box of cream cheese - at room temp.

1/3 c Sugar

1 tsp vanilla (I like a lot)

1 large egg

1/3 c sour cream or heavy cream (I like using sour cream for a bit of extra zip)

Beat the cream cheese for a couple of minutes in your stand mixer until soft and creamy. With the mixer running, add the sugar and continue to beat for a few more minutes. Beat in the vanilla. And then the egg. Let it get nice and aerated...makes for a light fluffy cheesecake. Then on low, blend in the sour cream or heavy cream.

To make it a chocolate cheesecake I melted 3 oz of semi sweet chocolate and added it to the batter after the sour cream.

Divide the batter between the two pans. Put the pans in a baking dish that is big enough to hold them both and then surround them with boiling water - up about half way up the springform pan. Bake the cheesecake at 350 F for about an hour. Turn off the oven and prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon, leaving the cheesecakes in their water bath.

After the hour pull them out of the oven, remove the foil carefully, and let them come to room temperature on a cooling rack. When cooled to room temp, cover with wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours - the longer the better - the more the flavours meld.

Then.....eat them with someone you love!

So this Chocolate Cheesecake kills two birds with one stone - my two favs - in one amazing dish!

Make them, you will love them!

Take care,
Tania

Love Big, Bake Often

Monkey Monday - School Shopping

Jason and Jakob did some school shopping this weekend. Jason will be leaving for NTC (training) before Jakob starts school....so he and Jakob had some bonding time getting all he needed for school. Way to go Daddy! You did good!

Take Care,
Tania

Love Big, Bake Often

Monkey Monday meets Military Monday

There are a lot of people out there in the blog world that have dedicated Mondays to remembering those in the military, both past and present, and remembering those that gave their lives. YoYo over at Topstitch.org is working her way through the way too long list of those that have lost their lives in the current Iraq war. Recently, she listed Cpt. Joshua Byers who lost his life when Jason was with him in 2003. I thank her for doing this....no one should forget those that have lost their lives. But I digress....

Today I decided to combine my "Monkey Monday" with the "Military Monday" theme...I dug up this old picture of Jakob with Jason in uniform. It was taken in June of 2005....so that makes Jakob only three months old....and absolutely adorable!

I am trying to remember if we have pics like this of Aiden....I am searching and when I find one I will be sure to post it on a Monday.

Take Care,
Tania
Love Big, Bake Often

Saturday.....

So I really don't have much energy to blog tonight....but I don't want to miss one day for NaBloPoMo. So here is a video of Jakob singing to Jason for his birthday.....



Happy Birthday Jason!!

Take Care,
Tania
Love Big, Bake Often

More Coconut Cake....

Here is a slice shot or two...

And the recipes....

I had asked for some advice for a recipe for a nice coconut cake for Jason's Birthday...and there were several of you who told me to try this one...

Southern Coconut Cake

Source: Alisa Huntsman's Sky High

Makes an 8-inch triple layer cake - I did a thicker 2 layer.

For the cake:

5 large egg whites

½ cup of milk

2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

3 cups of cake flour

2 and 1/3 cup sugar

4 ½ teaspoons of baking powder

½ teaspoon of salt

2 sticks of unsalted butter (8oz.) at warm room temperature

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Butter the bottoms of three 8-inch round cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with a parchment circle and butter the circle.Put the egg whites in a bowl and whisk slightly. Add the ½ cup of milk and the vanilla and whisk to mix thoroughly; set aside.In a large mixer bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low, beat dry ingredients well in order to break up any lumps. Add the butter and coconut milk on low speed and beat just to combine. Raise the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy about 2 minutes.Add the egg white mixture in 2 or 3 additions, scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition. Divide the batter among the pans.Bake for 30 minutes or until a cake taster inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for 10 minutes. Then turn the cakes out and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

To assemble the cake, place one layer, flat side up, on an 8-inch cake round. Cover this layer with 1 cup of the buttercream frosting. Spread it evenly all the way to edge of the cake. Then sprinkle ½ cup of shredded coconut on top. Add the second layer and repeat the process. Top with the final layer of cake and frost the top and sides of the cake.Place the remaining 1 ½ cups shredded coconut on a large baking tray. Pick up the cake and hold it on the palm of one hand over the tray. Using the other hand scoop up the coconut and press it to the sides of the cake. Continue with this process until the sides of the cake are covered. Set the cake on a serving plate and sprinkle any remaining coconut on top of cake. Chill cake for at least one hour to allow frosting to firm up a bit.

I made a Coconut Swiss Meringue Buttercream for the Frosting...so I substituted coconut extract for vanilla in this recipe, it's from Martha!:

I made 1/2 of this recipe and I had buttercream left over!! It makes A LOT!

Ingredients
Makes about 9 cups, enough for about 28 cupcakes
2 1/2 cups sugar
10 large egg whites
4 cups (8 sticks or 2 pounds) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions
Place sugar and egg whites in the heat-proof bowl of an electric mixer. Set bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, and whisk until sugar has dissolved and egg whites are hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. Test by rubbing the mixture between your fingers; it should feel completely smooth.

Transfer bowl to mixer stand. Using the whisk attachment, beat on high speed until mixture has cooled completely and formed stiff and glossy peaks, about 10 minutes.

Add the butter, one piece at a time, and beat until incorporated after each addition. Don't worry if the buttercream appears curdled after all the butter has been added; it will become smooth again with continued beating. Add vanilla, and beat just until combined.

Switch to the paddle attachment, and beat on the lowest speed to eliminate any air pockets, about 5 minutes. If using buttercream within several hours, cover bowl with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature in a cool environment. Or transfer to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator, up to 3 days. Before using, bring buttercream to room temperature, and beat on the lowest speed with the paddle attachment until smooth, about 5 minutes.

I also added a layer of raspberry jam in the middle too! Jason's request!

So there is the delicious cake. It is a pretty dense cake, and not too to heavy which is good since the buttercream is good and rich!!

Hope you like it, and try it soon!!

Take care,
Tania
Love Big, Bake Often

Just a tease....

Here is Jason's Birthday Cake. Coconut Cream Cake, filled with Raspberry Jam, Covered with Coconut Swiss Meringue Buttercream and then covered with shredded coconut. YUM!

Trying to keep this short so that we can spend some time together tonight. So consider this the teaser.....and I will post more pics and recipes tomorrow!

Happy Birthday to Jason, my hubby! Hope it was a great day.

Take Care,

Tania

Love Big, Bake Often

Flowers instead of monkeys!

No pics of the boys for Monkey Monday. I was totally taken in by the beautiful flowers in our garden. We can't take any credit for them, they were here when we moved in...but I give Jason all the credit for keeping them alive! He is the gardener in the family. The plants will miss him when he is deployed!

What do you think....pretty gorgeous eh?

Take Care,
Tania

Love Big, Bake Often

Easter Egg Hunt!

Today was my little baby boy's first Easter Egg Hunt, and Jakob's real first one with other kids. Jake has done others in our house the past couple of years, but nothing like this. I am not sure if it was just put on by one of the churches, or if it was the city association, but it was huge! Lots of business in the neighbourhood sponsored it, and they needed that sponsorship. There were SO many kids there. It was a mob scene! And Jason overheard someone comment that they had laid out 25,000 eggs! Crazy, right? They had it pretty organized. They divided up the park lawns and spread out eggs everywhere. Each area was for a different age group, 1&2's, 3&4's...etc, etc. So Jason went with Aiden and I took Jakob. What a mad house. The boys weren't phased at all, they were loving it. It was a beautiful sunny day, probably in the low 80's, with a slight breeze. (yes, low 80's in April- I will surely melt this summer!)

Jakob blew through the field at an alarming pace, filling his bucket very fast. So we were able to quickly head over to the younger kiddo's field and see Aiden figure out what to do with the eggs!! He did a great job. Daddy carried the bucket and Aiden toddled around grabbing a few eggs.

Jakob would not stop for me to get a good photo - this is the best I got!

Aiden and Daddy hard at work....

Big Brothers are good helpers.....

More Easter Extravaganza tomorrow.... egg hunt at home, brunch out (thank goodness), egg hunt with friends, and then yummy dinner at home with all kinds of yummy treats - pics and recipes tomorrow!

Hope you all have a wonderful Easter!

Take Care,

Tania Love Big, Bake Often

Froggy Fixation Friday

I am sorry to say that today's fixation is not chocolate. I have another fixation. Every since I was a very small child I have been collecting FROGS! My wonderful Aunt Karen nicknamed me Toady when I was very little, and it stuck. So for every birthday, Christmas, holiday of any kind, I received gifts and cards related to frogs. And I love it. And luckily Jason doesn't mind all the frogs in our house.

I was so excited when Jason told me that we have frogs hanging around the house. All different kinds; green ones, brown toads, tree frogs....it's super cool! So tonight as we were wrapping things up outside after Jason worked so hard to clean up the backyard and mowing, he pointed out this little guy...

Here he is clinging for dear life...

It was really cool to see this little guy hanging out on the side of the house. And the boys thought it was awesome. Aiden ran over and started "ribbiting"... when I got around to trying to tape it he ran away, but trust me it was super cute!

So this is my fixation for today...finding all the different frogs around our new home!!

What is your fixation for the day?

Take care,

Tania, Love Big, Bake Often

Family Readiness Group aka FRG

So I am happy to say that I am back involved with an actual functioning FRG. For those of you not familiar with the term, it is a program to help keep the wives of soldiers informed of the goings on of their husband's units while they are home, and most importantly while they are deployed. I was a co-leader for Jason's unit in Colorado, and I really enjoyed it. Lots of fun. But then we moved to CT, and there wasn't an FRG at all. There didn't really need to be one, but it would have been nice to get to know the wives of the guys Jason was working with.

Now, thank goodness, I am a part of a FRG that works. Jason's Commander's wife, Nikki, is running the FRG. I know she reads this, and I am glad that she does, because I want her to know that I think she is going to be a great leader for this group. She had a meeting at her house a few weeks ago and I was sad that more of the wives didn't come. I thought it was very generous of her to have us to her house, provide yummy snacks, and let us bring our kiddos. The few wives that showed up seemed interested in the FRG and what was going on with the group and with the unit. I hope that the next few meetings or events get better turn outs.

I have been asked to help out with the FRG if I can. Of course I said yes. And so I am Treasurer (no laughing, I am allowed to use a calculator), as well as Point of Contact for Jason's platoon. Lots of fun.

So...looking for some recipes and advice. We are going to be rotating out and making breakfast for the whole unit, all 75 (approx) of them! My turn is coming up in a couple of weeks. So what would you make/bring to feed 75 hungry soldiers....who just finished physical training?? Needs to be easy to make, easy to serve, and easy to deliver...at 7:00 AM!!! Leave me a comment with any ideas you may have! Please and thanks!

Take Care,
Tania
Love Big, Bake Often

TWD: French Pear Tart!!

Tuesdays With Dorie.... I am on it. This year is going to be my baking year! I had several set backs last year that prevented me from participating on a regular basis (I probably should have been booted out - Thank you Laurie for not booting me out!!!) but this is my year. My goal is to participate in 99% of the weeks. So here we go.....

This was my first attempt at working with tart dough, tart pans, and actually all the parts of this recipe - never made almond cream, never baked with pears. So an adventure in firsts. I think they turned out pretty great - and they were really tasty!!
What do you think???

I think it looks pretty on the blue plate. I just wish I new how to take better photos! Need to get some tips and advice and maybe a good book about photography. And to find the time to take them during the day so I can take advantage of some natural light instead of icky flash photos!

Here are the ingredients for the crust - don't know why the pic wont rotate.... Simple yummy recipe for tart dough.

And the ingredients blended together... nice and crumbly like the recipe says!

I chose to make four little tarts - but I think I could have made more, the dough was a little thick, it made for a hard crust. Super tasty. I used the bottom of a glass to press it into the pan, didn't mean for there to be so many impressions in the dough! Ooops...
I prebaked them like Dorie says!!

And here they are before I put them in the oven. I did my best to create a nice spiral on a couple. Thought it would look pretty. And they did. They baked up lovely. The almond cream browned up around the pears and made such a lovely crust.

The tarts were very yummy. Jason and I enjoyed them with a bottle, yes a bottle, of Bogle Pinot Noir. He thought it was a very decadent rich dessert, and I have to agree. Would make it again, but maybe with apples or raspberries - the tartness of raspberries would be yummy with the almond.

I am proud to be a member of TWD! It turned a year old, all these amazing bakers baking together every week for a whole year! I hope we can continue for a very long time, I should be choosing the recipe for the week in several years from now!

Be sure to check out everyone else's creations for the week, here!

See you next week!!

Tania

Love Big, Bake Often