Tuesday, May 25, 2010

corny kids





Layla and I love us some good ole corn on the cob.
She is chowing it DOWN!

They are freshly bathed, that is why their hair is wet and Hayden is minus a shirt. 
 I do enough laundry and knew he'd wear his dinner on his pj's.  So we ate in a diaper only.





Gary and I weren't sure if Hayden was old enough to handle it, but from the looks of these pictures...
he CAN handle it!  He loves it just as much as Layla if not MORE!

Uhhh...the yummyness of spring/summer veggies & fruits!


Monday, May 24, 2010

bon appetite~the recipe exchange

Do you remember me sharing my favorite pasta salad with you?

I posted about my super duper fantastic chicken pasta salad recipe about a month ago!


Today I am linking my blog with Jenn's blog~

I am very excited she is starting


bon appetite



The first week {today, right now} we are sharing favorite salads!

{click on link above to see recipe}

Go visit Jenn and post your favorite salad too!

I can't wait to get some fun salad ideas.

We all love & need recipes and new cooking ideas.

Especially since the kids are about to be out of school for the summer!


Happy Monday :)

Saturday, May 22, 2010

why do i blog?



I started this blog in July of 2007.  

Since high school I have been a 'picture taker'  I love to snap shots of everything from food, to kids, to pets and weird looking rocks.  And of course fences.  I'm not really the best photographer, but I really enjoy playing around. 

What a better way to share my pictures?  

I was scrap booking them. You know the old fashioned way.  I have a few scrapbooks lying around.  I got really burned out on scrap booking.  It seemed like I would get all the materials out, get ready and set up, crop two pages and then have to clean it all up.  I like a tidy house and having a table with scrapbook clutter just drove me nuts.  

One of my high school buddies recommend that I start a blog.  
I didn't want to.  I thought about it for several months and I wasn't sure I could figure it out.
  
Look at me now, months and years later!! 

 I enjoy getting recipes and craft tips from friends I have made!  When I have questions I can throw them out there and blog friends can help me.  Wow I wish I had a blog when Layla was born.  She was my first baby and I was a scared momma at first.
  
I love checking in on other families that I now know.  
When I hear other cities and states mentioned on the news I think of blog friends I have in the mentioned area!  

I love blogging because my family and friends can keep up with our lives.  


I wish I had started a blog earlier. 

I really enjoy this online scrap book and am so happy 
that someday my kids will be able to read every word!  They will be able to look back and see what we ate, did and loved all those years ago :)

Why did you start blogging?  


Friday, May 21, 2010

goofy backyard play



Here we have the whale pool, the sandbox lid, and a plastic golf club.
oh and don't forget the  4 1/2 year old.



row, row row your sandbox lid..



and when you get tired, take a rest!


and then move onto surfing...


balancing, balancing...


and she's up!!


but crashing down!

  
This is how we plan on spending many summer days here in our house!



Oh, and while I was taking so many pictures of Layla, Hayden got my attention by


Pulling flowers out of my flower pots.



seriously dude!?



He then shoved them into the holes in the table.

What will they come up with next?

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Mahi Mahi & taco rice topped w/ fresh Pico




The taco rice is a Lipton packet.  12 minutes in the microwave...super easy.
I hadn't made 'taco' flavor before, but I'm glad I did. 
 It made this recipe perfect!



To make the Mahi Mahi

Rub 2 fish fillets with olive oil. 

In a small bowl mix the juice of 1 large lime with 2 tbs of yellow mustard, 2 tbs of cumin, 1 tbs black pepper, 1 1/2 tbs garlic powder, 1 tsp of each onion powder and cinnamon.  
Don't skip the cinnamon.  It makes this recipe perfect!!
Whip into a pasty mixture and them pour and rub over the fish.  
Let it sit for about 20 minutes.  

Heat a grill pan and place the fish on it for about 3 minutes on each side.  Or until you think fillets are done.  Depending on thickness.  {I'd rather mine be under done than over cooked or too dry.}  
Sprinkle with salt and pepper and let them rest for 5 minutes, as they will continue to cook while resting.


My Pico recipe:

3 large fresh tomatoes chopped
a medium onion also chopped 
1 jalapeño you guessed it chopped
and finally cilantro...chopped.

Throw it all in a dish and let it chill in the fridge for several hours.


To make the squash and zucchini side dish start with about 2 of each yellow summer squash and zucchini.

Slice them into circles then toss them into a bowl of milk.  
about 1/2 a cup.  Let them sit while mixing up 
1/3 cup of cornmeal, 1/3 cup of grated Parmesan cheese, 3 tbs of flour, salt and pepper.

Take the milk soaked veggies and coat them generously in the cornmeal mixture.

Lay the coated circles on a cookie sheet generously sprayed with olive oil cooking spray.  Then spray the veggie circles with cooking spray too and then pop them into 425 degree preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.  Turn the veggies once during cooking.  
  

As you can see, I placed the Mahi Mahi on a bed of rice and then topped them with pico!

I served the squash & zucchini on the side!  
This is definitely a meal I would serve in my restaurant...if I owned one :)


For now I will just invite some friends over to eat.  
I can let someone else try it other than my husband!  
He really is the best guinea pig though and he's pretty honest.