Christmas Gingerbread Houses

I wanted to do a fun activity for the kids this week. These gingerbread houses jumped into my shopping cart! I found this gingerbread village kit at my local supermarket, for $10.99. Not too bad, considering there are multiple houses in the box. I have six children, as you know. Brandon, my youngest, is fifteen months old, so he won't be decorating any this year. That leaves five more children, that will be decorating. It just so happens, that the kit has five little houses! How cool is that?!

Here is a view of the back of the box, and what's included. It's pretty well supplied, however, I did add smarties, candy canes, and an extra bag of icing.

They are starting to get to work! I also tried to video this experience, but it was a no go. I'm glad I can share it here!

My oldest, Raven, decided to join in the fun. Aside from a little shenanigans at the table, I think everyone had a good time.

I know she did! Sophie is very proud of her chalet.

Here they are, in all of their sugary glory! To keep mess to a minimum, I covered the table with newsprint. I buy it in a huge roll at our local news paper's office. It only costs about $10, and it lasts the whole year!

These cute houses look good enough to eat. I should've gotten a shot of the village about four hours later. Two of them had been devoured by hungry kids.

What fun activities are you doing with your family this week?

Easy Dinners

This week has been pretty busy, what with it being Christmastime and all. During these stressful...I mean, joyous times; I need dinners that are quick to put together. More importantly though, I need dinners that are yummy!

Cue brainstorm!! I have lots, and I mean lots of cookbooks! I've collected hundreds of recipes over the years, and now that pinterest is here, I'll collect even more! But more often than not, I keep returning to the tried, and true favorites.

One of my go to soups just has to be, my creamy tomato soup! It's so easy to make, and yummy to eat. I start at the stove, sauteing onions and garlic. Then I move over to the slow cooker, and add the rest of the ingredients. Canned tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken broth, carrots, salt, pepper, and herbs of choice. I cook on low for a few hours. Then I use an immersion blender to make it smooth. I add some milk, or cream, whatever I have on hand. I also add some brown sugar! Heat awhile longer, taste test, and serve with grilled cheese sandwiches. Or with cheese quesadillas like I did.

This next meal is my absolute favorite thing to eat; ever! Fettuccini Alfredo!! There are lots of recipes for this one. However, in my opinion simpler is better. Start with some cooked pasta. Then heat a stick of butter, and some cream in a pan until it thickens slightly. Add two HUGE handfuls of parmesan. Season with salt, and pepper. Once the cheese melts, you're done! Serve with garlic bread, and a salad, like I did.

Pizza, pizza, pizza. Is there really someone out there who doesn't like pizza? I didn't think so. That's why it's another one of my family's favorites. I start with homemade dough, but I have used store bought, and that works just as well. After prebaking the crust, I sauce it up with my homemade sauce. I've tried the jarred sauces, and nothing comes close, but if you like it; that's all that counts. Next add some cheese, and toppings! Here we used Genoa salami, and leftover sausage. Bake until cheese is melted.

After all that good food, make sure you leave room for dessert! Below is a semi homemade cream pie I made, after my daughter talked me into buying a huge can of vanilla pudding. I started with a homemade crust, but a store bought one will do fine. After that was prebaked, I tossed sliced bananas with some lemon juice. Then I layered the slices on top of the crust. I put as much pudding as I couldn't top of the bananas. I still had a ridiculous amount of pudding left. Next I crushed up a handful of Nilla wafers, and sprinkled that on the pudding. Lastly, I outlined the pie with whole vanilla wafers. Pop it in the fridge until it's firm, 3 - 4 hours. Then just slice and enjoy!

Good meals don't have to be a ton of work to be great! Enjoy!!

Tattoo Update.

Here are the tattoos I got in honor of my two little angels; Adrien and Zander. I chose these Mexican sugar skulls, even though I'm not Mexican. In fact I'm Puerto Rican! As well as Italian, and Portuguese. These dia de los muertos, or day of the dead skulls, are a way to respectfully memorialize the departed.

I also had their names put on my wrist. We knew Zander was a boy, so I chose more boyish colors; but for Adrien, who we did not know the gender of, I chose a more neutral pallete.

I had them put on my hands, so that they would be on our minds every day. Not like I could ever forget! While I was there, I had the artist design a wedding ring for me. I'm very happy with how everything came out. 

I'm not sure if there are anymore tattoos in my future. Right now I'm totally satisfied with the ones I have. I'd love to see some of your tattoos.

My two heavenly angels.

After my fourth child Zaira was born, I wasn't sure if I was going to have anymore children. My marriage was experiencing a very bad season. It had been bad for sometime. Before, during, and after my pregnancy with Zaira, my husband and I fought...a lot! It got really bad.

Then somewhere between 2010 and 2011, I was saved by the blood of Jesus, and began to try and mend my broken marriage. I became pregnant in February of 2011. I was overjoyed. I went to the OB for my ten week check, and the Dr. could not find a heartbeat. She said it was normal not to hear the heartbeat that early on. I went on my way, and cried in the car.

Soon after that, my second child Darien, who was nine then, was feeling ill. She was constantly drinking something, and She had very heavy breathing. I took her to our family Dr. and he said it was a stomach virus. He prescribed some meds, and told us to come back in a week. During the late night hours, her breathing deepened. My husband said it was time to take her to the ER. He took her, and called me after awhile.

I was in shock when I heard him say, "She has type 1 diabetes". I couldn't wrap my head around it. "And they're sending her to Hershey". Penn state children's hospital in Hershey is one of the best. We went there when my oldest was diagnosed with leukemia at age 4. This was eerily familiar.

I packed up the other three kids, and we headed to Hershey to meet up with them. As in the past, we were able to stay at the Ronald McDonald house, right across from the hospital. When I saw Darien again for the first time, she looked much better, and her breathing had calmed. They had given her insulin. She had a one or two day stint in the hospital, I really don't remember. After her release, we went immediately into an all day diabetes training class. By the time we got back home, we were all exhausted. I remember saying to my husband, "If I knew we were going to go through all this, I don't think I would have wanted to have another baby." Those words haunt me still.

That night I went to bed, and woke in the middle of the night to a blood soaked gown. I was miscarrying my baby. I woke my husband and said, "Its happening, I'm losing the baby". I went to the bathroom, and stepped in the tub, while he called 911. There was so much blood. The ambulance came and drove me to the nearby hospital, where my daughter was diagnosed a few days prior. The baby came out a short time after, and we could not tell the gender. We had no babysitter, so my husband stood home with the kids, and I was there, alone. Although we didn't know the gender, I still wanted to name the baby. So I chose Adrien, a gender neutral name.

I was heartbroken, devastated, and I wanted answers. Of course there were none that medical professionals could give me. I poured my heart out to the Lord, begging to know why. After reading the bible, praying, and watching a lot of Joyce Meyer, I realized that; God's timing is perfect, He has a plan and a reason for everything, and He loves me.

I held fast to all of that when I had my second miscarriage, in December of the following year. I was 16 weeks along this time, but at my 10 week checkup...I heard the heartbeat! I had an early ultrasound and everything looked fine. When I went back for my 13 week check, there was no heartbeat. That was followed by another ultrasound that confirmed it. My baby had died. I went back to the OB that afternoon because they wanted to discuss options with me. They talked about having a D&C, dilation and curettage, where they scrape away the lining of your uterus, as well as the baby. To me that sounded so cold. I told them I preferred to miscarry naturally. So I went home to wait.

It happened in the middle of the night three weeks later. This time was different. I remember being woken up by contractions, and snapping feelings inside my womb, as though rubber bands were stretched to their max and tearing. I laid in bed, my husband asleep next to me, and I cried with each contraction. Again I ended up in the bathroom, while my husband called 911. The baby came out before their arrival, and I held the little one in my hands. The baby was about six inches long, and perfectly formed.

At the hospital the nurse told me it was a boy. I named him Zander. There was a lot of bleeding, and I ended up needing to have a D&C, even though I tried to get out of it. I was worried about going under anesthesia, and not coming out. The procedure went fine, though I did lose a lot of blood. I ended up being kept overnight, and given a blood transfusion. Sometime later, after I was well, I got tattoos to memorialize my babies.

Thanks to the Share program, we were able to have funerals for the little ones. The services were beautiful, and the cemetery is well looked after. Every year, at the start of spring, the whole family visits them there. I think it's important for us as a family, to remember them, and maintain a connection.

In 2013 I was blessed with my baby girl Sophie, and blessed again in 2014 with my baby boy Brandon.
God is good, and his timing is perfect!

My big batch all purpose mix!

Here it is folks. The made from scratch, mix that will replace those store bought, not so 

good for you mixes. I use this mix for: pancakes, waffles, biscuits, and even coating for 

meats. This recipe makes a BIG batch, hence the name. 

My big batch all purpose mix
8 cups all purpose flour (you can use half whole wheat flour if you want)
4 Tbsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
4 Tbsp sugar
1 cup shortening

Measure 8 cups of flour into a very large bowl.

Add sugar.

Add  salt and baking powder.

Whisk all together.

Add shortening.

Using a pastry cutter, or two butter knives, work the shortening into the flour until it resembles bread crumbs.

Then scoop into a container. I use a repurposed pickle jar, but you can use a plastic zipper bag.

To make pancakes or waffles - use 2 cups mix, 2 eggs, and 1 cup milk.
To make biscuits - use 2 1/4 cup mix, and 2/3 cup milk. Roll out, cut, and bake at 450° for 10 minutes.
Use in place of breadcrumbs when baking chicken.

There you have it! Please let me know how you like it.

The best dip ever!

Ok, this really is the best dip ever! At least we think so. And it's so incredibly easy to make, you probably have all the ingredients right now. Here we go:

I really don't measure anything here, but I'll give you some estimates.

1 cup salsa, 1 cup sour cream, 1 cup softened or whipped cream cheese, 1 cup each of 

sliced green, and black olives, 1 cup or more of shredded taco cheese. 

Mix it all up, and just try not to eat it all in one sitting! Enjoy.

Soft Rolls

Usually I buy bread from the store; but here we were, mid week, and no bread. So I started 

digging through my massive mound of cookbooks, and hand written recipes, to find just 

the right one. This one is a winner; if I do say so myself. Try it out, and tell me what you 

think.

Ingredients: 1/4 cup warm water, 3 tbsp yeast, 1/4 sugar, 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 cups milk,
2 tsp salt, 6 cups flour - more if necessary. 

1. Dissolve yeast in water, and let stand for 10 minutes.
2. Add sugar, oil, and milk. Mix well.
3. Add salt, and gradually add flour until soft dough forms.
4. Knead 8 minutes until stretchy.
5. Covert and let rise 15-20 minutes.
6. Knead on a floured surface, and separate into desired amount of balls.
7. Place on baking sheet 2 inches apart. Cover and let rise 30 minutes.
8. Preheat oven to 350° and bake 15-20 minutes, until browned.
9. Cool completely before storing in a plastic bag.