5 Bags...25 Meals!

Lately, I have been finding that I am spending more time in the kitchen and less time with Samantha. And as much as I love her "helping hands", when the burner is on and the oven is hot, I'm more afraid for her safety in our tiny kitchen.

Don't get me wrong, I think it's absolutely adorable when Samantha grabs onto my leg and tugs at it to see what Mommy is doing...that is until your trying to hold your pants up with one hand, stir the pot with the other hand, hold your child with another hand, keep her hands out of danger with another hand, maybe do a jig and keep a smile on your face!

So, when my friend offered on Facebook to get a few of us girls together and assemble a month's worth of slow cooker freezer meals I was 100% game! Simply thaw, add a few fresh ingredients, throw in the slow cooker and I get the rest of the day to play with Samantha!

Well, after a wonderful morning with some amazing ladies. We all chopped, sliced, diced and assembled 5 recipes. In a normal family, each recipe can then be divided up into aprox 5 seperate meals! My family...not so normal, so I'm going to split each bag into 2 and get some leftovers for the lunch the next day! (Wink...which means even more family time!)

So goodbye Pizza Friday and hello healthy slow cooker family meal!

Hot and Spicy Braised Peanut Chicken

IN THE BAG- 2 cups onions, 2 cups carrots, 2 cups zucchini, 1 red pepper, 1/2 t grated lime peel, 2 T lime juice, 2 T soy sauce, 2 T flour, 4 garlic cloves, 2 lbs. cubed boneless, skinless chicken breast. TO COOK- Dump contents of bag in slow cooker. Cover with 3/4 cup chicken broth and 3 T peanut butter (whisked together). Cook on low for 5-6 hours. For the last five minutes, add in 1 can of coconut milk and 1 bag of frozen peas. TO SERVE- To make it spicy, add 1/2 teaspoon of red curry paste before serving (I kept our unspicy for the kiddos). Garnish with chopped peanuts and cilantro. Serve over rice.

Coconut Chicken Curry by Martha Stewart

IN THE BAG- 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, 2 lbs. of chopped butternut squash, 2 medium onions,chopped, 8 minced garlic cloves, 1 oz fresh ginger, 2 T curry powder,1 t ground coriander, 1 t ground cumin, coarse salt  TO COOK- Add the contents of the bag and a can of coconut milk to a slow cooker and cook on low all day. 25 minutes before serving, add another can of coconut milk and a bag of frozen peas. TO SERVE- Garnish with chopped cashews and cilantro.

BBQ Chicken adapted from this recipe by Mama and Baby Love

IN THE BAG- 2 cups sweet potatoes, 2 cups red and green bell pepper, 1 cup carrots, 2 cups onion, 3 cups zucchini, 2 T flour, 1.5 lbs chicken, 2 cloves garlic, 1t salt TO COOK- Dump bag plus one bottle BBQ sauce into crock pot, cook on low for 6-8 hours. TO SERVE- Serve on rice with some fried veggies

Orange Chicken

IN THE BAG- 2 cups carrots, 2 cups bell peppers, 1 lb cubed boneless skinless chicken breasts, 3 cloves garlic, 1 t salt, 1/2 t pepper, 8 oz. orange juice concentrate (orange pineapple will work as well) TO COOK- Cook on low in crock pot, 4 to 6 hours TO SERVE- Garnish with clementine slices (use 4 clementines) or mandarin oranges (two cans) and green onions (two, chopped). Serve on rice. Stir fried veggies make a great side.

Man-Pleasing Chicken modified from Witty in the City

IN THE BAG- 2 cups red and green bell pepper, 1 cup carrots, 2 cups onion, 3 cups zucchini, 2 T flour, 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, 2 cloves garlic, 1 t salt TO COOK- Add the contents of the bag with 3/4 cup of dijon mustard, and 1/4 cup of maple syrup and 1 T of rice wine vinegar to a foil lined glass pan. Cook at 450 until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees. TO SERVE- Garnish with fresh rosemary and serve.

Mommy's Little Helper: Applesauce Cookies with Caramel Frosting!

Lately, Samantha has been my little mini me. She just has to do everything I do, whether it's sweeping the floors, emptying the dishwasher or baking cookies! I have to say though, I just LOVE this stage she's going through. It is so adorable watching her "sweep" the floor with a broom twice her size; or help me empty the dishwasher saying "Tank...Ooo" every time she hands me a piece of clean cutlery.

Well, now that the Holiday Season is upon us, it's time to start my Christmas baking. What once took only a day or two to complete has certainly taken a lot longer with Samantha's tiny fingers needing to help along. So, I've decided to make only a few recipes and treats this year, but try new ones that sound and look delicious and share them with you too!

After posting my Mom's Pizza Soup recipe and the amazing response it received, I thought I should probably post this recipe too seeing as Samantha could barely keep her hands out of the cookie jar!

I got this recipe from the Chef in Training blog and boy oh boy are they delicious! The recipe makes a HUGE batch though, so no need to double up (as I usually do).

**My second batch I tried to cut down on the amount of sugar by using honey. 

Though they were a bit drier, they were still super yummy!**

APPLESAUCE COOKIES WITH CARAMEL FROSTING

2 cups sugar
1 cup shortening
2 eggs
2 cups applesauce
4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves

Preheat oven to 375 FIn a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and cloves. Set aside. Cream sugar and shortening together. Add eggs and applesauce and mix well. Add in dry ingredients and mix until well incorporated. Drop small spoonfuls of batter on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 F for 8-10 minutes.

While cookies are cooling, prepare frosting.

CARAMEL FROSTING

6 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, heavy cream and brown sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally until mixture just begins to boil; remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Let cool in fridge, then stir in the powdered sugar. Spread frosting over cookies

ENJOY! 

Pop Goes the...Elbow!

Well, it finally happened! Samantha had her "first" trip to the hospital. I say "first" because when she was just a few months old, we did bring her in because I suffered from Over-Protective Mama Syndrome. But, this time Over-Protective Mama Syndrome proved right.

While at the mall doing some shopping, we walked past a very enticing display of twinkly lights at the Apple Store. Clearly, no child could ever resist them. Well, Samantha right away not only noticed the display, but discovered it was an open display where she could go right in a play with lights. (Clearly Apple wasn't thinking child safety when they put this one up.)

So, after a few minutes of trying to coax Samantha away from the store and a few tears and tantrums, I was finally able to get her to hold my hand and walk away from the display, only to have her quickly turn away from me and run back to the display again.

Well, in that split second she decided to turn back and run, while I was still holding onto her hand, all I felt was a POP and hear her cry!

I didn't know what to do and all I could think was "What did I just do?". I seriously thought I had broken her arm or dislocated her shoulder! It was the strangest thing to see her not able to move it, just a limp limb. We immediately went to the hospital and thankfully were in and out in less than 90 minutes!

The nurse told me it was "just a pulled elbow and it's the most common childhood injury" then in 30 seconds twisted her arm one way, twisted her arm the other way and it was done...after a few seconds of tears she was back to giggling with a popsicle in her hand.

I'm writing this because of how serious this may sound and how common this injury is and also to tell you "It's not your fault!". A pulled elbow (or "nursemaid's elbow" or "radial head subluxation") is usually the result of the toddler's arm being jerked or yanked. Their ligaments are looser and more stretchy than an adults, and because of this a normal tug can cause the elbow bone to slip under the ligament and become trapped. Thankfully, this is the easiest treated injury and usually within seconds the child and arm is completely back to normal!

That being said, remember to be careful with your little ones! I know they love to be swung in between mommy and daddy while going for a walk, but after learning more about this injury, this is the easiest way for this injury to occur. Remember when picking your child up, pick them up by their torso, under their arms...and not by their arms.

For more information, check out this month's copy of Today's Parent Magazine. They have an article called Out of Joint that explains much more about this very common and easily treatable toddler injury.

More Than Just a Girl!

Tonight, while "the grown ups" were chatting after dinner, Samantha decided to get into my kitchen cupboards...again! This time, instead of throwing cake mixes, cans and cheerios all over my floor, she got creative!

She took the cans and stacked them one on top of each other, until they were 5 high and she needed help to stack the next one! She even went as far to make sure that the correct ends were together so that they high ends stacked into the low ends!

So, when I saw this video, not less than 30 minutes later, I HAD to share it!

I'm not sure what Samantha will do when she grows up, but I sure hope that she's not only happy but able to show just how intelligent she really is!

If you like what Goldieblox is doing to innovate for girls' toys, you could like them on Facebook. And if you want to see them win a chance at airing their commercial in the Super Bowl (instead of seeing another creepy GoDaddy ad), you could vote here. Just sayin'. Also, you could share this epicness if you think we need more girls interested in engineering...totally your call though!

Perfect Baby Handprints and Footprints

As a first time mom, when the Christmas season came around last year, it was my mission to make sure that every grandparent, aunt, uncle, cousin...well pretty much everyone...received either a picture of the most adorable baby ever or a special Baby's First Christmas memento.

So, after browsing through Pinterest interest for hours on end, I found the cutest footprint and hand print Christmas crafts I could find and went to work.

At first, attempting to paint a 5 month olds VERY ticklish toes and trying to get that perfect foot print was incredibly frustrating and messy. I'm sure more paint ended up on me rather than on the plate. Then there were those teeny tiny fingers with that damn grasp reflex. Sure, it's adorable when those tiny fingers grab onto your finger, but when you are trying to get that perfect handprint..well enough said. 

But after a few tries and a lot of patience, we both became pros!

So, here's Mama Laur's Tips for Hand Printing Babies!

- Use washable paint first, until you and baby are used to the feel of the paint and brush. Once that "skill" is mastered, move onto acrylic paint for a more permanent print.
-More paint does not make for a better print...just a messy one.
- Strip baby down to her diaper...paint always ends up on clothes.
-Be patient. If your baby grabs and clenches the brush don't try, wait until she releases her grip to remove the paint brush. (Sponge brushes are the best for babies). Use patience when doing the hand print as well, wait until the baby's hand is relaxed before you press it to the material. As soon as the hand touches the plate, it will tense, so gently but firmly place your hand overtop to prevent smudging.

Also, if you're gift giving budget is tight, I recommend a trip to the Dollar Store! Purchase a few plates or mugs, sponge brushes and acrylic paint in your desired colors! Wash and dry when you get home. After you have your perfect print (which is REALLY easy on these preglazed prints, because you can "touch up" the print) you'll need to spray it with a sealer. I bought mine at Michaels for $8.

Best of luck and to start you off, here are a few of my favorite prints!

8 Simple Tips for Taking Great Holiday Photos from Nikon Canada

Most families have someone who is eager to document festive family fun. If this person happens to be you, here are a few photo tips to help in your quest to capture important memories for the perfect holiday photo album.

Get your gear in order
Nothing is more frustrating than missing that perfect holiday shot because you’ve run out of battery power or space on your memory card. Your child’s excited reaction to opening his or her gift is priceless and fleeting. If you miss that moment, it’s gone forever.

Tip: Charge your battery the night before. Most point-and-shoot camera batteries will allow you to take around 300 shots, while digital SLRs will capture anywhere from 600-900 shots. For many of us, this is plenty of juice to get the job done. If you think you need more, consider investing in a spare battery (and make sure it’s charged). That way you won’t waste time scouting for a power source or waiting for your battery to recharge.

Invest in a memory card that will meet your photo and video needs. Deciding which size of memory card to purchase is dependent upon many factors including the size of picture files, type of camera, and the number of megapixels on the camera’s sensor. For example, an 8GB card will store approximately 1,600 medium-sized “JPEG normal” images when using a 24-megapixel digital SLR. As a precaution, it’s always a good idea to keep a spare memory card in your camera case or purse.

Get that perfect food pic
Many people love taking and showing off pictures of their holiday feasts. However, making foodlook as delicious as it tastes can be tricky. You’ve invested significant time into perfecting your dishes, so take the time to capture great photos.

Tip: Play around with natural and artificial light sources to achieve the best light to make that plum pudding look as scrumptious as you know (or hope) it is. Consider using a camera with incredible low-light performance, or even adding a flash unit that allows you to manipulate light by bouncing it off of nearby walls or ceilings. With the right lighting, the colour and texture of food will be captured with everything you remember. For a twist on a traditional “food pic,” get the kids in on the fun. Capture their faces enjoying their favourite treats. Their smiles, and the icing smeared on their faces, will leave no doubt that your sugar cookies are scrumptious!

Get that perfect group shot

Gathering the little ones in one place and keeping them still is tough. And, the more people you have posing for a photo, the more likely it is that you’ll catch someone with their eyes closed or in mid-sentence.

Tip: Make life easier by using a camera with a high-speed continuous capture mode with a full AutoFocus (AF) mode to track fast-moving subjects to increase your chances of capturing that perfect shot with everyone’s eyes open and focused on the camera. Consider using Smart Photo Selector mode onNikon 1 cameras. This feature helps capture critical moments other cameras may miss by taking 20 shots with a single shutter press and presenting you with the five best shots. It’s also important to shoot at a high frames-per-second (fps) rate to capture as many shots as possible, ensuring your subjects get back to the holiday revelry ASAP.

Get that perfect angle
Capturing photo subjects at eye level can really transform a photo. Pictures of your kids playing in the snow will become even more dynamic when a camera lens is placed in the middle of the action.

Tip: When taking pictures of kids and pets, get down to their level. This vantage point will evoke a sense of intimacy in your images and make the action pop. Consider using a camera equipped with a swivel monitor that can tilt, flip and turn to just about any position so you can feel comfortable shooting from almost any angle. Perfect for “selfies” too!

Get that priceless reaction 

Sometimes, a still shot just isn’t enough to capture the emotions of moments like trimming the tree or performing in the annual holiday concert at school. Many digital cameras are now built with video-recording capabilities to capture the joy and excitement of the holidays.

Tip: Capture videos to complement your still images. This mix will allow you and your loved ones to re-live all those pleasant memories of the holiday season. Or, consider blending still images with a short video clip by taking advantage of Motion Snapshot technology, exclusive to the Nikon1 line of digital cameras. This function captures moments by combining motion, stills and sound to create a short, slow-motion video that ends with a single defining still image.

Get the kids snapping!

The holiday season is especially exciting for the little ones – let the magic of the season be seen through their eyes.

Tip: Give yourself a break and let the little ones take the photographer reigns for a bit. You may be surprised by the moments they capture. A durable, easy-to-use point-and-shoot is your best bet (you may not want to hand your HD-SLR over to just anyone!). Consider providing them with a shockproof and waterproof camera like the Nikon COOLPIX S31 as a worry-free, kid-friendly option that will preserve their memories for years to come and add a unique perspective to your holiday album.

Get sharing
All too often, we capture amazing moments just to have them sit on our memory cards or home computers. Looking through old and new photo collections is fun year-round, but the holidays really make us yearn to share those priceless shots with loved ones.

Tip: Why delay? Share your images with friends, family and your social network on the spot, so they can enjoy your holiday photos while still in the season. Sharing will ensure that your aunt living across the country and your brother halfway around the world feel like they’re a part of your festivities. There are a number of digital cameras with Wi-Fi capabilities that simplify the process of sharing high-quality images on Google+™, Facebook and Twitter, and sending shots directly to your smartphone or tablet. The Nikon D5300’s built-in Wi-Fi makes sharing a breeze, allowing you to wirelessly transfer photos to a smartphone, tablet or PC.

Savour the moment!
Don’t let the holiday season pass you by because you’re too busy looking at the LCD screen on your camera. Keeping your eyes glued to that screen might cause you to miss out on other photo opportunities or more importantly, precious holiday moments.

Tip: Review your shots after all the action is over! Avoid making a habit out of looking at every photo right after you take it. Simply soak in the moments and take photos when it feels natural.

Happy Halloween!!!!

Last night, Samantha ventured out for her first official Halloween! Yes, yes, I know technically her first Halloween was last year (and she made the cutest darn elephant!) but this was the first year she was physically able to go trick or treating!

Mother Nature certainly didn't make the decision easy though. With rain and crazy winds all day, I was beginning to think Samantha was going to stay home with me and help hand out candy to those brave souls who did venture out. But by trick or treat time the winds died down and the rain let up! So...we put on our rain boots and ventured out!

Though she was dressed as an owl, I think she may have qualified as a duck last night with all her rain gear on! But, she had SO much fun! I am so glad I made the decision to bring her out at the last minute.

At first she was a little timid, so we started off with some friendly neighbours that she knew and then it was impossible to get her to stay still! She was running everywhere...down the driveways, up to the doors, across the yards!

The cutest part was that when someone would try and put candy into her bucket, she would slowly move the bucket away from the person, as if they may take it from her. She wouldn't even let me carry it. That bucket had an ironclad grasp on it the whole time!

By the end, it was pretty dark and the rain was starting to pick up, so we ventured home to help hand out the rest of the candy at our house! Or maybe eat a few first...

Hoping everyone had a Happy Halloween! From my family to yours!