10 Things you Never Knew...

About the writer of this blog

I was tagged to do this fun little post by my dear friend Cynthia. And on this snowy day with the boys out sledding with their daddy, the little Beau asleep (for probably 2 more minutes...have I mentioned he is a terrible sleeper!), the house picked up and the laundry put away I thought 'YES!!!'

10.) I really like my house picked up and organized. The beds have to be made everyday and the counters have to be disinfected every day...that one might be a little OCD. The toys all have there special place and...I am embarrassed to say this one...but as we are putting toys aways I count to make sure all the toys are together. If we have 10 little people, I count to make sure there all together...you get the point. ANAL!

9.) I really cannot function in the morning without my coffee. Before we do ANYTHING I have to have that cup in hand. For Christmas we got a coffee pot with a timer and it has been the best. thing. ever. Waking up in the morning to already brewed coffee...yes please!

8.) I dress the boys alike...pretty much everyday. If Jacob is wearing sweatpants, Baker and Beau will wear sweatpants. If Baker is wearing brown pants then the other two have brown pants on as well. You get the point.

7.) I love watching movies. Especially romantic movies where I need a box of tissues by my side.

6.) I want more children (God-willing) and I DO pray that we are blessed with a girl someday...but I really want 5 boys all in a row. My own little basketball team!

5.) I have my toes painted all the time, even in the winter...I really just like to have pretty toes!

4.) Before getting pregnant with Beau John Paul we had a miscarriage. Little Cecilia Anne is in heaven looking upon us everyday. I ask her to pray for me everyday and I feel especially close to her when receiving our Lord in Holy Communion. I miss her and am blessed to have had her with us for a short while. Our family has a little saint in heaven praying for us.

3.) I really wish that I could sing. And believe me I can not...at all. Sometimes I pretend that I can.

2.) I like to cook...but I don't LOVE it. I wish I did but I don't. We are pretty simple over here and when I bake...it's usually from a box!

1.) I make popcorn almost every night....its our favorite!

Well there you go folks! 10 things you never knew! Make your own! Can't wait to ready others!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

...with chickpeas!

Okay, I know that there is some talk about if you should/shouldn't mix and hide vegetables (in this case chickpeas) in your children's food. Some say that when you mix the veggies in they don't know they are eating them so they will never willfully eat them on there own. I get that point and I understand it...I am just saying that my boys will not voluntary eat a vegetable to save there life. Every night (almost every night) for dinner there will be a side veggie and Dave and I have to tell them both repeatedly to take 2 bites..."just 2 bites!" On occasion they will eat the sweet potato fry on their own...but honestly its pulling teeth every night! I wish I had that child that just loved vegetables, like my cousin, her children choose to eat the veggie first. I asked her her secret and she just laughed and said "they always have!"

So with all that said...I do, at times, puree and mix vegetables in with my kids food! A.) because I know they are getting their dose of veggies and B.) because it really tastes yummy!!! We all love it! I get a lot of my recipes from the cook book Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld. Her macaroni and cheese with butternut squash and butter noodles with yellow squash are a huge hit around here! I also really like her baking! I LOVE to bake and if I can get away with the boys eating a cookie a slightly bit healthier, I am going to do it! With her baking she uses a lot of egg whites as well as brown sugar instead of white sugar. And there always is a vegetable...sounds gross I know, but some of these recipes are really good...and my boys love them! Now... just so we are all on the same page, I do LOVE a good chocolate chip cookie recipe like this one, but at times I do use the healthier one! Depends on the mood I guess :)

Here is the recipe....

Ingredients:

nonstick cooking spray

1 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar

3/4 cup trans-fat-free tub margarine spread (***I always use butter instead)

2 Large egg whites

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips (I put in some butterscotch morsels as well!)

3/4 cups walnuts (optional)

3/4 cups raisins (optional) ***I use

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. In a large mixing bowl beat the sugar and butter until smooth. Beat in egg whites and vanilla, then add the chickpeas and chocolate chips. Add the flour, oats, baking soda, salt and mix on low speed until thick dough forms.

3. Drop the dough by tablespoons onto the baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Press gently with fork to flatten. Bake until the cookies are golden brown and just set, 11-13 minutes, do not over-bake. Let cool.

Sorry about the picture...and the cookies are not very pretty...but they do taste good!

4. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Baker liked them for sure!

I really think you will like these! If you try them...let me know what you think!!!

Butterscotch Banana Bread

This bread is a special treat in our house....it is SO yummy! I got the recipe from Dave's mother...she used to make it for him when he brought home his report card. For every A he got a loaf of banana bread. It was/is his favorite and that is what he requested for good grades!

1 3/4 cup flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup mashed bananas (very ripe bananas work best)

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/4 cup melted butter

1/4 cup milk

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

1 (6 oz) pkg. butterscotch morsels

Stir together first 6 ingredients and set aside.

Combine mashed bananas, sugar, eggs, and butter...mix well.

Alternately mix flour mixture and milk to banana mixture.

Stir in nuts and morsels.

Pour in greased loaf pan.

Bake @ 350 degrees for about an hour.

Cool for 30 minutes before removing from pan.

**This is an easy recipe. The hardest part is getting it oot of the pan as the morsels may stick. I have started cutting wax paper and lining the bottom of the pan which keeps it from sticking. I also find if I use a little more than 1 cup banana the better it tastes!

Hope you enjoy!!!!!