Meal Planning

One of my resolutions for this year is to be better about planning meals. I have done this before but I somehow lose my lists and plans that took time and then I wonder, what was that recipe I made months ago...etc, etc. So today I was thinking that posting my weekly meal plan will give the lists a permanent home and also help me to keep at it.

This week:

Monday: Mini ravioli with mushrooms, peas and cream
Tuesday: Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup(Sela's favorite), green salad
Wednesday: Turkey Taco Salads
Thursday: Rice Bowls with Teriyaki tempeh and mango salsa
Friday: Homemade Pizza
Saturday: Vegetable Pot Pies, salad
Sunday: Salmon en papillote with veggies.

cookies cookies cookies

These little cookies are a forgotton favorite. I made them a lot when I first got the recipe several years ago and here and there since, but we've definitely been on a thumbprint cookie kick lately. I love this recipe because it's made with whole grains and almonds and it has a very small amount of sweetener. It can be changed by using different flours, juice, nuts, and jam. The better the jam, the better the cookie. We love to have tea parties around here and they are the perfect little cookie for a warm cup of herb tea (Madagascar Vanilla Bean is our current favorite). Yum.

Apricot Thumbprint Cookies

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup almonds (ground into 1/2 cup meal)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cold pressed vegetable oil, or melted butter
1/3 cup apricot juice (I've used apple and orange juice)
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla
Apricot preserves (or strawberry, peach, etc)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, mix oil, juice, syrup, and extracts together. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix well. Form dough into balls and flatten to make circles. Place on cookie sheet. Indent cookies with your thumb or your child's thumb and put 1/2 tsp preserves in the imprint. Bake 15 minutes or until edges turn golden.

(Feeding the Whole Family, by Cynthia Lair)

Sweet Dreams

There are few things I love more than the sight of the girls cuddled up together sleeping deeply. It melts my heart and even on the toughest days, it can bring tears to my eyes. Not just because they are finally asleep (haha), but because they are sisters and they comfort each other whether they know it or not. It is instinct even when they are asleep to be there for one another. Having such a special bond with my own sister, I am so happy for them and look forward to watching them grow up together.

I also love to see little Rollin fast asleep...more than words can express...but some chances aren't worth taking. Once he is sound asleep, there is just no way I'd risk a camera in his room. Maybe when he's twelve.

Eat your veggies

We get a produce delivery each week from a local farm. Every week it is different, based on what is in season and available, which I love. We have learned to eat a huge variety of vegetables we might not normally buy. This week we had these yummy little purple carrots which are Sela's favorite. However, some weeks it takes some effort to eat everything before it goes bad, so I've started making veggie trays before meals with different dips. The kids always seem to want snacks right before dinner and I've noticed that they will devour all kinds of veggies when the moment is right and their tummies are hungry. It makes dinner less stressful, because they have already eaten their veggies.

The other way we try to eat up the veggies is on pizza. This week we sauteed chard which was a new addition, but it was soooo yummy. I plastered my little pie in it and Zig's as well. The girls started with just one piece, which is fine. I just get so happy that they are willing to try new things.

The Brave Little Tailor

I rarely take the girls to the animated kids movies that are so popular these days because I get insanely bored, but I do love taking them to plays. Today I took the girls and a friend to see a wonderfully entertaining play called The Little Tailor. It was so much fun...I enjoyed it as much as the girls. At this theater they take classic stories and put a unique and often humorous spin on them. They frequently cast men in women's roles (like the giant in this one) and it's just so funny. Today was very, very dreary so it was nice day for a play.

Sela, Nina and Perrie waiting for the play to start.
The husband and wife giants.
The princess and "the king." The girls didn't get the whole king thing, but when he said his lines which had nothing to do with elvis, he did all the moves, and he was quite good!

More bathtime fun

Rollin rarely gets a bath alone. We try to conserve water over here at the Serafin house...just kidding. Typically anytime anyone gets in the tub, three other people immediately pile in. The girls were too busy playing with their my little pet shops tonight so Rollin had the luxury of a long, long bath with all the toys to himself. The first pictures are of him cuddling on the not so soft hardwood floors. When I saw him doing this, I knew it was bath and bedtime.

Snowy day

What could be better than a fresh coat of snow, a bright sunny day, blueberry pancakes and a late start for school? Oh, the joy!