So another Christmas is over and all that remains are the toy boxes for the recycling bins, the tree on the curb and the calories on our bodies. Christmas is a time for gatherings and celebrating. It is a time of eating, drinking and playing a friendly game of charades. The adults spend weeks of preparations on gifts, cookies and surprises. The children spend weeks of praying and hoping for the perfect gifts they asked for.
My Christmas was spent as it always is. With my kids, my husband, my sisters, my parents and my extended family which includes cousins, aunts and uncles. I had a wonderful time with my family. We ate, we drank and most importantly we laughed pretty much all night. When I was on my way to my aunts’ house I took a look around me at the cars beside me. They were filled with other families driving to their destinations. It is most definitely an important and special part of the year. Some people make the midnight mass as their tradition; some skip it and head to bed. We go to bed because we know Santa will arrive very early and we want to be well rested for his arrival.
Christmas has definitely changed for me now that I am a mother. I do the preparing; the gifts, the food and the glass of milk for Santa. It is just as exciting for me as it is for my kids. In the morning my kids all ran down the stairs to see if they got what they asked for. Low and behold, Santa delivered. Joseph got his Wii. At that moment he knew that he must have been a good boy because he got what he wanted. He was eager to set it up, and so was my husband. My daughter; got her Hannah Doll and her Moxie girls. She too, ripped open the box to begin playing with her new toys.
If we can just for a minute, bottle up their enthusiasm, their joy, their innocent smiles, then wouldn’t we? The price we paid for their excitement was the money we spent on their gifts. I am sure you will agree that it was well worth it. For that day on Christmas we remain calm, we find a little more patience in our bag of patience, and we smile a little more. It is a very important day, and we know it. We know what the real meaning of the day is, and believe it or not, so do our kids. For that one day we continue with the gift of giving and the realization of good family, and good laughs.
This year is almost over, another few days and we will flip the page of our calendars. I have not yet written down my goals that I plan to achieve for the year because I am still bathing in the previous days of Christmas. I will find some time to sit down and reflect on the past 365 days. I know that they will be good memories and they will bring me smiles. I am just grateful for my 2009 Christmas and everything that went right with it. It was another memory made, another few dozen photos shot and a few more toys added to the basement. The only thing I do know for sure is that it was special, it was a little cold, and it was exactly what I hoped and anticipated. I can whole heartedly flip my calendar on Thursday with a smile on my face and utter the words, “That was fun!”
That’s my peace today.
This is a classic Calabrese desert...fattening as heck but darn good!!!
Tordili
1 cup oil
3 cups white wine
8 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp salt
450 gram honey
Combine oil, wine and salt in saucepan. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and stir in flour and baking powder. Roll into dough and cut into strips, roll like a snake. Cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces. Heat oil and fry each piece (oil must cover for about 8 min)
Once ready take honey boil in a double boiler with 1/4 cu water, when it foams, throw the fried tordili and stir around.
ENJOY!!!
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
Pretty in Pink
On Wednesday night my kids had their annual Christmas concert. In the morning of the concert I was getting ready for work and I heard tears coming from my daughter’s room. I quickly went over to see what was wrong and what the heck Joseph did. It turns out this time, Joseph did nothing, she was upset because she could not find the perfect dress for her evening concert. I immediately began pulling out little outfits for her; nothing was what she wanted. She wanted a party dress; something fancy and beautiful. My daughter’s idea of beautiful is a regular person’s version of “tacky”..lol. She went on to cry and say that everyone was going to be beautiful and Sophia was going to look like a princess and she would not. I have to admit, that got me. I know it is horrible that it took so little for me to fold, but Franco and I could not bare to see her sad little face. So, Franco met me on my lunch at the mall and she chose a perfect little pink dress that was fit for a party.
Let’s fast forward to when she came home with the note that said, “Parents, please dress your children in jeans and a white top for tonight’s concert.” My jaw hit the floor. I asked my daughter if she knew that she was to wear jeans and a white top and she said, “Yes mommy, my teacher told us today but I told her you already bought me a pink dress to wear and she said that it was ok.” I explained to her that she would be the only one at the concert wearing a dress but she did not seem to care. I choose to pick my battles at home because there are just too many possibilities to lose my patience, so I let this one go. I figure, if it did not bother her to wear something different and her teacher said it was ok, then why should I argue with that?
I arrived early at the school, when I saw her teacher she just smiled. I apologized to her for my daughter’s attire and she told me not to worry, that she knew about it and that is was ok. As I looked around I noticed all the kids in my daughter’s Senior Kindergarten class and all I saw was a sea of white tops and blue jeans. I looked at my daughter and I asked her again, “honey are you sure you don’t want me to give you your jeans?” (I brought them in case) She insisted that she wanted to wear this dress and that she didn’t care.
I waited in the crowd for her class to come out on stage, after a few songs her class began to gather on stage. I quickly went to the front so she can see me watching her. All of a sudden, there she was, walking with her hair tied back in a pink bow, walking in with her black patent shoes, and there she was...proudly on the bench wearing her very girly,puffy pink dress. She sat their satisfied with her decision to be the only little person with a different colour.
In life, we want to try to teach our children about confidence, self love and acceptance of themselves. We know that life is difficult and that we second guess a lot of our own decisions and choices. So who was I to tell her that she should care what the others did? My daughter knew that she would be the only one in her class that was different. She knew that she would stand out from the crowd, but she didn’t care. I did. I cared what people would think, “Oh that poor little girl, her mother didn’t know that she was supposed to wear jeans.” Is what I thought parents were saying. Why did I care what others thought when my own daughter did not?
After the concert many of my parent friends smiled at me, and said “Maria-Alicia was so cute, the way she sang, sat and the way she looked.” Then they asked with laughter “Did you forget what she was supposed to wear?” I replied with, “No, I did not forget, and neither did she. She just wanted to wear something festive for the occasion, she decided that a Christmas concert is a special occasion because they are celebrating Jesus’ birthday and she always wears dresses at birthday parties. She decided that she didn’t care to be different; she just dared to be pretty in pink.
That’s my peace today!
Pizzelle
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
In a large bowl beat eggs with sugar. Stir in melted butter and vanilla. Sift together flour and baking powder, blend into batter. Brush pizzelle maker with oil and drop 1 tbsp of batter, close lid for about 45 seconds. Remove from maker. ****You can make Nutella sandwiches by spreading the Nutella on a pizzelle and topping with another...delicious!
Let’s fast forward to when she came home with the note that said, “Parents, please dress your children in jeans and a white top for tonight’s concert.” My jaw hit the floor. I asked my daughter if she knew that she was to wear jeans and a white top and she said, “Yes mommy, my teacher told us today but I told her you already bought me a pink dress to wear and she said that it was ok.” I explained to her that she would be the only one at the concert wearing a dress but she did not seem to care. I choose to pick my battles at home because there are just too many possibilities to lose my patience, so I let this one go. I figure, if it did not bother her to wear something different and her teacher said it was ok, then why should I argue with that?
I arrived early at the school, when I saw her teacher she just smiled. I apologized to her for my daughter’s attire and she told me not to worry, that she knew about it and that is was ok. As I looked around I noticed all the kids in my daughter’s Senior Kindergarten class and all I saw was a sea of white tops and blue jeans. I looked at my daughter and I asked her again, “honey are you sure you don’t want me to give you your jeans?” (I brought them in case) She insisted that she wanted to wear this dress and that she didn’t care.
I waited in the crowd for her class to come out on stage, after a few songs her class began to gather on stage. I quickly went to the front so she can see me watching her. All of a sudden, there she was, walking with her hair tied back in a pink bow, walking in with her black patent shoes, and there she was...proudly on the bench wearing her very girly,puffy pink dress. She sat their satisfied with her decision to be the only little person with a different colour.
In life, we want to try to teach our children about confidence, self love and acceptance of themselves. We know that life is difficult and that we second guess a lot of our own decisions and choices. So who was I to tell her that she should care what the others did? My daughter knew that she would be the only one in her class that was different. She knew that she would stand out from the crowd, but she didn’t care. I did. I cared what people would think, “Oh that poor little girl, her mother didn’t know that she was supposed to wear jeans.” Is what I thought parents were saying. Why did I care what others thought when my own daughter did not?
After the concert many of my parent friends smiled at me, and said “Maria-Alicia was so cute, the way she sang, sat and the way she looked.” Then they asked with laughter “Did you forget what she was supposed to wear?” I replied with, “No, I did not forget, and neither did she. She just wanted to wear something festive for the occasion, she decided that a Christmas concert is a special occasion because they are celebrating Jesus’ birthday and she always wears dresses at birthday parties. She decided that she didn’t care to be different; she just dared to be pretty in pink.
That’s my peace today!
Pizzelle
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
In a large bowl beat eggs with sugar. Stir in melted butter and vanilla. Sift together flour and baking powder, blend into batter. Brush pizzelle maker with oil and drop 1 tbsp of batter, close lid for about 45 seconds. Remove from maker. ****You can make Nutella sandwiches by spreading the Nutella on a pizzelle and topping with another...delicious!
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
My name is Diana and I grew up in the 80's
You know, I kind of miss my days in the 80’s. I was only a kid but I remember it was kind of a simple way of living. I think kids today have way too many things to do and play with, it makes it stressful. I grew up in a time where “hide and go seek” was a game we played OUTSIDE with the neighbours. I grew up in a time where we had 1 pair of boots that our mothers chose, not us. I grew up in a time when “Toys R Us” was a place we just drove by but never went it.
I was sitting here remembering how much fun I had at home with my sisters. We had a few things to play with and we were happy at that. Our basement only got fixed when we were teenagers but it didn’t stop us from going downstairs to play and run on the grey concrete floors. Cougar boots were the hottest thing to have and do you remember the shoes “big foot”? I had a pair and I absolutely loved them. Do you guys remember Beta and VHS? I certainly do. That was the difference of what movies would be in at the local video store.
There are many jokes and emails regarding the 80’s and the differences of then and now. Unless you really sit and remember it, you don’t really remember it. I remember my trips with my mother to Miracle Mart and Kmart. Do you remember the restaurant at Kmart in Yorkdale mall??? How about the purple, orange and red juices that would fountain in that glass box? How about the Sheraton Mall? I know it still exists, but I do not know anyone that actually still “shops” there.
I am not sure if I think they were better times because that was my childhood, or if it really was better. Our Christmas lights were big, fat and colourful. They were not LED or snowflake shaped; just plain old bulbs that you can change 1 if 1 burnt..not the whole string! We didn’t receive any emails from Santa or dancing elves, we just wrote a plain old letter to Santa to 1 Ho Ho Ho, North Pole and that was it. If we didn’t like a song on our cassette player we had to fast forward it and WAIT to get to the song we liked. We did not have an MP3 or IPOD digital player.
Times were not tough; times in the 80’s were fun. We enjoyed playing Trivial Pursuit with our siblings and a friendly game of charades. I liked Rick Springfield’s “Jesse’s Girl” and Quiet Riot’s “We’re not going to take it”. Those were the days. The days when saying bitch would never happen on TV. The days that kids greeted their elders with “Good morning sir or Madame.” The 80’s were days of fluorescents, the “20 minute workout” and 33 inch albums. We loved it, we didn’t care that we couldn’t text our friends because we were happy running to their houses. We didn’t care we couldn’t Google information because that meant we were going to the Library to meet our friends. We didn’t care that there wasn’t 24 hour cartoons on TV that meant we were able to do jigsaw puzzles that we would eventually tape the back so we can hang on the wall.
I was born in 1974 and I grew up in the 80’s. I don’t feel that our lives were boring or simple. Our lives were what we wanted, and what we knew. We wore pins on our jackets with pictures of our heartthrobs like Rob Lowe and Jon Bon Jovi. We loved guys with long rocker hair, Levi’s and white t-shirts. Our guys didn’t wear diamonds on their t-shirts or designer jeans, and we still thought they were hot. So if all you kids of today think we were uncool, or deprived of the finer things in life, here is my response to you...”My name is Diana, and I grew up in the 80’s and I loved every hair sprayed, fish nets, cabbage patch dolls, smurfs and WHAM part of it!
That’s my peace today!
Home made fish sticks
6 fillets of sole or haddock
1 egg
1/4 cup of flour
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 cup oil for frying
Cut fish in long pieces. Flour and dip in beat egg. Bread each piece and fry in pan with oil.
I was sitting here remembering how much fun I had at home with my sisters. We had a few things to play with and we were happy at that. Our basement only got fixed when we were teenagers but it didn’t stop us from going downstairs to play and run on the grey concrete floors. Cougar boots were the hottest thing to have and do you remember the shoes “big foot”? I had a pair and I absolutely loved them. Do you guys remember Beta and VHS? I certainly do. That was the difference of what movies would be in at the local video store.
There are many jokes and emails regarding the 80’s and the differences of then and now. Unless you really sit and remember it, you don’t really remember it. I remember my trips with my mother to Miracle Mart and Kmart. Do you remember the restaurant at Kmart in Yorkdale mall??? How about the purple, orange and red juices that would fountain in that glass box? How about the Sheraton Mall? I know it still exists, but I do not know anyone that actually still “shops” there.
I am not sure if I think they were better times because that was my childhood, or if it really was better. Our Christmas lights were big, fat and colourful. They were not LED or snowflake shaped; just plain old bulbs that you can change 1 if 1 burnt..not the whole string! We didn’t receive any emails from Santa or dancing elves, we just wrote a plain old letter to Santa to 1 Ho Ho Ho, North Pole and that was it. If we didn’t like a song on our cassette player we had to fast forward it and WAIT to get to the song we liked. We did not have an MP3 or IPOD digital player.
Times were not tough; times in the 80’s were fun. We enjoyed playing Trivial Pursuit with our siblings and a friendly game of charades. I liked Rick Springfield’s “Jesse’s Girl” and Quiet Riot’s “We’re not going to take it”. Those were the days. The days when saying bitch would never happen on TV. The days that kids greeted their elders with “Good morning sir or Madame.” The 80’s were days of fluorescents, the “20 minute workout” and 33 inch albums. We loved it, we didn’t care that we couldn’t text our friends because we were happy running to their houses. We didn’t care we couldn’t Google information because that meant we were going to the Library to meet our friends. We didn’t care that there wasn’t 24 hour cartoons on TV that meant we were able to do jigsaw puzzles that we would eventually tape the back so we can hang on the wall.
I was born in 1974 and I grew up in the 80’s. I don’t feel that our lives were boring or simple. Our lives were what we wanted, and what we knew. We wore pins on our jackets with pictures of our heartthrobs like Rob Lowe and Jon Bon Jovi. We loved guys with long rocker hair, Levi’s and white t-shirts. Our guys didn’t wear diamonds on their t-shirts or designer jeans, and we still thought they were hot. So if all you kids of today think we were uncool, or deprived of the finer things in life, here is my response to you...”My name is Diana, and I grew up in the 80’s and I loved every hair sprayed, fish nets, cabbage patch dolls, smurfs and WHAM part of it!
That’s my peace today!
Home made fish sticks
6 fillets of sole or haddock
1 egg
1/4 cup of flour
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 cup oil for frying
Cut fish in long pieces. Flour and dip in beat egg. Bread each piece and fry in pan with oil.
Monday, December 14, 2009
You come down from the stars
Last night I was unwinding after I put all the kiddies to bed and there was nothing on TV. I was flipping the channels and I found a special on PBS. There was a Christmas concert with Andrea Bocelli. It seemed like the only interesting thing on, so I decided to watch it. There was a song he began to sing that just brought back so many memories to me. It is called “Tu Scendi dalle stella” an Italian children’s’ Christmas song. Besides learning it in elementary school, it was a song my late grandfather would sing to us when we were growing up.
It made me sad. I thought about him and our past Christmas’ with him. He would stand up at the end of the night; all the grandkids would line up and get our Christmas money from him. He was so proud and happy to hand the money to us. This past July, it was 12 years ago he died. He was my maternal grandfather and he was a wonderful man.
This time of year we celebrate with our families but we also remember the people we lost. I am very lucky to still have both my grandmothers alive. I lost my paternal grandfather over 2 years ago. When you lose people you love, it is a very difficult part of life. We know it is something that happens, but when it does, it hurts. My good friend lost her father 1 year ago this month, and I know how difficult it has been for her. Losing a parent is something I just cannot imagine right now in this part of my life.
As we age we hear of people that are ill and they have passed. It is a fact that the older we get, the more people we must lose. It doesn’t make it any easier; it is just a shitty part of life. We put pictures in frames to see them, we go visit their tombs to see them, and we watch videos to remember the good times we shared with them. Life is a journey, and on the way we meet, we love, we learn and we must lose. We must know what it is like to love people that we will eventually say goodbye to.. for good.
Everyday life does go on. We have our children to make us smile and forget about it, but in our weakest moments in life we think of them. In our weakest moments of life we pray for strength from them, and in our weakest moments of life we pray for miracles from them. They are our angels, our protectors. They are our footprints in the sand, the ones that walk beside us in the hard times and the bad times.
Last night when I was watching the program with Andrea Boccelli (besides the fact that it was an amazing concert) and the beautiful touching ballads of Christmas. It brought me much sad and joy when I heard my childhood song. It is only fitting that the English meaning of that song is “You come down from the stars.” I didn’t know then, those many years ago when my grandfather would sing that song to me that it would someday be special, and that it would one day remind me that there is an angel in heaven for me and my family; a person that I love, that once loved me; a man that was once my “Nono”, a man that is now the star shining down on me. We all have those stars in our life, we never forget they are there; we just get reminded once in a while when we are living our own lives, making our own memories, singing songs of Christmas, that one day will be special to someone else.
That’s my peace today!
Almond Biscotti
1 cup blanched whole almonds, toasted and chopped coarsely
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
In the bowl of your electric mixer combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Beat until blended (about 30 seconds). Gradually add the egg mixture and beat until a dough forms, adding almonds about halfway through. On a lightly floured surface roll dough into a log about 12 inches long and 4 inches wide. Transfer log to baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 30-40 minutes at 300 degrees, or until firm to the touch. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes.
Transfer log to a cutting board and, using a serrated knife, cut log into slices 1/2 inch thick on the diagonal. Arrange evenly on baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes, turn slices over, and bake another 10 minutes or until firm to the touch. Remove from oven and let cool.
It made me sad. I thought about him and our past Christmas’ with him. He would stand up at the end of the night; all the grandkids would line up and get our Christmas money from him. He was so proud and happy to hand the money to us. This past July, it was 12 years ago he died. He was my maternal grandfather and he was a wonderful man.
This time of year we celebrate with our families but we also remember the people we lost. I am very lucky to still have both my grandmothers alive. I lost my paternal grandfather over 2 years ago. When you lose people you love, it is a very difficult part of life. We know it is something that happens, but when it does, it hurts. My good friend lost her father 1 year ago this month, and I know how difficult it has been for her. Losing a parent is something I just cannot imagine right now in this part of my life.
As we age we hear of people that are ill and they have passed. It is a fact that the older we get, the more people we must lose. It doesn’t make it any easier; it is just a shitty part of life. We put pictures in frames to see them, we go visit their tombs to see them, and we watch videos to remember the good times we shared with them. Life is a journey, and on the way we meet, we love, we learn and we must lose. We must know what it is like to love people that we will eventually say goodbye to.. for good.
Everyday life does go on. We have our children to make us smile and forget about it, but in our weakest moments in life we think of them. In our weakest moments of life we pray for strength from them, and in our weakest moments of life we pray for miracles from them. They are our angels, our protectors. They are our footprints in the sand, the ones that walk beside us in the hard times and the bad times.
Last night when I was watching the program with Andrea Boccelli (besides the fact that it was an amazing concert) and the beautiful touching ballads of Christmas. It brought me much sad and joy when I heard my childhood song. It is only fitting that the English meaning of that song is “You come down from the stars.” I didn’t know then, those many years ago when my grandfather would sing that song to me that it would someday be special, and that it would one day remind me that there is an angel in heaven for me and my family; a person that I love, that once loved me; a man that was once my “Nono”, a man that is now the star shining down on me. We all have those stars in our life, we never forget they are there; we just get reminded once in a while when we are living our own lives, making our own memories, singing songs of Christmas, that one day will be special to someone else.
That’s my peace today!
Almond Biscotti
1 cup blanched whole almonds, toasted and chopped coarsely
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
In the bowl of your electric mixer combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Beat until blended (about 30 seconds). Gradually add the egg mixture and beat until a dough forms, adding almonds about halfway through. On a lightly floured surface roll dough into a log about 12 inches long and 4 inches wide. Transfer log to baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 30-40 minutes at 300 degrees, or until firm to the touch. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes.
Transfer log to a cutting board and, using a serrated knife, cut log into slices 1/2 inch thick on the diagonal. Arrange evenly on baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes, turn slices over, and bake another 10 minutes or until firm to the touch. Remove from oven and let cool.
Friday, December 11, 2009
What? Another recall????
This morning I was on my way to work and I got a call from my friend Sandra. She was livid, she heard on the news that they were recalling the Heinz Mixed Cereal pablum. The company is claiming that this particular crop in the wheat may contain cancer causing agents. She was so upset because this is the cereal she has been giving her son for the past 2 months.
In this day in age you cannot trust anything anymore. Companies are trying to make record making profits. They cut corners and substitute important natural products with artificial products just to make more money. There are recalls in household products, children’s products and in our food. Baby bottles, baby food, baby car seats. I just goggled recalls in Canada today and there was 264 products listed! Can you imagine? We are consumers and we cannot trust any manufacturer anymore. A company like Heinz that claims they triple test their baby food..obviously they do not!
We eat meat, we get scared. We eat chicken, we are worried. We eat baby spinach and we can get ill with e-coli, we buy deli products and we can die of listeria. What is going on? How can we live in a world that we cannot trust? It is not possible to grow our own food, because if we could we would.
Produce growers are now growing “organic” fruits and vegetables and at that, we should take it with a grain of salt. My question is this..shouldn’t everything be organic? Shouldn’t everything we put in our mouths and our children’s mouths be natural? These producers say you need pesticide to help grow the crops. This is not true, you can grow a crop naturally, our grandparents did it...it will just cost more. It is all about the green dollar, and how they can make more of it.
2 weeks ago there was a recall on a specific brand of cribs made in Canada. Apparently a few babies died because they suffocated in the crib. What???? Are you kidding me? How can we as parents ever feel safe? Most of our products are coming from China. China; the country that was putting melamine in their own babies’ formula, just to save money. Hundreds of babies were poisoned and died because of it. A country that made toothpaste with toxicity in it and could have harmed people who have liver and kidney disease. These are the people we are trusting to make our children’s toys, car seats, and baby bottles.
I know we do not live in a perfect world, and I think we are ok with that. I do however think, it is not ok to keep coming back and warning us that what we just fed our child, or what we trust to protect our children in, or what our babies play with and put in their mouths; may be harmful; may cause cancer eventually. There is enough profit being made with these companies to stop cutting corners, stop playing with the idea that something might be safe. I think us as Canadians are fed up with the “what if” of safety, I think we say enough is enough, and I think we ask with complete and utter anger...What???Another recall???
That’s my peace today!
Today I am giving you a natural recipe that my mother used to feed to us when we were babies. We loved it and it seems safe, as long as the milk won't be recalled..lol
Pane e Latte
2 cups milk
1/2 loaf of bread
cinnamon optional
Pour milk in a saucepan and bring to boil. Tear the bread in little pieces and add into the milk until soft. Remove from heat, you may add cinnamon for more flavour.
In this day in age you cannot trust anything anymore. Companies are trying to make record making profits. They cut corners and substitute important natural products with artificial products just to make more money. There are recalls in household products, children’s products and in our food. Baby bottles, baby food, baby car seats. I just goggled recalls in Canada today and there was 264 products listed! Can you imagine? We are consumers and we cannot trust any manufacturer anymore. A company like Heinz that claims they triple test their baby food..obviously they do not!
We eat meat, we get scared. We eat chicken, we are worried. We eat baby spinach and we can get ill with e-coli, we buy deli products and we can die of listeria. What is going on? How can we live in a world that we cannot trust? It is not possible to grow our own food, because if we could we would.
Produce growers are now growing “organic” fruits and vegetables and at that, we should take it with a grain of salt. My question is this..shouldn’t everything be organic? Shouldn’t everything we put in our mouths and our children’s mouths be natural? These producers say you need pesticide to help grow the crops. This is not true, you can grow a crop naturally, our grandparents did it...it will just cost more. It is all about the green dollar, and how they can make more of it.
2 weeks ago there was a recall on a specific brand of cribs made in Canada. Apparently a few babies died because they suffocated in the crib. What???? Are you kidding me? How can we as parents ever feel safe? Most of our products are coming from China. China; the country that was putting melamine in their own babies’ formula, just to save money. Hundreds of babies were poisoned and died because of it. A country that made toothpaste with toxicity in it and could have harmed people who have liver and kidney disease. These are the people we are trusting to make our children’s toys, car seats, and baby bottles.
I know we do not live in a perfect world, and I think we are ok with that. I do however think, it is not ok to keep coming back and warning us that what we just fed our child, or what we trust to protect our children in, or what our babies play with and put in their mouths; may be harmful; may cause cancer eventually. There is enough profit being made with these companies to stop cutting corners, stop playing with the idea that something might be safe. I think us as Canadians are fed up with the “what if” of safety, I think we say enough is enough, and I think we ask with complete and utter anger...What???Another recall???
That’s my peace today!
Today I am giving you a natural recipe that my mother used to feed to us when we were babies. We loved it and it seems safe, as long as the milk won't be recalled..lol
Pane e Latte
2 cups milk
1/2 loaf of bread
cinnamon optional
Pour milk in a saucepan and bring to boil. Tear the bread in little pieces and add into the milk until soft. Remove from heat, you may add cinnamon for more flavour.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
The Human Race
Lately Christmas songs have been playing on the radio and one of my favourite all time Christmas songs is “Do they know it’s Christmas?” by Band-Aid. I liked it from the day I heard it back in the 80’s. It is a catchy song with great artists singing it. The most beautiful part of the song is the message. “And in a world of plenty we can spread a smile of joy, pour your arms around the world at Christmas time.”
At this time of the year we all do our best to give and donate to charities, hospitals, food banks, homeless shelters, just so everyone can have a good Christmas. We are all humans; we all want to do our best to help others when they need it. Over the weekend there was a missing autistic boy is Nova Scotia (I am sure most of you watched it on the news). There was a whole community of people that were searching for 2 days for this missing 7 year old boy. In the bitter cold, day and night they searched. People that did not even know him were pitching in to help. They did find him but unfortunately he did not make it; he died in hospital. The point is, they all pulled together to help find a child that went missing.
When people pool together and join a team together, only good things happen. Things are stronger in numbers. CHUM CITY Christmas Drive is successful every year because of the efforts of all. If only a few people participated then it would not have the same outcome. The Daily Bread Food Bank is able to feed the hungry because people come together and either donate or help to serve the homeless. These are all acts of kindness. These are signs that we do care, we do want the best for ALL people.
“It is better to give than to receive”. This is something we tell our children. We make them understand that giving to someone feels so much better than getting something. I know when I buy something for someone it makes me feel so good when I see their face of excitement when they open it. We were made with a heart, we were made with a soul and we were made with a conscience. We cannot ignore the fact that when people need our help, it is a moral obligation to be there for them.
Over 20 years ago when all these famous rich artists from Britain got together to write, and sing a song for the people of Africa, they did not do it for money, not for fame, but for other people. They sang a song that stuck in the minds of people. A song to remind us that there are people in the world that have less than us; that need us. “Well tonight thank God it’s them, instead of you.” Let us remember and acknowledge that we love all the same, we hurt all the same, we want all the same, we cry all the same and we laugh all the same. We are one; we are humans; we are one race...the human race.
That’s my peace today!
Mixed Mushroom Buschetta
1 cup mixed mushrooms chopped
1 cup shredded provolone
1/4 cup sliced red onion
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 baguette
1/2 cup olive oil
Heat a pan, add 1 tbsp of oil and add the chopped mushrooms and the onions, saute until cooked. Slice the bread into 1/2 inch slices, with a brush spread oil on each slice. Put in oven and bake for 15 minutes at 385 degrees. Remove and place cooked mushrooms on the bread, top with shredded cheese, put back in the oven for another 10 minutes.
At this time of the year we all do our best to give and donate to charities, hospitals, food banks, homeless shelters, just so everyone can have a good Christmas. We are all humans; we all want to do our best to help others when they need it. Over the weekend there was a missing autistic boy is Nova Scotia (I am sure most of you watched it on the news). There was a whole community of people that were searching for 2 days for this missing 7 year old boy. In the bitter cold, day and night they searched. People that did not even know him were pitching in to help. They did find him but unfortunately he did not make it; he died in hospital. The point is, they all pulled together to help find a child that went missing.
When people pool together and join a team together, only good things happen. Things are stronger in numbers. CHUM CITY Christmas Drive is successful every year because of the efforts of all. If only a few people participated then it would not have the same outcome. The Daily Bread Food Bank is able to feed the hungry because people come together and either donate or help to serve the homeless. These are all acts of kindness. These are signs that we do care, we do want the best for ALL people.
“It is better to give than to receive”. This is something we tell our children. We make them understand that giving to someone feels so much better than getting something. I know when I buy something for someone it makes me feel so good when I see their face of excitement when they open it. We were made with a heart, we were made with a soul and we were made with a conscience. We cannot ignore the fact that when people need our help, it is a moral obligation to be there for them.
Over 20 years ago when all these famous rich artists from Britain got together to write, and sing a song for the people of Africa, they did not do it for money, not for fame, but for other people. They sang a song that stuck in the minds of people. A song to remind us that there are people in the world that have less than us; that need us. “Well tonight thank God it’s them, instead of you.” Let us remember and acknowledge that we love all the same, we hurt all the same, we want all the same, we cry all the same and we laugh all the same. We are one; we are humans; we are one race...the human race.
That’s my peace today!
Mixed Mushroom Buschetta
1 cup mixed mushrooms chopped
1 cup shredded provolone
1/4 cup sliced red onion
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 baguette
1/2 cup olive oil
Heat a pan, add 1 tbsp of oil and add the chopped mushrooms and the onions, saute until cooked. Slice the bread into 1/2 inch slices, with a brush spread oil on each slice. Put in oven and bake for 15 minutes at 385 degrees. Remove and place cooked mushrooms on the bread, top with shredded cheese, put back in the oven for another 10 minutes.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
A little white lie
Today was the first storm of the season. I woke up to the sounds of shovelling and trucks salting the roads. It was exciting because it was the first time my twins saw snow. They were still babies last year so they didn’t really “see” anything. The older kids were equally excited because that meant Christmas was near.
My daughter was acting up a little and I reminded her that Santa was watching and that if she was not good, she wouldn’t get what she asked for. All of a sudden I thought of the perfect little white lie...I said this to my little innocent kids, “Did you know that Santa’s Elves are all the little boys and girls who were not good the year before, so this year their job is to make toys for all the good girls and boys.” Lol, I know that sounds mean but let me tell you, they stopped in their tracks. Then I realized that they were frightened by the thought of being kidnapped by Santa so I recovered by saying, “You only help him as an Elf in the month of December and then he brings you safely back home .” So Joseph says this, “Noooo, how come they all have the same hair?” I explained it is because he cuts and colours your hair all the same..lol.
Sometimes it is necessary to tell our children little white lies. It is like the Pinocchio fib. “When you lie your nose grows.” Does their nose really grow? Well maybe if you are Italian..lol..no but seriously, just the thought of their nose growing puts a little fear in them, and sometimes we need that to help us out a little bit. My mother used to tell my older sister that if she was bad she would send her to go live with the nuns..lol..yes, that is when there were nuns walking around the neighbourhoods. She also used to tell us that a girl got pregnant if you kissed a boy...that one we didn’t believe...we took our chances..lol.
In life it is necessary to fib and tell little white lies. Sometimes these white lies help protect people from getting hurt or offended. Like when your husband asks you if he has a gut. You don’t want to hurt his feelings so you tell him he is as handsome as the day you married him..the truth..na...but it was necessary to do.
So this morning I needed my kids to behave. I was getting ready making breakfast, lunches and getting the boots ready at the door. I did not need to have running, screaming children around me, so I did what I had to do to calm the situation. I told a little white lie. I am even thinking of going as far as to “Elf Them” online so they can see what they will look like in their little green suits..lol..but I won’t be that mean. Lol. As parents we sometimes get desperate, we grasp at straws. When they don’t eat we tell them we will call the doctor, when they don’t listen we tell them we will tell their teacher, and when they misbehave we may have to tell them something that is not true. We may have to tell them a little white lie.
That’s my peace today!
Easy roll-up lasagna
1 box lasagna
2 cups cooked sauce
1/2 tub ricotta
1/2 pound cooked minced meat
3 cups shredded mozzarella
Boil lasagna as directed. Drain. Mix cooked meat and ricotta in a bowl. With a large spoon, scoop mixture and spread evenly on the cooked pasta. Roll tightly, once rolled, place in a baking pan and pour sauce evenly and sprinkle mozzarella evenly. Cover and cook for 45 min - 1 hour at 385 degrees.
My daughter was acting up a little and I reminded her that Santa was watching and that if she was not good, she wouldn’t get what she asked for. All of a sudden I thought of the perfect little white lie...I said this to my little innocent kids, “Did you know that Santa’s Elves are all the little boys and girls who were not good the year before, so this year their job is to make toys for all the good girls and boys.” Lol, I know that sounds mean but let me tell you, they stopped in their tracks. Then I realized that they were frightened by the thought of being kidnapped by Santa so I recovered by saying, “You only help him as an Elf in the month of December and then he brings you safely back home .” So Joseph says this, “Noooo, how come they all have the same hair?” I explained it is because he cuts and colours your hair all the same..lol.
Sometimes it is necessary to tell our children little white lies. It is like the Pinocchio fib. “When you lie your nose grows.” Does their nose really grow? Well maybe if you are Italian..lol..no but seriously, just the thought of their nose growing puts a little fear in them, and sometimes we need that to help us out a little bit. My mother used to tell my older sister that if she was bad she would send her to go live with the nuns..lol..yes, that is when there were nuns walking around the neighbourhoods. She also used to tell us that a girl got pregnant if you kissed a boy...that one we didn’t believe...we took our chances..lol.
In life it is necessary to fib and tell little white lies. Sometimes these white lies help protect people from getting hurt or offended. Like when your husband asks you if he has a gut. You don’t want to hurt his feelings so you tell him he is as handsome as the day you married him..the truth..na...but it was necessary to do.
So this morning I needed my kids to behave. I was getting ready making breakfast, lunches and getting the boots ready at the door. I did not need to have running, screaming children around me, so I did what I had to do to calm the situation. I told a little white lie. I am even thinking of going as far as to “Elf Them” online so they can see what they will look like in their little green suits..lol..but I won’t be that mean. Lol. As parents we sometimes get desperate, we grasp at straws. When they don’t eat we tell them we will call the doctor, when they don’t listen we tell them we will tell their teacher, and when they misbehave we may have to tell them something that is not true. We may have to tell them a little white lie.
That’s my peace today!
Easy roll-up lasagna
1 box lasagna
2 cups cooked sauce
1/2 tub ricotta
1/2 pound cooked minced meat
3 cups shredded mozzarella
Boil lasagna as directed. Drain. Mix cooked meat and ricotta in a bowl. With a large spoon, scoop mixture and spread evenly on the cooked pasta. Roll tightly, once rolled, place in a baking pan and pour sauce evenly and sprinkle mozzarella evenly. Cover and cook for 45 min - 1 hour at 385 degrees.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
The final touch
This past weekend my family and I took a trip to Montreal to visit my husband’s family. It was a short trip but it was nice to see the family. On the way home we were doing what we usually do; eating our sandwiches made from my mother in law, watching a movie, and we were talking about the weekend. The kids love to visit their cousins and we look forward to the trip.
It is a five hour journey and we are pretty accustomed to the roads, the service stations and the staying put, until we stop. Music is always a part of the journey. We scan the local stations and we listen to the tunes. Since we are in December it is only normal that Christmas songs are playing on almost all the stations. As we were driving the song “Jingle Bell Rock” came on. I put it louder for the kids to hear it so we can all sing along. The kids recognized the song because it was actually playing on the in-car movie Home Alone. So they enjoyed the tunes.
For me, that song brought back a lot more memories. I started thinking about Christmas when I was a kid. I remembered Christmas at my parent’s house, waiting and wondering what gifts Santa was going to bring me. I remembered all the feelings of excitement and anticipation for the morning to come. I remembered my “Alvin and The Chipmunks” album I played religiously every Christmas. There were many songs that I listened to and now that I am an adult I realized some of them were just very tasteless. “I saw mommy kissing Santa Clause.” What is up with that? How horrible for kids to think their mom was kissing goo old Saint Nick..lol..pervert. The line “don’t tell your dad that mommy was kissing Santa Clause last night.”..lol
This time of year brings back a lot of memories to adults. We think about our childhood and the traditions that came with it. The gifts we got that we really wanted, and the gifts we secretly opened wrapped again, and placed back under the tree. Last night I went to my parents’ house and all the stockings were hung on their mantel. There were the original 6 of our family and then the “add-ons” from over the years. I remembered when we got those stockings, so many years ago.
When you see things from your childhood it brings a nostalgic bittersweet feeling. You remember how wonderful it was, and at the same time you think how fast it past. I realized that I will never be at my parents’ house on Christmas morning waiting for my Santa gift ever again. My parents would anticipate our faces when we ripped open the gifts from our lists. Christmas morning was not about them; it was about seeing their children happy and excited. Our Christmas eves with all my aunts and uncles and cousins running around and playing with our new toys. The adults playing cards, drinking spiked egg nog and cracking nuts at the beautifully set table. Our mother or aunt spent all day preparing for this meal of Christmas dinner and presents for the kids. I remember when we would decorate the tree with the ornaments we had for over 20 years..lol..my mother would have Christmas songs playing in the background. It was hilarious because every year she would curse every Saint in the book while she was trying to wrap the garland neatly around the stair railing..she just wanted it perfect and I am glad that I remember that. The star on the tree was the best part and she always allowed us to place in on the top of the tree.
The time has come and we are now the adults at the table. We are now the ones sipping spiked egg nog, playing cards and cracking nuts. We are the ones that set the table and wrap all the gifts for the children. Time flies and we have no control over it. My Christmas holidays revolve around my children and how I can make it memorable and special for them. Memories are things that help us do something extraordinary for our own kids. They will remember the stockings we bought, the music that was playing while decorating the tree, and the shining star that will be carefully placed at the top of the tree as the final touch.
That’s my peace today!
These cookies are my kids favourite this time of year. We make a mess together rolling and cutting but we are also making special Christmas memories.
Christmas cut-out cookies
4 cups sifted flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cups butter
2 tsp vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl sift baking powder and flour. In a seperate bowl beat butter with sugar until fluffy and light. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add flour and knead the dough. Divide in 4 and roll out on a floured surface. The dough should be about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out into shapes and placed on lightly greased pan for about 10 minutes. You can add food colouring to the dough if you want the cookies coloured.
It is a five hour journey and we are pretty accustomed to the roads, the service stations and the staying put, until we stop. Music is always a part of the journey. We scan the local stations and we listen to the tunes. Since we are in December it is only normal that Christmas songs are playing on almost all the stations. As we were driving the song “Jingle Bell Rock” came on. I put it louder for the kids to hear it so we can all sing along. The kids recognized the song because it was actually playing on the in-car movie Home Alone. So they enjoyed the tunes.
For me, that song brought back a lot more memories. I started thinking about Christmas when I was a kid. I remembered Christmas at my parent’s house, waiting and wondering what gifts Santa was going to bring me. I remembered all the feelings of excitement and anticipation for the morning to come. I remembered my “Alvin and The Chipmunks” album I played religiously every Christmas. There were many songs that I listened to and now that I am an adult I realized some of them were just very tasteless. “I saw mommy kissing Santa Clause.” What is up with that? How horrible for kids to think their mom was kissing goo old Saint Nick..lol..pervert. The line “don’t tell your dad that mommy was kissing Santa Clause last night.”..lol
This time of year brings back a lot of memories to adults. We think about our childhood and the traditions that came with it. The gifts we got that we really wanted, and the gifts we secretly opened wrapped again, and placed back under the tree. Last night I went to my parents’ house and all the stockings were hung on their mantel. There were the original 6 of our family and then the “add-ons” from over the years. I remembered when we got those stockings, so many years ago.
When you see things from your childhood it brings a nostalgic bittersweet feeling. You remember how wonderful it was, and at the same time you think how fast it past. I realized that I will never be at my parents’ house on Christmas morning waiting for my Santa gift ever again. My parents would anticipate our faces when we ripped open the gifts from our lists. Christmas morning was not about them; it was about seeing their children happy and excited. Our Christmas eves with all my aunts and uncles and cousins running around and playing with our new toys. The adults playing cards, drinking spiked egg nog and cracking nuts at the beautifully set table. Our mother or aunt spent all day preparing for this meal of Christmas dinner and presents for the kids. I remember when we would decorate the tree with the ornaments we had for over 20 years..lol..my mother would have Christmas songs playing in the background. It was hilarious because every year she would curse every Saint in the book while she was trying to wrap the garland neatly around the stair railing..she just wanted it perfect and I am glad that I remember that. The star on the tree was the best part and she always allowed us to place in on the top of the tree.
The time has come and we are now the adults at the table. We are now the ones sipping spiked egg nog, playing cards and cracking nuts. We are the ones that set the table and wrap all the gifts for the children. Time flies and we have no control over it. My Christmas holidays revolve around my children and how I can make it memorable and special for them. Memories are things that help us do something extraordinary for our own kids. They will remember the stockings we bought, the music that was playing while decorating the tree, and the shining star that will be carefully placed at the top of the tree as the final touch.
That’s my peace today!
These cookies are my kids favourite this time of year. We make a mess together rolling and cutting but we are also making special Christmas memories.
Christmas cut-out cookies
4 cups sifted flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cups butter
2 tsp vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl sift baking powder and flour. In a seperate bowl beat butter with sugar until fluffy and light. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add flour and knead the dough. Divide in 4 and roll out on a floured surface. The dough should be about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out into shapes and placed on lightly greased pan for about 10 minutes. You can add food colouring to the dough if you want the cookies coloured.
Friday, December 4, 2009
The Smell of love
Yesterday I was picking up my kids from the bus stop. I was a little early so I was just standing around at the corner..waiting. As I was waiting I began to look around at the homes, who was in, who was not. I turned to a house because I heard the noise of a garage door opening. At once, there was a woman coming out of her front door. She was wearing an apron and was talking on her portable phone; she came out to bring a bag in her garbage can. I was standing across the street from her but the aroma from her home was released in the crisp cool air....mmmm...the smell of home cooked food. She was probably preparing for her children that were getting home from school.
One of my fondest memories from my childhood is stepping off the bus and walking into my house with the wonderful smell of food cooking on the stove. That is something that sticks with me into my adult life and is one of the main reasons I am home for my children every day when they walk in the door from school. If I was in trouble for whatever reason, she would simply remove the wooden spoon from the pot and whip it at my head..it was very convenient for her..lol. I remember like it was yesterday; she was always on the phone with one of my aunts gossiping and laughing. If I would love the meal, I would sit down and get ready to eat. If I hated it (which was often) then I would sulk and whine until I finished every last bite. My mother would reassure me that the food was healthy, good for me and that I better shut up and eat it if I knew what was good for me. She made that food with her love, her time and her money. The worst thing for a mother to hear, is that what she does with love for her children is unappreciated. I understand that now, as a mother. I make food for my kids with good intentions and when they whine about what I made, I can just scream. I try to tell them that they are lucky, I give them the whole "kids are starving" speech, and the "you will appreciate this food when you are older" speech, but they just don't get it. They actually think kids that eat take out every night are lucky..lol.
When a mother cooks a meal for her family, it is done with love and perfection. We make food that our children love; we make food that is good for them; and we make food a part of family time. Every night my family and I sit at the kitchen table and we talk about our day. What was good, what was bad, what was funny and what got them through the day. Food is a part of good times and bad times. It brings people together, talking, laughing, drinking and most importantly eating.
We joke a lot of times how we would like to substitute a pill for food so we wouldn’t worry about weight gain, but we all know we don’t really mean that; food is life. When we eat it, we enjoy every bite of it until our plate is clean.
When our children are newborns, they go through many stages. It begins with breast milk or formula for the first 6 months and then we have the pleasure of introducing pablum to them. We prepare for it and we anticipate the look on their face when they are about to try it for the first time. We are fortunate enough to witness the first scoops of food for our little babies. We then wait a few weeks and once we are given the ok from our paediatrician we begin veggies. We get so excited because we start feeding them. We begin with the basics; peas, carrots, applesauce, and then we progress into others. Eventually we introduce solids and the rest is history.
We cook meals every night for our families because we know it is important. We know that food gets to the heart and heals a lot. It helps when we have a bad day and it replenishes our body when we need it. Making a meal for our families is done with pride and love. We cook with every good intention. There are nights when we cook gourmet, nights we pull out the frozen fries, nights we make bacon and eggs and nights that we experiment on a new recipe, that doesn’t always turn out. We plan our meals in the morning, we think about it all day, and then we begin to prepare from the moment we get in the house. If you are lucky like me, than your children are able to walk in the door every day after school, throw their knapsacks on the floor, wash their little hands and get welcomed with a wonderful smell; the smell of cooking; the smell of love.
That’s my peace today!
White Veggie Pizza
1 pizza dough
1/2 tsp of dried oregano, black pepper
1/2 red pepper sliced
1/2 zucchini sliced
1/2 onion slice
5 mushrooms sliced
1/4 cup of oil
1 mozzarella or 6 medium size bocconcini
Flatten pizza in a greased pan, pour half the oil and sprinkle with the dried spices. Bake in oven at 400 for about 10 minutes (not entirely cooked) Meanwhile place all sliced veggies in a pan with the oil, saute until cooked (about 8 min). Slice the mozzarella or bocconcini and place on half cooked pizza. Add the veggies and place back in oven for another 7-8 minutes (until bottom is golden)
One of my fondest memories from my childhood is stepping off the bus and walking into my house with the wonderful smell of food cooking on the stove. That is something that sticks with me into my adult life and is one of the main reasons I am home for my children every day when they walk in the door from school. If I was in trouble for whatever reason, she would simply remove the wooden spoon from the pot and whip it at my head..it was very convenient for her..lol. I remember like it was yesterday; she was always on the phone with one of my aunts gossiping and laughing. If I would love the meal, I would sit down and get ready to eat. If I hated it (which was often) then I would sulk and whine until I finished every last bite. My mother would reassure me that the food was healthy, good for me and that I better shut up and eat it if I knew what was good for me. She made that food with her love, her time and her money. The worst thing for a mother to hear, is that what she does with love for her children is unappreciated. I understand that now, as a mother. I make food for my kids with good intentions and when they whine about what I made, I can just scream. I try to tell them that they are lucky, I give them the whole "kids are starving" speech, and the "you will appreciate this food when you are older" speech, but they just don't get it. They actually think kids that eat take out every night are lucky..lol.
When a mother cooks a meal for her family, it is done with love and perfection. We make food that our children love; we make food that is good for them; and we make food a part of family time. Every night my family and I sit at the kitchen table and we talk about our day. What was good, what was bad, what was funny and what got them through the day. Food is a part of good times and bad times. It brings people together, talking, laughing, drinking and most importantly eating.
We joke a lot of times how we would like to substitute a pill for food so we wouldn’t worry about weight gain, but we all know we don’t really mean that; food is life. When we eat it, we enjoy every bite of it until our plate is clean.
When our children are newborns, they go through many stages. It begins with breast milk or formula for the first 6 months and then we have the pleasure of introducing pablum to them. We prepare for it and we anticipate the look on their face when they are about to try it for the first time. We are fortunate enough to witness the first scoops of food for our little babies. We then wait a few weeks and once we are given the ok from our paediatrician we begin veggies. We get so excited because we start feeding them. We begin with the basics; peas, carrots, applesauce, and then we progress into others. Eventually we introduce solids and the rest is history.
We cook meals every night for our families because we know it is important. We know that food gets to the heart and heals a lot. It helps when we have a bad day and it replenishes our body when we need it. Making a meal for our families is done with pride and love. We cook with every good intention. There are nights when we cook gourmet, nights we pull out the frozen fries, nights we make bacon and eggs and nights that we experiment on a new recipe, that doesn’t always turn out. We plan our meals in the morning, we think about it all day, and then we begin to prepare from the moment we get in the house. If you are lucky like me, than your children are able to walk in the door every day after school, throw their knapsacks on the floor, wash their little hands and get welcomed with a wonderful smell; the smell of cooking; the smell of love.
That’s my peace today!
White Veggie Pizza
1 pizza dough
1/2 tsp of dried oregano, black pepper
1/2 red pepper sliced
1/2 zucchini sliced
1/2 onion slice
5 mushrooms sliced
1/4 cup of oil
1 mozzarella or 6 medium size bocconcini
Flatten pizza in a greased pan, pour half the oil and sprinkle with the dried spices. Bake in oven at 400 for about 10 minutes (not entirely cooked) Meanwhile place all sliced veggies in a pan with the oil, saute until cooked (about 8 min). Slice the mozzarella or bocconcini and place on half cooked pizza. Add the veggies and place back in oven for another 7-8 minutes (until bottom is golden)
Thursday, December 3, 2009
She gets that from me
Yesterday my son brought home his Grade 3 Report Card. I was a little nervous because it was the first one of the year so I didn’t know what to expect. Well to my glorious surprise, it was very good. I promised him 1 pack of hockey cards for every A, and I gladly bought 3! I was so proud as I read the wonderful words written by his teacher. It really brought a smile to my face. I was surprised to find out that he got an A in math? I suck at math, how can he do well in a subject that I always did so poorly in?
When our children are born, we examine every little inch of their body. Their toes, their hands, their nose and their eyes; the colour, the shape, the size. He has my eyes, she has your feet, and he has your hair and so on. It is not until they pass their first year of age that we can tell their personality, and their temperament. It is human nature that we assume the good stuff comes from us and our families, and the bad stuff comes from “them” (the men) and their families..lol.
So after reviewing his wonderful report, I automatically picked up the phone and called my husband to tell him how well he did. He was also very proud and of course at the same time we both uttered the words, “he got it from me”. Lol. When my kids get angry or yell or lose their patience, I say “don’t be like your father.” But the funny thing is, he says the same thing to them, “don’t be like your mother.” It’s not that we think we are perfect, we just maybe don’t see our own faults, all the times. I think we kind of know our own strengths, and our own weaknesses. It is just easier to see bad points and personality flaws of others.
The other day I had lunch with a friend who has twin girls. She told me that they are pretty similar in a lot of things, but they are also very different. She also said that she just recently found out that her daughter Ella did really well in art class, and that her daughter Maya was more of the gymnast. She had no idea. We don’t see our kids at school; we only see them at home. Apparently, they are quite different under the regime of teachers and I say thank God for that.lol.
In life, we expect our children to look like us, act like us, and do well in areas that we do well in. They are a product of us, so that must mean that they will have similarities to us. We seem to forget that they are their own people. We forget that they become and evolve into their own minds and bodies from their own nature and nurture. Our children are who they are, because that is who they want to be. They may have our eyes, our hair and our feet, but they are who they are... period.
We can feel proud when they do well, we can feel disappointed when they don’t. We look forward to seeing their report cards and witnessing them score the winning goal in the hockey game, but we have to remember that we should be proud for just being them. We can joke and tease our spouses when they excel in things that we do well in, and we can be pleased when our daughters’ teacher tells us that she is bubbly, easy to get along with, and a very bright student. We can tell the teacher in the parent interview the explanation is very simple, “I know why she does so well with others and in school; she gets that from me.”
That’s my peace today!
today's recipe is not Italian, I am posting it because it is absolutely delicious and perfect for entertaining this time of year, I got it from my friend last year and have made it tons of times. Many of you have already asked me for it..so here it is...
Tuna ball rolled with walnuts
1 large can of tuna or 2 small cans
1 package of softened philly cream cheese
1 tablespoon of mayo
2 stems of finely chopped chive onion
3 tablespoons of Lea and Perrins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
In a bowl mix all the ingredients except the nuts. Make sure it is well blended. Roll into a ball and cover with saran wrap, refridgerate overnight. In the morning remove from wrap and roll into walnuts. Serve with crackers.
When our children are born, we examine every little inch of their body. Their toes, their hands, their nose and their eyes; the colour, the shape, the size. He has my eyes, she has your feet, and he has your hair and so on. It is not until they pass their first year of age that we can tell their personality, and their temperament. It is human nature that we assume the good stuff comes from us and our families, and the bad stuff comes from “them” (the men) and their families..lol.
So after reviewing his wonderful report, I automatically picked up the phone and called my husband to tell him how well he did. He was also very proud and of course at the same time we both uttered the words, “he got it from me”. Lol. When my kids get angry or yell or lose their patience, I say “don’t be like your father.” But the funny thing is, he says the same thing to them, “don’t be like your mother.” It’s not that we think we are perfect, we just maybe don’t see our own faults, all the times. I think we kind of know our own strengths, and our own weaknesses. It is just easier to see bad points and personality flaws of others.
The other day I had lunch with a friend who has twin girls. She told me that they are pretty similar in a lot of things, but they are also very different. She also said that she just recently found out that her daughter Ella did really well in art class, and that her daughter Maya was more of the gymnast. She had no idea. We don’t see our kids at school; we only see them at home. Apparently, they are quite different under the regime of teachers and I say thank God for that.lol.
In life, we expect our children to look like us, act like us, and do well in areas that we do well in. They are a product of us, so that must mean that they will have similarities to us. We seem to forget that they are their own people. We forget that they become and evolve into their own minds and bodies from their own nature and nurture. Our children are who they are, because that is who they want to be. They may have our eyes, our hair and our feet, but they are who they are... period.
We can feel proud when they do well, we can feel disappointed when they don’t. We look forward to seeing their report cards and witnessing them score the winning goal in the hockey game, but we have to remember that we should be proud for just being them. We can joke and tease our spouses when they excel in things that we do well in, and we can be pleased when our daughters’ teacher tells us that she is bubbly, easy to get along with, and a very bright student. We can tell the teacher in the parent interview the explanation is very simple, “I know why she does so well with others and in school; she gets that from me.”
That’s my peace today!
today's recipe is not Italian, I am posting it because it is absolutely delicious and perfect for entertaining this time of year, I got it from my friend last year and have made it tons of times. Many of you have already asked me for it..so here it is...
Tuna ball rolled with walnuts
1 large can of tuna or 2 small cans
1 package of softened philly cream cheese
1 tablespoon of mayo
2 stems of finely chopped chive onion
3 tablespoons of Lea and Perrins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
In a bowl mix all the ingredients except the nuts. Make sure it is well blended. Roll into a ball and cover with saran wrap, refridgerate overnight. In the morning remove from wrap and roll into walnuts. Serve with crackers.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
They will still love you
If you are anything like me then right about now you are scouring the stores high and low to find exactly what is on our children’s wish list. Things that are big, small, tacky and just plain messy. We do our best to find what they want; at any cost. We are parents of the millennium, we want to please them and make them happy. My question to you is; do we do it because we want them to have it? Or do we buy it for them because we don’t want to hear them whine about it?
3 nights ago I was at a local children’s store with my 5 year old daughter. The story (to back track) is that she does not like her snow suit from last year because it is purple and too puffy. The whole winter last year she drove me nuts every morning because she was refusing to put this darn jacket in the morning. When I realized this year it still fit her, I reminded her that she had this perfectly new snowsuit and she starting whining. I figured ok, I made her wear it last year, so this year we will buy her a new one. Anyway, we went looking around to find her a new winter jacket. She found me on a good night because I was patient and willing to amuse her little request of finding EXACTLY what she wanted. So we end up at this store where she just fell IN LOVE with a jacket that happened to be a little tight on her. The saleswoman was telling me she couldn’t possibly wear it because she looked ridiculous in it. I was trying to convince her that we would find another one bla bla bla. Well there happened to be a mother from her school there buying something for her son. After a while (lets’ say 15 minutes) of my daughter battling with me, I FINALLY put my foot down and said, “That is it, it doesn’t fit you, find something else or we are leaving with NOTHING!” Well, this mother just turned to me and said, “You’re pretty good, I would have thrown her in the car a long time ago.” I laughed the insult off (because let’s face it, she insulted my parenting) and I got what I had to get, saluted her and left.
I was wrong and I knew it. We are the parents, it is our job to control EVERY situation with them. I don’t care if it is for a jacket, boots, or to stay up late, we are the boss. Sometimes we don’t want to disappoint them and make them upset, and that is ok, but they should know we rule the home; not them. Children try to battle for power; some win, some never do. I think that if you are a parent, it is your job to discipline and guide your children. We cannot possibly give them everything they want because not only are we creating spoiled, ungrateful children, then we are actually ruining their view on what life is all about.
Children need to know that in life if you want something you have to work hard at it. My children are given a weekly allowance. They must complete daily jobs around the house in order to earn their pay. At the end of the week they have the choice to spend it, or save it for something they really want. Dr. Phil once said that spoiling your children, is a form of child abuse. Although this may sound extreme to you, I actually agree. We are setting our children up for disappointment in life if we do everything they ask of us. How will they feel when they want to befriend someone that doesn’t want to befriend them? They will expect to have anything or anyone, and won’t you feel sorry for them then, when they will not get everything they want.
My parents raised us well. They bought us all the necessaties of life, rewarded us when they saw fit, and we NEVER lacked anything. My mother tells me all the time that our generation is ruining our children. Then she asked me if I ever really hated her? I thought about it (besides some Friday nights in my teenage years, I never hated my mother). She told me this, “When I would punish you, or not get you something you really wanted, I would feel bad but I never went back on my word..if it was no, it stayed no.” I thought about it and realized she was right. She didn’t raise spoiled children; we all turned out well, so she must have known what she was doing.
We love our kids, and we want the best of everything for them. We want our kids to never want, but maybe sometimes they should want something badly. Maybe sometimes they should know that they just can’t get something, for whatever reason. Try it out and you will see that they won’t hate you for putting your foot down, they will still want you as their parent; and they most definitely will still love you.
That’s my peace today!
Italian Panettone French Toast
This is a great Italian version of french toast
1 Panettone loaf (Pandora is best)
4 eggs
2/3 cup milk
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp butter for frying
Maple syrup or icing sugar and sliced fruit for topping
Slice the panettone into thick slices that resemble toast bread. Beat eggs and milk, add cinnamon. Dip each slice into mixture coating both sides. Place in heated pan with butter and fry each side for about 4 minutes. Place in a plate and sprinkle icing sugar or maple syrup and sliced fruit.
3 nights ago I was at a local children’s store with my 5 year old daughter. The story (to back track) is that she does not like her snow suit from last year because it is purple and too puffy. The whole winter last year she drove me nuts every morning because she was refusing to put this darn jacket in the morning. When I realized this year it still fit her, I reminded her that she had this perfectly new snowsuit and she starting whining. I figured ok, I made her wear it last year, so this year we will buy her a new one. Anyway, we went looking around to find her a new winter jacket. She found me on a good night because I was patient and willing to amuse her little request of finding EXACTLY what she wanted. So we end up at this store where she just fell IN LOVE with a jacket that happened to be a little tight on her. The saleswoman was telling me she couldn’t possibly wear it because she looked ridiculous in it. I was trying to convince her that we would find another one bla bla bla. Well there happened to be a mother from her school there buying something for her son. After a while (lets’ say 15 minutes) of my daughter battling with me, I FINALLY put my foot down and said, “That is it, it doesn’t fit you, find something else or we are leaving with NOTHING!” Well, this mother just turned to me and said, “You’re pretty good, I would have thrown her in the car a long time ago.” I laughed the insult off (because let’s face it, she insulted my parenting) and I got what I had to get, saluted her and left.
I was wrong and I knew it. We are the parents, it is our job to control EVERY situation with them. I don’t care if it is for a jacket, boots, or to stay up late, we are the boss. Sometimes we don’t want to disappoint them and make them upset, and that is ok, but they should know we rule the home; not them. Children try to battle for power; some win, some never do. I think that if you are a parent, it is your job to discipline and guide your children. We cannot possibly give them everything they want because not only are we creating spoiled, ungrateful children, then we are actually ruining their view on what life is all about.
Children need to know that in life if you want something you have to work hard at it. My children are given a weekly allowance. They must complete daily jobs around the house in order to earn their pay. At the end of the week they have the choice to spend it, or save it for something they really want. Dr. Phil once said that spoiling your children, is a form of child abuse. Although this may sound extreme to you, I actually agree. We are setting our children up for disappointment in life if we do everything they ask of us. How will they feel when they want to befriend someone that doesn’t want to befriend them? They will expect to have anything or anyone, and won’t you feel sorry for them then, when they will not get everything they want.
My parents raised us well. They bought us all the necessaties of life, rewarded us when they saw fit, and we NEVER lacked anything. My mother tells me all the time that our generation is ruining our children. Then she asked me if I ever really hated her? I thought about it (besides some Friday nights in my teenage years, I never hated my mother). She told me this, “When I would punish you, or not get you something you really wanted, I would feel bad but I never went back on my word..if it was no, it stayed no.” I thought about it and realized she was right. She didn’t raise spoiled children; we all turned out well, so she must have known what she was doing.
We love our kids, and we want the best of everything for them. We want our kids to never want, but maybe sometimes they should want something badly. Maybe sometimes they should know that they just can’t get something, for whatever reason. Try it out and you will see that they won’t hate you for putting your foot down, they will still want you as their parent; and they most definitely will still love you.
That’s my peace today!
Italian Panettone French Toast
This is a great Italian version of french toast
1 Panettone loaf (Pandora is best)
4 eggs
2/3 cup milk
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp butter for frying
Maple syrup or icing sugar and sliced fruit for topping
Slice the panettone into thick slices that resemble toast bread. Beat eggs and milk, add cinnamon. Dip each slice into mixture coating both sides. Place in heated pan with butter and fry each side for about 4 minutes. Place in a plate and sprinkle icing sugar or maple syrup and sliced fruit.
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