Hey Diddle Diddle. Rich environments count!

Blogging Backwards....


Character day at Madison's Preschool

Im sure this day was more for the parents that the kids.

Here are some highlights.

Madison was Hey Diddle Diddle - The cat and the fiddle

Enjoy!

( Of course I made hey diddle diddle cup cakes! What did you think?! ------Sweet Cornbread cupcakes with honey buttercream frosting. From scratch.)

Follow your bliss! Cinnamon Mini Donuts

There are many people out there who scoff at a mother with a blog..They turn up their modern noses, too much time on your hands they say....true or false?? I dont know. I sometimes wonder how much of our time we use for us though.

 While Im sure it is super hard for many moms to find a minute, I do know that im a full time mom and wife and a teacher. I've cleaned and cooked sunday dinner and played elmos got the moves,  done mail correspondence and finalized a business deal all in one day and Im now here blogging after having baked treats. Im always working on personal projects ...My toddler thinks that we should SEIZE THE DAY , and so my "free" time is kinda limited. But I know that we live only once in this body..and we should make the most of it.

I read something today that moved me - FOLLOW YOUR BLISS!
That is powerful. Do what makes you happy. Make time for you. Or forever be bitter and scoffy.

I used to wanna grow up to be a power everything. But now I wanna be wise enough to realize what really counts. The more professional women get the more we are realizing that we just wanna be "women" Go figure.

With that said. What makes me smile? Baking little treats. Just the act alone is calming.

You know how all the cute stuff in the catalogs look great and you order them and then when they come they take up space in your cupboards and shelves?


  Well not so with my mini donut baking pan. I ordered it from Avon earlier this year - they have great baking goodies.  And so when the November calender on my baby's preschool calender said that it was someone's birthday on Monday, I thought what better way to start the week than to make some mini donuts to sugar rush all the kiddies on the birthday boy's day.

  Given that the recipe for the donuts that came in the box with the tray called for three eggs!!!, I figured um..let me find one online that only called for one. And all the other ingredients were in the cupboards.
And that I did.

Here are the results! Great mini donuts, with fall spices. Small enough for little tots and just enough sugar to make them feel like they are getting away with something we would normally take away.

Enjoy!


Baked Mini Donuts with Cinnamon sugar glaze.

Ingredients

---

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• About 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• About 1/2 cup melted butter or margarine
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

How to:

---

• In a bowl, mix flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.
• In another bowl, beat egg to blend with milk, 1/4 cup melted butter, and vanilla. Add flour mixture and stir just to moisten.
• Spoon into well-greased mini muffin tins.
• Bake in a 350-degree oven until golden, about 15 minutes.
• Mix 1/3 cup sugar and cinnamon. Brush doughnut tops with 3 Tablespoons melted butter and roll in sugar/cinnamon.
• Serve warm or cool. If making ahead, cool, then store airtight up to 2 days.
• Makes: about 2 dozen.

Here are all of my ingredients laid out for easy reach. Including the flour mixture assembled.

Next I got the moist part of the mixture going. ( I blended it..I cheated...the butter was taking to long to un clump lol)

iI had to add a splash of milk to moisten the batter a bit more. It did the trick as the first pic shows it was stiff. You can try that,
And then placed it into the ziplock baggie as a make shift pastry bag.

NOTE: DO NOT USE A ZIPLOCK BAG. EITHER USE A PASTRY BAG OR A DURABLE PLASTIC STORAGE BAG THAT YOU CAN TIE!!! :-) I wish someone told me that. I definitely would not have had so much trouble.

The batter is kind of hard to maneuver into those donut holes. You've been warned. Practice makes perfect.

Now that the donut pan has been greased well and filled with the mixture. I popped it into the oven for about 10-15 minutes. You know your oven.

Lastly I warmed some butter and rubbed the tops of the donuts onto some warm melted butter. Then took them straight to the cinnamon and sugar mixture and rolled it in there.


The result sweet, soft, non-greasy mini donuts, with a fine glaze of sugar and cinnamon.

Placed in an airtight container so they stay soft for the tots. Maybe their teacher can give them a half of one each because these sweeties are sure gonna make their day! :-)

Superwomen!

How do Mom's do it?

They're part alien thats how. Im sure God knew that we could survive no other way than to be made part alien.  We are definitely of a separate type of dust than men.

We carry another human being in our body for nine months and nurture them for goodness sake..and then the miracle of bringing a child into the world is an awesome and unreal thing for such "civilized creatures!!!

The Best thing that ever came out of Beyonce's mouth was when she said " strong enough to bear the children..then get back to business"...well actually she said 'bidness'...but us moms..we know how to decipher all types of babble....


I have to say that we often take for granted the well dressed mom that is punctual, kids are well dressed, she is organized and doesn't have a load of bags under her eyes and she is actually involved in her own personal pursuits and holds down a job and takes care of things at home too..WOW!!!! THATS A SUPERWOMAN.

Mothering is hard work for those who care enough to do it right, and for those that mother by default it is still quite a task...And I'm not even talking about raising them with morals and self esteem yet..that's a whole 'nother supernatural endeavour.

My days often involve getting up...hitting snooze twice, getting ready for work, making a morning bottle and ironing clothes..driving to drop off my baby girl, making sure I talk to her teacher about whats going on, speeding to work, burning tons of calories teaching and tearing my hair out in my classroom and trying to redirect energies of the drama in the workplace...get back home..breathe for 1 second - Literally....( half an inhale), and then play with the baby, surf the net  - if im lucky.  cook dinner, and then get her ready for bed...pack her bags and her lunch...by the time that I get to actually breathe and relax its like 12 a.m. and I've gotta do it all over again.

I'm not doing an all out tribute to "Baby Mamas" like fantasia..cuz youve gotta be REALLLLLLLY  a super woman or mildly crazy to have alot of kids without live in help or a married  or serious partner to assist. But this is a tribute to mothers everyone to say that I SALUTE YOU!!!!!!! I recognize that we do way more than people will ever realize having to work and do the home job.

SUPERWOMEN everywhere.....You rock!

Now back to "bidness". Word of the day Beyonce...for sure. :-)

Count it up to my karmic calories...cakies!

Vacation time for a working mother often means a long list of plans of what you wanna do that you never get to do.

• nurture a plant
• go to the beach at least once a week and relax to the sound of the ocean
• go in the pool
• read a good book
• start a new hobby

etc....well these were things on my list....so what have i done with those things?


 ummmmm nothing. I did conduct a summer camp though so that beats all..lol

But hey, the summer is not over and I have time to do those things as well as create more to accomplish.


Here is one thing I was glad to accomplish.  I made cookies for my Madi's summer nursery pals!!!

Let's be honest..they wont even remember this..and theyre too young for me to be the "cool mom", but
it really made me feel good!

Motherhood is awesome, and its never too early to begin traditions.

I present to you like minded mommas a recipe shared by a good friend of mine, that I gave to all the little sweeties. Enjoy the pics and the recipes!

If Karma is still in the rewarding business then I'm sure my sweet treat is on the way....

  not because I deserve it....but because the person will enjoy doing it for me., by nature of who they are, just because they're awesome, and they realize how special it is to be apart of my world..as i realize with my baby and these little ones.

Oooey Gooey oh so good butter cakies!!

I like this recipe because it is soft for little toddlers to handle, especially with my Madi in mind since her teeth haven't all come in.  The cookies have a cake like texture, and are free of nuts and chocolate that could fuel allergies.

Wanna try it?

Here's my recipe.

Get these! your brands of choice
an egg, 8oz.cream cheese, stick of butter, sprinkles. yellow cake mix, confectioners or powdered sugar
and  pure vanilla extract

Until it looks like so.

It will have somewhat of a sticky texture.  no worries. Cover it with foil and place it in the freezer for 2 or 2.5 hours.

When you take it out. begin preheating our oven to 300-350 degrees, I used the lowest setting to avoid burning them.

Now.....go ahead and Slap it with a spoon..lol..yes I said slap it..and see if anything comes off on the spoon.

like this:

I slapped that batter like Tami did to Meka on Basketball Wives!

HAHHAHHAAA :-D

It didnt fight back! When yours does the same you know its for enough ad ready for baking

Now  roll them into one inch balls and then sprinkle each one with the confectioners/powdered sugar. It will get a little sticky if the weather is warm or humid. My technique was to do it fast and rinse my hands with cold water every now n then for a smooth clean surface to roll with.

It should look like this.:

Then pop em in the oven. Like this:

Well of course this was during baking...we have one very wayward cakie!


After about 7-10 minutes, check them to see if a fork poked int he middle comes out clean or the tops are  a little more golden (not brown) and to see if they are firm.
Cooking times will vary. 


Here they are all done and so nice!!!!!!

To you

From me!

Semi Homemade - 1ST BIRTHDAY ( zebra diva safari)

  What a rush!


There is no joy like planning your baby's 1st birthday party.

 Of course I had to make it personal, fun and chic.


Everyone says that the 1st birthday party is all for the parents and kids dont know what's going on. Well I say, I've given her memories that will last a lifetime. What better way to be able to look back at her 1st birthday party when she is older, than in Zebra and Pink, Diva Safari Style.

I did all the details - the party pics in the cupcakes, the labels, the banners, the glittered clothespins, the marshmallow pops, zebra display boxes....etc....I've been busy! But it was all worth it!
 At the end of the day. like any party where things are out of your contorl, I had disappointments.

It rained - But the sun came out just before everyone arrived, and in enough time for me to get all the decorations out after the wind!!!! yay!

  I ordered and paid for my baby;s tutu outfit months in advance. The seamstresss told me she wanted me to pay upfront so she could start right away. And everytime I asked she said it was coming along fine..... only to have to wait til the day before her party to get her items because 2 days prior she was just trying to throw together the skirt, shirt not done, and the headpiece and skirt were NOTHING like what i showed her and pics I gave her. Can we say never again ??



. This means she couldnt have her professional pics taken for her album. or for it to be out at the party for guests to sign like I had pictured for so long. I WAS STEAMED! 


Anyway...scerrch! Moving right along. ( I don't wanna get miffed again.)

Madison looked lovely and felt like a princess in her tutu. She smiled when she put it on and went waltzing into the living room for grandma to seee. :-D



  Hope you guys enjoy the pics at least half as much as we enjoyed celebrating.  All in all it turned out well because my guests all made it, and didnt let me down even though it rained earlier. And Madison had a greaaaat time!



ENJOY!!!!

TU-TU Cute Cake pops, Super Safari Sugar Cookie, Cake and Smash Cake- Cindy Degregory - Take the Cake Bakery
Decorations: Banner, cupcake toppers, labels, water bottles - Mom ( that's me)
Food - Mom
Outfit and headband - Baby Boom Bahamas

Ooooh Lala!

What a lovely Day!

  A little shampoo and suds around the toes can really invigorate a lady!

  I spent an awesome day at La Belle Beauty Salon and also at the Spa.

  First I got my hair done up. It was so wonderful to sit down and just get my hair done! Simple pleasures are appreciated so much more when you are a working mother!

  My spa experience had to have been THE highlight of my day.
 
   After my husband so graciously rang my phone wondering when I would get home so that he could go to play his Sunday game, I wondered aloud to myself.  Didnt he know it was Me day?

  I went to La Spa at Labelle and patiently waited on my appointment while a lady and her adorable 4 year old went in for mother and daughter pedicures. Listening to her excitement and restlessness was sheer comedy and chicken soup for my soul. :"The flower is tooooo small" she told the lady doing her pedicures. She was afraid her friends at swimming wouldn't be able to see it.  LOL!

  After waiting and having her come out and show me her awesome sparkly blue toes, I contemplated when I would take my little sugar dumplin' with me to get a pedi. :-)

  Once I sat in the chair and got that ooohhhhh so yummy warm neck roll, plunged my feet into a tub of warm brilliant blue water, and felt the vibrating massage of the comfy leather chair on my back...I felt soooooooooooooooo at ease and relaxed.

I plopped down and exchanged pleasantries with the "pedicurist" Tina ( I used that name because I am not sre of the true title) and then opened the latest edition of O magazine and got lost in the asian recipes and latest beauty miracles.

  " Are you O.K Dale?" She asked. " Would you like some tea?"  WOW!!!! I love tea. But I had to hide my excitement and politely asked for the choices and decided on some green tea. Ahhhhhhhh - the simple pleasures!!!!!


She bought it in for me and it was just the right temperature and just the right sugar.

 
  The calming sounds of the spa music playing and the water bubbling around my feet below me, coupled with her expert pedicure skills and my magazine!!!...welllll.....I was just having one of theeee absolute best half hours!

  After some time, I began asking her some beauty advice and she graciously obliged.

  I really appreciated that she had given me the time to unwind and knew that tea would have been a great compliment to the service and still was very friendly in talking to me about beauty treatments.

  Later on we shared conversation about our daughters, school, nail polish, beauty products, names, birthday parties and astrological signs.
 
  By the time I left I had shown her some of my party crafts and told her about the ocean of secrets in my purse. LOL
  She was absolutely wonderful!!! If you see her tell her I said so.

  What a wonderful day to spend an afternoon.

  Some people need roses, a lear jet, champagne, brunch, diamonds, ...etc.... But that me time was priceless for me.

  I left the plaza a few hundred dollars short of how I came in , hair - 18 inches of blown out highlighted remi, feet smooth and french manicured, hands trendy in OPI shattered polish  and a large exfoliating milk and honey spa scrub in hand.


 









But it was so worth it.


I came back home a less stressed wife and mom. And felt so happy that my mother took the time out of her day to stay with my baby girl while I was out being made to remember the joys of femininity.


 

Bring home the bacon...I mean fish.

  So whatd'ya know!
  My husband is a Wild Seaman!

  Well, he fishes real well! - I wonder if that's a word - fishes...I mean we dont pluralize the noun so why should we pluralize the verb? Smt...

So anyway - He went fishing and bought back a really huuge Gray tailed Snapper and a pair of delicious looking yellow tailed snappers that were just right size for plating and making a great meal.

What kind of 'oman would I be if I didnt serve them up with the utmost taste and in diligence and due course? (lmao)

I made the larrrrrrrge grey snapper into a stuffed baked dish with red potatoes and a salad..only to discover there was no salad dressing that old dumb refridgerator....so what did I do? MAKE MY OWN ..! Yaaay.

Here's my end result. Hope you try the recipe s yourself and enjoy. Siskel and Ebert (Husband) enjoyed it.



Baked Snapper, herbed red potatoes,  Red and green romaice and tomato tossed salad and steamed buttered edamame soy beans ( fav!)

\

Baked Stuffed Snapper  

( Shut the front door snapper!)     :-)

Ingredients:  ( Get yer tings tagedda)


Da fish - throughly cleaned and scaled.
Couple slices of bread ( I used whole wheat - the ends and regular pieces grated to about 2-2.5 cups)
1 cup pf Kerigold butter ( softened)
1/2 cup onion ( chopped really fine)
1 clove of garlic mashed and chopped
1/2 cup of lemon juice ( freshly squeezed from a lemon of course - hate that bottled junk)
2 tbls minced parsley
2 tbls minced thyme
Any other herbs of your choice that you think would be delightful
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed pepper ( or more if you like it extra hot)
1/2 cup of hot water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
PRE- PREP - - Using a very sharp knife, score the fish with two diagonal slices on each of its sides. Mix together some salt and red or crushed pepper with lime or lemon ( not specific measurements for this - you have to kinda mix it together with your own discretion) and SPARINGLY rub the seasoning into the scores. You DONT  want to season it alot like this because the stuffing seasoning will go a looooooong way. Too much pre prep seasoning will make it salty and spoil it all.

Now...
Grate the bread with the fine settings on the grater. Measure them into a bowl.  Then prepare and set out all of your ingredients.
 Heat butter in large non stick frying pan and add onion cooking slowly until onion is soft.  Then add garlic and simmer for a minute or two, stirring occasionally.
  Add to crumbs with a mixture of lemon juice, parsley, salt, pepper ( herbs), then slowly add in your hot water to the consistency you want the stuffing to be. ( Too much at once may make it soggy)
 Mix thoroughly.
  Pile stuffing into the  inside cavity of the poor fish, and then use toothpicks to close it all up. ( Before licking the yummy stuffing off your fingers please remember this is raw fish).
  Line a 13 by 9 inch pan with foil and then place the fish in there.
  Brush the fish with some E.V.O - extra virgin olive oil - keep it healthy.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35- 60 minutes depending on the size of fish.
I did about 40 minutes.

There was so much stuffing some leaked out - which is what you see around the fish.
Soooo juicy and delish!
Sorry no fancy smanshy plating.


The lemony goodness and the potency of the herbs were DIVINE!
This gets a thumbs up from me.

  For the salad dressing I just got about 2 cloves of garlic - chopped them and then mashed them with spoon with a tiny bit of salt and pepper, and then added some olive oil and splashes of lemon juice straight from a lemon.

 Shake vigourously to blend and then pour over salad. DIVINE!

Here's a recipe if you want to try it yourself. You will not want bottled dressing anymore!  And soo healthy.

•                                              Lemony Garlic Salad dressing
• 
  
• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp.dry mustard

So...maybe you can ask you significant other to take you fishing so that you guys can catch a fresh fish together and try the recipe together as well. :-) 

Happy bellies!

  See ya next time - try it and let me know how it turns out guys.