Tasty Tuesday

Since it is WAY TOO HOT to cook around here, I thought I would share a new favorite snack of ours. It always seems like I am at the grocery store just before lunch, and of course the kids beg for candy the whole time. I hate giving them junk food and ruining their lunch, so I am always looking for something better for them. Last time we were there, I found yogurt covered raisins in the bulk food section, and the kids LOVE them. They think they are getting candy and I don't have to feel so bad if they don't eat as much lunch when we get home.

Tasty Tuesday - Zucchini Pizza

Zucchini Pizza

Zucchini is one of those vegetables that anyone can grow and if you try to, you always get WAY more than you need! Mine has started producing its overabundance, so I am looking for ways to use it up. Last year I came across this great zucchini pizza recipe. It is a good way to get your kids to eat zucchini, my kids LOVE it!

Ingredients:
4 cups shredded peeled zucchini, drained and squeezed dry
2 cups cooked rice
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1-1/2 cups prepared spaghetti sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
Directions: In a bowl, combine zucchini, rice, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and eggs until well blended. Press mixture into a greased 15-in. x 11-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until the crust is set and lightly browned. Meanwhile, brown ground beef and onion; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce, oregano and salt. Mix well. Spoon beef mixture over zucchini crust. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Hope you like it as much as my kids do! Enjoy!

Milestone Update!

L decided that he didn't like my last post about him not moving forward yet and started doing that today! It's just on his tummy and he pulls himself forward with his arms, but I think he will soon figure out that it is easier on his hands and knees! Time to start the babyproofing again!

More Milestones!

My little L hit a couple more milestones this week. First he managed to push himself from his tummy into a sitting position! He's only done it once and it took a while, so I don't know if he will keep doing it too much yet. And on Friday his first tooth finally popped through! I do have to say that I wish all babies were as good as him, he was not cranky at all! In fact, the only difference in him that I notice when he gets shots, is teething, gets sick, etc is to sleep more than usually! (But all you other moms out there don't have to be too jealous, I put in more than my fair share of time with cranky kids with my older two, even when they weren't teething or sick!) L is still getting up on his hands and knees all the time, but no crawling yet, at least not forward, he pushes himself backwards pretty well and rolls everywhere! He's just growing too fast!

This Week

Here's a little of what we have been working on this week:

I got 21 quarts of cherries canned. We headed out to my grandpa's to pick the cherries on Wed evening. Of course, as soon as we got there it decided to downpour. But had picked up pizza on the way and we ate that while waiting for the rain to pass. I forgot my camera, but the kids had a great time because the branches were hanging so low they could reach a lot of them. We got 5 buckets (old ice cream tubs) full of Bings, and one of pie cherries. I've never made cherry pie before, but I think it turned out pretty good!

Tasty Tuesday - Chocolate Dessert With Raspberry Sauce

Since raspberry season is in full swing around here, I thought I would share another of my favorite raspberry recipes, chocolate dessert with raspberry sauce. This is so easy to make, but looks and tastes like a fancy dessert you could get at a restaurant. So if you are not a great cook, but really want to impress your dinner guests, give this a try!

Ingredients:
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup butter
5 eggs
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (amount is correct)
RASPBERRY SAUCE:
2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries, whole, unsweetened
1-3/4 cups water
1/4 cup sugar
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
Whipped cream (Made with fresh cream from Twin Brook Creamery, of course!)
Whole, fresh raspberries to garnish
Directions: Line bottom of a 9-in. springform pan with parchment paper; set aside. Place chocolate and butter in top of double boiler. Bring water to boil; reduce heat and stir chocolate until melted. In a large bowl, beat eggs for 2 minutes. Slowly add chocolate mixture to eggs, beating at medium speed about 10 minutes. Blend in sugar and flour just until mixed. Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes (cake will not be set in the middle). Chill. For the sauce, combine raspberries, 1-3/4 cups water and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Put through sieve; discard the seeds. Add water if needed to make 2 cups juice. Combine cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water in small bowl; stir until smooth. Add cornstarch mixture to raspberry mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; cook and stir 1 minute more. Remove from heat; cool. To serve, spoon about 2 tablespoons sauce on each dessert plate; place a thin wedge of chocolate dessert on sauce. Garnish with whipped cream and reserved raspberries.

Linked to: Smockity Frocks

Look What L is Learning Lately

My little L turned seven months old yesterday and he is really getting good at sitting. I still put some pillows around him in case he falls over, but he sits by himself for quite a while now.

And in the last couple days, he has really been working at doing this:

I think we might have a crawler pretty soon!

Beach Bums

Yesterday we headed out to Larrabee State Park with Grandma, Oma, Auntie M and the cousins to go see the tide pools and starfish. When we got there however, we found out we should have checked the tide schedule because it was all the way in and we really didn't get to see any animals. But the kids still had fun playing together, digging in the sand, and posing for pictures.