Week 7: Brown Sugar Blondies!

This may have been the busiest week we've yet to have.  Imagine this:

Monday - Scott staff meeting.  On my own to cook dinner with two kids.
Tuesday - Scott basketball practice.  On my own to cook dinner with two kids + me coming home from work with chills and body aches.  In bed the minute Scott came home to rescue me with soup and salad from Leo's.
Wednesday - Scott playoff game.  On my own to cook dinner with two kids.
Thursday - Valentine's Day.  Scott chaperones the after school dance.  On my own to cook dinner with two kids.
Friday - Me home sick with Evan since both of us were up most of the night with the stomach virus we can't seem to get rid of.  Scott playoff game.  Not home until 7:45pm.  On my own to cook dinner with two kids and do the bedtime process.

I'm not sure how we survived.  I had my meals planned out as usual, but with this many crazy nights and me not feeling well at all, we were lucky if there was a meal on the table for Sean.  There was a lot of improvising going on around 5pm when the mere thought of putting together something I had planned was enough to push me over the edge or make me run to the toilet.  Let's just say, the Norovirus has officially hit everyone in our family. 

By Valentine's Day on Thursday, my stomach was killing me.  I've never experienced such bad stomach pain.  Enough to stop me from eating much from Wednesday - Saturday of this week.  I guess that's one way to lose a few pounds.  But, I mustered up some strength to pull together a great V-day for my family.

We started our already busy weekday morning by letting Sean open his little basket of goodies from me and Scott.  I woke up a few minutes early to try this recipe I saw on Pinterest for Cinnamon Roll Waffles using the waffle maker.  Of course I bought the "Grands" version of Cinnamon Rolls so they weren't entirely cooked in the middle by just using the waffle maker, so I had to throw them in the oven for a few minutes.  But, they were a hit with Sean!  I mean, who can resist the yummy frosting and cinnamon gooey-ness at 6:30am??

We left the house late, as I was putting the last minute touches on the roses the boys were going to give their teachers at school.  It's amazing that I can somehow manage to walk out the door with my work bag, Evan's bottle bag, him in his carseat, Sean in another hand, and now add a bag of Sean's Valentine's, Evan's Valentine's, and a plastic juice container full of individually wrapped roses.  Oy!

After making Valentine's in Spanish in all my classes and listening to cheesy love songs at work, I came home and let Sean work on his new puzzle and open his Valentine's from school before having our annual heart shaped pizza with Scott when he got home from chaperoning the dance.  I think we were both relieved when it was bedtime for the entire family at 7:30pm.

That night, Evan was up throwing up every few hours and I was up in between those episodes visiting the bathroom.  Add in a few changes of sheets and pajamas for Evan and I might as well have pulled an all nighter.  I stayed home Friday so Evan and I could get some rest.  Luckily, the worst of it was over by the time Scott left for work.

Saturday, we all finally felt back to normal.  Scott was done coaching basketball for the season and we had our first Saturday as a family together since Christmas break.  We went to the library with the kids to work on puzzles and get new books and went out to lunch at Chili's.  Yum!

Sunday, we celebrated Scott's birthday (a week early) by going out to breakfast with his family and then going bowling.  3 kids bowling with a ramp and 7 adults...it was a busy morning!  I think Sean and AJ wore themselves out running circles around a set of lockers for the majority of the time we were there.  The "regulars" that were there practicing were probably sorry they got stuck next to us!

As for my cooking challenge this week....every day was a challenge just to make anything.  But, I was able to pull together some Brown Sugar Blondies with Valentine's M&M's on Monday evening before the virus hit me.  I knew this would be a hit with Sean since he loves M&M's and since I'd never made blondies before, I was excited for something new.

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup to 1 1/3 cup M&M's

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).

Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside. Melt 1/3 cup butter. Add 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar and mix well. Cool slightly. Add egg (beaten) and vanilla and blend well. Add flour mixture, a little at a time, mixing well. Mix in 2/3 cup M&M's. Spread in 9 x 9 x 2 inch pan. Sprinkle 1/3 to 2/3 cup M&M's on top. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

They were pretty good!  But, I still prefer brownies.  :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Ahhhh!  The day of love!  It has such a different meaning to it now as a mother.  I used to be so wrapped up in what I was getting Scott and wondered what he would be getting me.  Now, I can't wait to think of how to make these holidays special for the boys. 

I've been busy since the new year pinning ideas and getting them put together in time for tomorrow.  The boys are having a daycare party in the morning and have been working hard all week preparing for it and making their mailbox.

Sean's gift was easy to come up with since the kid has an addiction to cars.  I thought he could share his love by giving some away:

Evan's was an easy one too.  But, I kept changing my mind on whether to get the big tube of bubbles with the long wand or the cheap smaller bottles.  I figured the smaller, the better since they are all under a year old.

The boys are giving each of their teachers a red rose with some baby's breath.  I thought that was a nice gesture...teach them to be gentlemen at a young age.

Finally, we needed some arts and crafts to send to the grandparents, great-grandma, and long-distance relatives.  I waited until a Saturday when Scott was coaching as I knew doing handprints and footprints in paint would keep them occupied for a while.  I love how they turned out!  My only regret...not making one for us to keep.  At least I have some pictures.

And of course, what holiday would be complete without some themed pictures??

Happy Valentine's Day, from our family to yours!  XOXO

Week 6: Blueberry Buttermilk Breakfast Cake

As much as I'd love to say we survived another week of everyone happy and healthy like last week's blog, our household got slammed with the infamous Norovirus starting Tuesday.  I got the call that Sean needed to be picked up after having vomited twice at daycare.  It was only 10:00am at that point. 

And so it all began.

Tuesday was Sean.  Wednesday was Evan.  Thursday was Sean again.  Friday was Evan again.  Somehow Scott and I remained untouched by this nasty bug.  Thank God for Bubble Guppies, lots of movies, and Pedialyte. 

On a positive note, Friday was another snow day!!  The kids were well enough, despite getting over the virus, to bundle up and head outside to enjoy the fresh snow for a half hour.  Neither one had a fever, so we were getting out the house.  It was a beautiful day.  Sunny and mild, all considering we just got 4 inches of snow.  Evan finally got some use out of his snow suit daycare claimed he needed.  Life was good.

Later in the day, I made a huge pot of my favorite Chili, a recipe from Pinterest of course.  We spent the afternoon watching The Lion King and just trying to keep everyone content.

Saturday, Scott coached in the morning and early afternoon.  When he got home, my parents came over with a carry-out from PF Changs since everyone seemed to be on the mend.  No vomiting, back to eating like normal, and even up for a Valentine's photo shoot take 2.

Scott and my dad got right to business brewing some of Scott's homemade beer that he got as a kit from Christmas.  It was some kind of Chocolate flavored beer so the house smelled absolutely wonderful as it was on the stove for a few hours.  Can you imagine my dad and Scott hovering over a stove for several hours?  Nope?  Me neither.  Well, here's some proof.

My parents helped put the boys to bed and offered to stick around for a few hours so we could go out and grab a couple of drinks with some friends who came out to our area at Hermann's in Old Downtown.  Love these opportunities to escape for a bit, while still getting to wake up to my babies in the morning!

So, I woke up ready for an exciting day packed with Elmo Live and equipped with a great recipe for a Blueberry Buttermilk Breakfast Cake.  Yum!

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tsp. lemon zest or more — zest from 1 large lemon
7/8 cup* + 1 tablespoon sugar**
1 egg, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour (set aside 1/4 cup of this to toss with the blueberries)
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 cups fresh blueberries
½ cup buttermilk***
* 7/8 cup = 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons
** This 1 tablespoon is for sprinkling on top

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cream butter with lemon zest and 7/8 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Meanwhile, toss the blueberries with ¼ cup of flour, then whisk together the remaining flour, baking powder and salt.

3. Add the flour mixture to the batter a little at a time, alternating with the buttermilk. Fold in the blueberries.
4. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan (or something similar) with butter or coat with non-stick spray. Spread batter into pan. Sprinkle batter with remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes. Check with a toothpick for doneness. If necessary, return pan to oven for a couple of more minutes. (Note: Baking for as long as 10 minutes more might be necessary.) Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

It was perfect!  For once, a breakfast recipe that didn't have to take longer than what the recipe called for.  All my french toast recipes and egg bakes always seem to take longer than the times posted because it's too runny.  This one was just like a cake.  Moist, but still together.  Yum!  Too bad I was the only one to enjoy this cake since Scott came down with the dreaded stomach bug Sunday in the wee hours of the morning...