Defining Today
10–Making Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins with two little helpers –This recipe* is from Deceptively Delicious, which I just checked out from the library. It helps you figure out how to hide veggies in just about anything! Love that concept–
9–Figuring out that a single Smartie is a great bribe! I got the toys picked up and the floor Dustbusted with little prompting and no stress
8–Abbey, the decrepit daschund going home!!
7–Having my mother-in-law invite us over for lunch=no work for me and deliciously filled bellies!
7 1/2–Staying too long at their house + a cat = one sick mama. Thank goodness for a husband who understands and makes me lie down while he does kidlet duty
6–Hiding under the desk with an 18 month old is great fun
5–Realizing I can solve the problem of Brielle opening the door to the porch and constantly bringing in all the hats, mittens, scarves and boots and further cluttering up the house thereby driving be Ab.so.lute.ly Batty by stowing all the winter gear in the summer kitchen
5 1/2–Hitting my forehead that I didn’t think of that two weeks ago when she first learned how to open the door to the front porch.
4–Staying the night with Grandma for the three year old
3–Reading my new Wondertime cover to cover while DH puts one year old to bed
2–My new maternity jeans because I’m not having to constantly tug at and pull up again, and they provide a view I like from the back!
1–Watching our favorite show snuggled up under my childhood Hollie Hobbie quilt
*This Recipe:
Kevin loved these too and was incredulous they had carrots in them. I’d double the recipe next time.
1/2 c natural peanut butter
1/2 c carrot puree
1/2 c brown sugar
2 T butter (the recipe asks for trans-fat-free soft tub margarine spread, but I don’t believe in it)
1/2 c sour cream (the recipe calls for nonfat plain yogurt but I didn’t have any)
1 large egg white (but I used the whole egg)
1 c flour
1 t baking powder (which as I type this, I realize I forgot)
1 t baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 c low sugar strawberry, blueberry, or grape preserves (but I used regular old jelly, we did 1/2 pink and 1/2 purple)
1–preheat oven to 350º. Line a 12 cup muffin tin w/ baking cups or use cooking spray.
2– beat pb, carrot, sugar & butter. Add sour cream & egg.
3–add flour, bp, bs, & salt. Mix just til combined.
4–drop batter into muffin cups. Top w/ a dollop of jelly.
5–bake about 20-25 minutes. Turn out onto a rack to cool. Be extremely careful, I burned my finger on the scalding jelly and it still hurts! Also the jelly sort of ran out all over the top of my pan. If you actually make this and find a tip for containing it, let me know, will ya?
6–store in airtight container for a few days (if they last that long; I think we have 5 left!) or wrap individually and freeze for up to a month.
Why do recipes always say, “in a large bowl” Do they think you are going to try to make your muffin mix on the counter top?
great list…
My daughter got that cookbook for Christmas and loves it. It is more to get her husband to eat veggies than her kids.
I just finished reading your article in the Country magazine and found it so enjoyable to read. What a great story to share with others! What a great tradition to continue with your children of being raised on the family farm for the sixth generation! That is terrific. Reading your article reminded me of when my family was out in Iowa about a year and half ago when my daughter was looking at the University of Iowa. We certainly enjoyed the scenery and college. She eventually choose the University of Kansas but it was between Kansas and Iowa. We are from Pennsylvania but she just fell in love with the Midwest. She loves Kansas and the friendships she has made there. Her freshmen year is so far going great. All my best to you and your family and for a healthy new baby! God bless. Peace, Susan
The muffins sound really good!
It’s amazing what the desire for a piece of candy will produce from a child. Judah will almost stop throwing himself around while I cut his hair if I give him a lollipop. Almost.
I am so envious (but really happy for you too) that you found maternity jeans you don’t have to tug on. I couldn’t find a pair like that to save my life. I nearly lost my mind with all the yanking on my pants.
-Andrea
If you are having issues with your pants coming down, go to babycenter.com and order a bella band. BEST piece of maternity wear that I ever got. It is like a tube top for your tummy, and it holds up both too big maternity pants and unzipped too small normal pants. That thing was a total lifesaver for me!
PS- Let us know if the recipes in that book are actually yummy or not!
congratulations on the new baby-on-the-way! i’ve only found ONE good pair of maternity pants that TRULY were not annoying- only ONE in four pregnancies!
we looove little bribes in this house! the smallest thing is such a big thing to little ones!
i’ve heard about that cookbook- a lot of my friends like it.
Megan
I think I will need to go out and get some smarties for bribing my little ones!
Thanks for the heads up! 🙂
I bought this cookbook and have made almost everything in it. Love it!! I have all the ingredients to make the muffins for my daughter’s class. I’m glad you like them.
Another tip for the maternity pants. I took my child’s mittens clips. You know the kind with the clips on each end and elastic in the middle. I clipped them to my pants and bra. Kept my pants up!! It was great!