The Newfangled Housewife: March 2014

2014

13/52

6:00 AM

" A portrait of my child, once a week, every week in 2014. "
My dad is visiting this week and we got to take him to the Cubs vs. White Sox spring training game. Michael loved being at the ball game with his Papa. After getting ice cream, pistachios (we brought them in place of peanuts), and popcorn, the boy was set. Did I mention Papa bought him the shirt and the hat? He's trying to bread a Cubs fan, considering when the See You There crowd was here we were rooting for the Giants. Sadly, I think Clark is stuck on rooting for the Giants. Something about the Cubs and my first game being at Rigley field, though, has me hoping that Michael might just root for both of them.

Part of Practising Simplicity's 52 Project.

Coconut

Coconut Muffins

6:00 AM

Here in AZ it's already hitting the upper 80s. Last month we even hit 90, though it's gone done and up again since then. When it's so hot, I don't necessarily feel like baking. I feel more like having fruit and, well, ice cream.

But Michael loves to cook, and he misses it. Juicing and making smoothies doesn't always cut it, and the other day he specifically asked for muffins. I've had this big bag of coconut flakes for a while because I only needed a little bit for a previous recipe and haven't needed it since. Then I thought, what would be better than coconut muffins?

These are super easy to make, and even easier to alter to make them vegan! I was worried Michael wouldn't like them if he saw the coconut sprinkled on top, but I went for it anyway. And wouldn't you know it, he ate two of them (over the course of a day, any way).

Ingredients:

- 1/4 C coconut oil, melted
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 C milk
- 1/2 C sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 C unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 C whole wheat flour
- 1 C sweetened coconut, plus extra for sprinkling

Vegan option:

- Use 1/2 C of Coconut Milk
- Nix the egg and add an extra 1/4 C of coconut oil.

Directions:

- Preheat your oven to 350 and prepare your muffin tin with liners/cooking spray.
- Whisk together your coconut oil, egg, vanilla, and milk in a large bowl.
- Add your sugar, salt, baking powder, and flour to your wet mix. Stir until well combined.
- Fold in your coconut. If you want to, you can also add chocolate/ white chocolate chips!
- Scoop your mix into your muffin tin, filling each hole about 2/3rds full. If desired, sprinkle extra coconut on top of your muffins.

- Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, depending on your oven.
- Remove to cooling rack and let sit for a few minutes before enjoying. These are so easy and wonderful to make when you have company or just want a treat!

My favorite things about these muffins is the flavor was just perfect, and they're so moist! My oven has the tendency to overcook things, and even though a couple of them got a little browner than I'd like on the outside, it didn't keep them from being perfect in the middle.

Recipe adapted from Easy Indian Recipes.

2014

Hot Air Balloons

6:00 AM

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have noticed since we moved here that I'm pretty obsessed with hot air balloons.

I'm pretty sure we live by a launch site, or just a place in general that you can take hot air balloon rides. I've done a little research, and I'm not sure going on a ride is in our future as of right now, but they are sure fun to look at.

Saturday morning Michael and I were up really early, and both rather grumpy. He didn't want to play outside. He didn't want to do puzzles, or color, or anything. We weren't very sure how we were going to start our day.

And then he spotted a balloon.

Then another.

Somehow, these things manage to just cheer us up every time we see them. We sat in the backyard and watched them come closer, and closer, and then disappear in a different direction behind the neighborhood houses.

It's magical.

From then on, our day picked up, which was wonderful. It was like we just needed a little reminder from God that it was going to be ok, and that's what the hot air balloons always seem to do.

2014

12/52

6:00 AM

" A portrait of my child, once a week, every week in 2014. "
This week we had our first pool day, which just happened to fall on the first day of spring. Right now we haven't made any local friends with kids his age, but he gets along beautifully with little Grant. We had such a wonderful afternoon with friends, something we had clearly been lacking. It was truly a God-send when I was linked up with Jacquie for the first Cara Box I did through Wifessionals.

Part of Practising Simplicity's 52 Project.

Around the House

How does your garden grow?

6:00 AM

Happy First Day of Spring!

When we moved into our rental, the first thing we noticed was our backyard was more dirt than grass. You may recall my previous post that touched on this.

Well, when Clark was home we decided we needed to change a few things. I told him I needed something to do since Michael and I were spending countless hours outside. So to Lowe's we went. We got a lime tree to plant, some flowers, and then my sister gave me sunflower seeds from her own harvest to plant. We also designated an area for Michael's garden. He picked out strawberries and lettuce to grow. (I'm doubting he'll even eat the lettuce.)

But the first evening after planting Clark experimented with our sprinkler system, and we were a bit afraid he had drowned everything. The waiting has been rather horrible. BUT GUESS WHAT?! The lettuce is beginning to grow in Michael's garden, and five of my sunflowers have broken ground. Still no sign of the strawberries, or the rest of my sunflowers... I'm staying hopeful!

I never thought I had a green thumb, but I love having the task of taking care of my garden daily. Michael won't let me forget, either, seeing as how his favorite thing to do every day is get his watering can (thanks, Target) and water his little garden.

The great thing about Arizona (WOO HOO, a positive!) is that we can keep our plants going all year round. The hibiscus can be planted in the ground and, odds are, by the time my sunflowers actually start to bloom, I can keep them blooming year round.

Oh. In case you were wondering. Our grass situation is still on the dirt side of things. We should be planting grass in about a month, something I am looking forward to very impatiently!

I should mention that when my mom was here, she said, "You need flowers."

Yeah. She was right.

Arizona

boy: n. a noise with dirt on it.

10:38 PM

Can I be honest with you about something? Is this a safe space?

I'm really tired of dirt.

Our backyard doesn't have winter grass, a thing in Arizona, so right now it's pretty much dirt, dust, and more dirt.

Michael attracts dirt.

He lays in it, plays with it, throws it, considers eating it, and when the day is done it's everywhere.

I mean everywhere.

It's underneath his fingernails, in between his fingers, behind his ears, and up his nose. It's in his shoes and all over his shirt, and without fail it walks into our house.

Obviously.

And when we are outside, even if I'm sitting on the concrete slab that south- westerners call a back porch, doing my best to steer clear, it gets all over me, too.

It's not just becauae of Michael, but Luna, too. Luna, who likes to drop her slobbery, dirt-soaked ball at on my feet or rub it on my legs until I try to pull it from her. Or she likes to try and eat the few patches of grass and when I tell her not to she comes and wipes her mouth all over me because she wants some loving.

Don't take this the wrong way. I love Luna, and clearly I love Michael.

I love when Michael says, "Come on, Mama! Come play tractors with me," or, "Mama? Come on the train tracks, Mama!"

(The train tracks are made of the stone that outlines our yard and separates it from rocks.)

My favorite is when he runs to me and says, "I hold you!" Because at the moment he thinks everything that flies is a bee, and they scare him. He locks his arms around my neck and buries his head into my shoulder until I assure him the bee (fly, gnat, dust) is gone.

But I'm so tired of being covered in dirt.

Breakfast

Zucchini Tots

6:00 AM

I've been trying really hard to get Michael to try new foods. It's possible there's been ~~bribery~~ sweet incentives involved, but I think I'm OK with that. Very rarely does Michael like to try new things unless it involves the words cheese, chocolate, or fruit. Anything with meat? Forget it. He only eats tuna. Not saying there's anything wrong with that, and I'm definitely not forcing anything on him, but sometimes it gets tiring making dinner only to have him eat black beans, tuna, or a grilled cheese.

The other night we had breakfast for dinner, and I had been dying to try out this recipe. With a few alterations of my own, they were a big hit. After offering Michael a sort of "reward" for trying one bite... he ate three of them. I'd call that a success.

Ingredients:

- 1 C grated zucchini with or without skin. (About 1 large zucchini.)
- 1/4 C Parmesan or cheddar cheese (You can use any kind of cheese, including a cheese that isn't cheese ;), but thus far these are the two I've tried)

- 1/4 C breadcrumbs (I used Panko)
- 1/4 of an onion, diced (I used white, but sweet onion works really well, too!)
- 1 egg or egg substitute

Optional spices:

- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/4 tsp rosemary
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/8 to 1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

- Grate your zucchini and squeeze all the extra moisture out of it by placing it in a towel (like you would with frozen spinach). Make sure you really get rid of all the extra liquid. If you don't, the tots will be moist in the middle and you don't want that!
- Preheat your oven to 400 and spray a mini muffin tin with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Mix together all your ingredients in a large bowl.

- Using a cookie scoop or spoon, fill each hole around 1/2 to 3/4 full. Press down with a fork to even out the tops.

- Cook for 15 to 18 minutes, checking on them after 15 and going from there. This all depends on how crispy you like them, just make sure you don't burn them! (Unless that's your taste, of course.)

Oh, and HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY! Only fitting I give you a green recipe for the day, right?

2014

11/52

6:00 AM

" A portrait of my child, once a week, every week in 2014. "
Michael's new favorite thing is to water his garden, my flowers, and our newly planted lime tree. He also likes to tell me to put my camera away, hence the iPhone shot again.

Part of Practising Simplicity's 52 Project.

Arizona

"See You There" in Arizona

6:00 AM

One reason I'm so thankful for our move is we're clearly in a prime spot for family to visit right now. I mean, they're all facing snow... and here we are in our own little oasis.

At the end of February/beginning of March my sister from See You There and her family came to visit. We had the best time possible. I'm so thankful Michael is going to grow up being BFF's with his cousin, Maile.

Sadly, the only group picture we got was at the zoo, and my scanner is being dumb. But I promise, my sister was there. I can prove it, because she took all these pictures except the one of me and Maile.

We had a lot of adventures, but my favorite was definitely the baseball game. We saw the SF Giants play the Arizona Diamondbacks, and let's just say the Giants may have some new fans.

Cheese

Baked Cheddar Dijon Chicken Tenders

6:00 AM

I'm ALIVE! We've had a roller-coaster of days and I can't wait to share pictures with you from my family's visit. It just sparked a flame. Being within driving distance of my older sister now is definitely something to be thankful for. The South West is growing on me day by day... as long as it's not 90 outside. But I guess I have plenty of that to look forward to.

I digress.

I wanted an easy meal to make for the hubs before he hit the road after a few complicated recipes when my sister and family were here. I found this on Just a Taste and knew I had to give it a try.

These chicken tenders are easy and delicious. Plus, if you have a toddler who loves cheese, these are perfect! What's better than chicken tenders coated in cheese crackers?

Ingredients:

- Cooking spray or olive oil
- 2 C cheddar crackers (I used reduced fat Cheez-Its)
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 to 2 lbs uncooked chicken tenders (tenderloins)
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 C whole wheat (or all-purpose) flour

Directions:

- Preheat your oven to 475. Line a baking sheet with foil and coat it with your cooking spray or brush it with olive oil.
- You have two options for your crackers.

1) Pulse them in a food processor until finely ground.
2) Place the crackers in a plastic bag, seal it, and use a rolling pin to crush the crackers.

I chose the latter because I didn't want to use more dishes. Once crushed, transfer to a shallow bowl and stir in paprika.

- Whisk eggs with Dijon mustard in a separate shallow bowl. Put your flour in a third bowl. Set up your station in this order: Flour, Eggs, Crackers.

- Coat each tender in flour first, shaking off any excess. Next, dip it in the eggs. Lastly, press the tenders into the crackers, making sure to coat them well and as evenly as possible. Place the tender on your prepared baking sheet, spacing them so they don't stick together.

Note: I used 1lb of chicken, which was 8 tenders.

- Bake for around 15 minutes. Turn them in the middle (about 7-8 minutes along) to help them cook evenly.

Serve with more Dijon and expect them to be gobbled up. We didn't have any leftovers.

2014

10/52

6:00 AM

" A portrait of my child, once a week, every week in 2014. "
Last week my sister (author of See You There) and her family were visiting. We all went to a SF Giants Spring Training game against the AZ Diamondbacks. Michael and Maile took their turns napping throughout the game, and when they were awake at the same time near the end-- they held hands. Perfect picture op, even if it was with my iPhone.

Part of Practising Simplicity's 52 Project.

2014

9/52

6:00 AM

" A portrait of my child, once a week, every week in 2014. "
Michael loves to play with any sort of ball, and this week it was football. I don't know how many times we did this, but I hope it never gets old. I love my boy who is all boy.

Part of Practising Simplicity's 52 Project.