Happy Marcus Monday!

Gaahhhh! I can't get enough of my little water bug.

All ready for the pool!

Last weeks Marcus Monday showed my big guy testing out the pool waters. This week we took another aquatic step forward. Our big guy went under water, and he did A.W.E.S.O.M.E.! Watch my little man flex his gills...

Just a quick little squeak and then he was good to go! Words don't even begin to express how proud this momma/swim instructor was when the little monkey did so well.

Just chillin' with mommy in the pool.

Introducing the next Michael Phelps.

My chubby cheeked water bug.

Next week... Marcus will have mastered the butterfly. Stay tuned.

Please note: I am a certified swim lesson instructor. Please do not try this with your child unless you are in a structured, certified swim lesson course.

Together With Technology

Being so far family was difficult before Chunky Monkey's arrival. It's even harder being away from our loved ones now that our big guy is here.

Thank goodness for technology.
At least once a week we Skype with Grandma and Grandpa M and Grandma and Grandpa D.

I love Marcus' candid expressions as he talks with Grandma and Grandpa M!!
What will technology be like when the little guy grows up?!?
Perhaps this is the beginning of the big guys own blogging career.
And, please excuse our less than tidy computer area... :)

We wish would could actually be together more often. However, we are so thankful for the technology that allows us to see our folks, and gives Marcus a chance to spend some face-to-face time with his grandparents on a weekly basis.

Peanut Butter Fruit Dip

OH my gosh. OH MY gosh. OH MY GOSH! This stuff is amazing. There's really no other word for it. I took one bite and was blown away. At the rate I'm consuming this stuff, I'm going to have to make another run to the store to get more fruit.

Who needs dinner when you can plow through a bowl of this stuff? It's quick and easy to make. And, let's not fail to mention it's NUTRITIOUS!!

A single serving makes a LOT. Like, grab three apples, 27 strawberries, six slices of cantaloupe, eight bananas, and any other fruit you want to dip in this delectably creamy goodness. Or, I guess you could share.

Peanut Butter Fruit Dip
1/2 cup fat free vanilla Greek yogurt (don't skimp out and use regular yogurt, you MUST use Greek yogurt!!!)
2 Tbsp peanut butter
1/2 Tbsp honey
1/8 tsp cinnamon

Combine all ingredients.
Dip your fruit.
Fall in love.

Here's a run down of the nutrients for this ginormus single person serving:
calories - 332
fat - 15 (don't go running away, it's the "good" fat)
carbs - 29g
fiber - 2g
protein - 24, let me say that again, TWENTY-FOUR grams of protein! That's more than some whole meals have!

This dip is sweet, and smooth, and rich. The peanut butter doesn't overpower the subtle hint of honey, and the cinnamon adds the perfect little pop. It's a party in your mouth.

We don't have any get-togethers planned for our near future, however, I might have people over just so I can serve this stuff up.

I could go on and on about this stuff. But, I'm headed back to the kitchen to see if we have any more fruit I can dip...

Source: Yahoo!Lifestyle

Taco Casserole - A Freezer Meal

Just when you thought I was done with freezer meals... Think again! There are four more meals staring me down in my freezer as I type. 

This meal piqued my interest the minute I laid eyes on it. You see, we love Mexican food around here. I could probably eat Mexican every other night. But, to keep things fresh I have to throw in other meals that don't end in "-chalada" or "-rrito."

If you're looking for an easy meal to throw together, and even easier to prep the night of your meal, this is just the thing.

It's taco-y, and casserole-y, and it's eas-y. What's not to love?!

Taco Casserole

1 box Rotini noodles, cooked and drained

1 1/2 cups sour cream

1 lb ground turkey

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/4 cup (2 packets) taco seasoning

1 can tomato sauce

1 cup shredded cheddar, or Mexican, cheese

Brown ground turkey and onions. Drain if necessary.

Mix taco seasoning and tomato sauce with turkey/onion mix.

Mix together noodles and sour cream.

Place noodle mix on bottom of greased 9x13 pan.

Top noodles with turkey mix.

Sprinkle top with shredded cheese.

Cover and freeze.

To bake:

Thaw.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

Enjoy!

Source: Slight adaptations from Joyful Momma's Kitchen

A Pretty Awesome Burger

I don't mean to toot my own horn, but when Scott complimented my burgers the other night I couldn't help but do a little happy dance.

More often than not our burgers are sprinkled with some Lawry's, a little salt and pepper, and a dash of Worchestire sauce (and seriously, can anyone actually pronounce that correctly?!). Not this time around. I decided to grill outside the box, and lucky for me, I didn't need to head to the grocery store for any of the ingredients.

A Pretty Awesome Burger

1 lb ground turkey or beef (I used lean turkey)
1/4 cup Parmesan
3/4 cup shredded cheddar
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 packet dry Ranch
*1 egg
*If you're using regular ground turkey or beef, you shouldn't need the egg; if you're having a hard time keeping your patties together add the egg.


In a large bowl combine all ingredients together.
Go ahead and get your hands all up in this stuff. If you can figure a better way to mix this stuff up, I'm all ears!
Form 4 patties.
Grill until cooked through. If you're grilling with beef, grill to desired done-ness.
Top with your favorite condiments.

Enjoy!

I do believe part of what made these burgers so flippin' good was the bun. If you've never tried Royal Hawaiian hamburger buns You. Are. Missing. Out! Holy geez the buns were good. I may, or may not, have eaten the buns plain for lunch the following day. Yes, they are that good.

Have a killer burger recipe of your own? Leave me a note, I'd love to try it!

Happy Marcus Monday!

Over Memorial Day Weekend Chunky Monkey took his first dip in the pool!

For being two months old I think he did exceptionally well. No biased opinions here. =)

He hung out in the water for a few minutes before things became a bit too chilly for him. And he didn't cry at all - proud momma moment!
Check out a few seconds of Marcus' first dip.

Please excuse my poor camera work, I swear I majored in television journalism and I do know how to work a camera... However, with all that was going on, and trying to carry on a conversation with a woman on the pool deck, all was lost in my camera abilities.

The goal for the summer is to turn our little monkey into a water bug.

Cheesecake Cookies

These cute little cookies seemed to be hit or miss with those who tried them...

Scott didn't particularly care for these. He only really likes chocolate chip cookies. When it comes to treats, such as these, I take his opinion with a grain of salt. My neighbors thought they were ok. My folks, who were in town for a quick visit, both enjoyed these, and were happy to take a few off my hands. And, I thought they were pretty darned good.

I'd make these again, if for no one else but myself. I mean, what says breakfast like one of these with a piping hot cup of coffee in the morning?! =)

Cheesecake Cookies

3 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 - 8oz - packages cream cheese, softened (I used reduced fat)
2 1/2 sticks butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 cans pie filling, your choice (I went for the strawberry)

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl - set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, on medium speed, beat cream cheese, butter, and sugar until smooth and creamy (about 2 minutes).
Add eggs and vanilla into cream cheese mix, until incorporated.
Reduce speed to low and slowly add the flour and mix until combined.
Refrigerate about 30 minutes, or until dough is firm - I left my dough in the fridge for a couple hours and it probably could have stood to be in there a bit longer.

Preheat oven to 350.
Line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
Pour graham cracker crumbs into a shallow bowl.
Take dough out of fridge and roll into 1 1/2 inch balls.
*Then roll balls into Graham cracker crumbs.
Place each ball on prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.
Using a Tablespoon measure, make an indentation in the center of each ball.
Place a dollop of pie filling in each indentation.
Bake 12-14 minutes.
Cool on sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks to finish completely cooling.

As you can see, some cookies were sans graham cracker crumbs. I may have forgotten to roll the dough in the crumbs a few times, oopsies. Honestly though, my mom and I agreed we enjoyed them better without the graham crackers.

*If you choose to opt out of the graham crackers, roll your dough into balls and be sure to dip your tablespoon in a bit of flour, or the dough will stick to your tablespoon and leave you with not-so-pretty cookies.

These would be cute for the 4th of July; some centers filled with blueberries, some with strawberries (or cherries), and some filled with a cream cheese, or coconut, or almond bark, or white chocolate chips... It would make for a cute American flag arrangement, don't you think? 

Source: Slight adaptation from Monster Mama

Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Roast - A Freezer Meal

EASIEST. MEAL. EVER.

Yet another freezer meal, and this one will be in my rotation FOR-EV-ER.

You're probably thinking, will this chick ever cook, and post, something other than a freezer meal? Odds are, no. Not for a while. With Chunky Monkey, finding time to simply run a comb through my hair is challenging, let alone whip up a meal day-of. Expect freezer meals on the reg. :)

Literally, all you do is throw your favorite veggies in a freezer bag with chicken breast, set aside your favorite chicken gravy, and let the crock pot do the work when you're ready for a meal. Love it.

Oh, and did I mention it's tasty?! I LOVE how tender the chicken is. And, seriously, why are crock pot carrots like crack? I would have no qualms crock potting up a batch of just baby carrots!

Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Roast Dinner

8 small red potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 cups baby carrots (or do like me and load up on those bad boys!)
1 cup frozen pearl onions
1 1/2 cups frozen sweet peas
3 chicken breast, thawed, fat trimmed
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 jar chicken gravy
1 gallon ziplock bag
1 small ziplock bag
1 crock pot liner

Freezer prep:
In gallon zip lock add chicken, potatoes, carrots, onions, and peas.
In small zip lock add salt and pepper.
Place salt and pepper baggie within the gallon zip lock.
Label and set aside chicken gravy for future use.

Meal prep:
Place all contents in crock pot.
Pour gravy over top of chicken and veggies.
Cook on low for 8 hours.

That's it? Yep, that's it. Fab-u-lous!

Enjoy!!

Source: Slight adaptations from Betty Crocker

French Chicken Broccoli Supreme - A Freezer Meal

Not too sure what makes this dish "French," or "supreme," for that matter. What does matter is that it's a freezer meal, and it's good. :) In my world, this is just a fancy title to "chicken and broccoli casserole." Whatever the title, I'll be making (and freezing) this again.

You know it's a good dish when two people plow through a 9x13 pan, leaving three very skimpy leftover portions.

French Chicken Broccoli Supreme

3 cups cooked chicken breast

1 lb fresh broccoli

1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar

2 tubes Ritz crackers

1 stick butter, melted

1 Tbsp poppy seeds

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup

In a greased 9x13 pan layer chicken and fresh cut broccoli florets.

Make cream of chicken soup according to label instructions.

Pour soup over chicken/broccoli.

Top with cheddar cheese.

Crush crackers (be sure the cracker pieces aren't crushed too finely) in a large zip lock bag.

Add melted butter and poppy seeds to crackers and mix.

Top chicken/broccoli/cheese with cracker mix.

Cover and freeze.

To bake:

Thaw.

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

Soooo, while I was prepping my shopping list for all the freezer meals I totally overlooked the poppy seeds in this recipe. I was thinking along the lines of sesame seeds, which my Slow Cooker Sesame Chicken (post coming soon) called for. I wasn't about to make another trip to the store just for poppy seeds, so I used what I had. Whoops :)

Notice the Sesame seeds in lieu of poppy seeds? :)

Source: French Chicken Broccoli Supreme, slight adaptations from Just Get Off Your Butt and Bake!

Happy Marcus Monday (on Tuesday)!

Apparently someone knocked back a few too many bottles. 

Such a milk lush. :)

Memorial Day

We come, not to mourn our dead soldiers, but to praise them.
~Francis A. Walker

To those who have given the ultimate sacrifice so that we may enjoy this holiday,
THANK YOU!

The Angel Flight
Take a few minutes to reflect and give thanks for those who have sacrificed for our freedoms.

Progress Report - 2 Months

Yesterday we had our 2 month well-baby check up. Not only did the little monkey have his weight and height measurements taken it also meant our first round of vaccinations.

Y.I.K.E.S. Not a fun doctor's visit, to say the least. I'm not sure who experienced more pain when the shots were administered, the little dude or me. And, the rest of the afternoon/evening was by far one of the most challenging. Fussy doesn't even TOUCH the description of the little man's mood.

After arriving home from our appointment...
The little monkey was spent. Apparently, so was mommy.
Vaccinations are rough going!

Here are the stats for my big guy, as of yesterday:
Height: 24 3/4 inches (93rd percentile)
Weight: 13.4 pounds (82nd percentile)

A while back we noticed a lump on the right side of the monkey's neck. An ultrasound confirmed it is torticollis, which is a shortened neck muscle. The shortened muscle causes the little guy to have trouble turning his head to the right, and leaves the little man sleeping with his head facing the left. Five times a day we have to knock out physical therapy, which my big guy HATES. Poor little monkey. :(

Chicken Tater Bake - A Freezer Meal

We've started dipping into our second round of freezer meals. It's become quite obvious I'm going to make a habit of making freezer meals. Life is just so much simpler.

The casserole mirrors your classic tater tot casserole with the exception of using chicken over ground beef (or, in my case, ground turkey).

Chicken Tater Bake

3 cups cooked, cubed chicken
Quick cooking tip: Rather than cooking the chicken and worrying about cutting it into cubes, I boiled the chicken until it was cooked through. While hot I used my veggie chopper to shred the chicken. Saved me a TON of time!!

2 cans (10.5 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup butter, cubed

1 package frozen veggies (I used a blend of peas, corn, beans, and carrots)

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1 package frozen Tater Tots

In a large sauce pan combine soup, milk, and butter.

Cook and stir over medium heat until heated through.

Remove from heat; stir in chicken, veggies, and 1 cup of cheese.

Pour chicken mix into greased 9x13 pan.

Top with frozen Tater Tots.

Cover and freeze.

To bake:

Remove casserole from freezer 30 minutes prior to baking. DO NOT THAW.

LEAVE FOIL COVER ON.

Bake at 350 for 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours, or until heated through.

Confession: I totally thawed the casserole and let it bake for 1 1/2 hours and it turned out great.

Another successful meal with PLENTY of leftovers!! 

Enjoy.

Source: Slight adaptations from Taste of Home

Two Months Old!

Our Chunky Monkey is two months old today!

Smiley baby :)
Notice the chunky little rolls on his legs? Love.

In the past month I've learned:
Chunky Monkey is really developing a little personality.
A smile from the little man can brighten even the grayest of days.
If these eating habits are any indication of what is to come, as a teen we will be eaten out of house and home!
Nap time is crucial. For all parties involved.
For mommy, finger nail clipping is THE WORST hygienic task.
The "snot sucker" is this mommy's favorite hygienic chore; the big guy may have a differing opinion on that one. :)
Handfuls of "hot lava,"as I call it, and "showers" are pretty common occurrences around here.
Morning play time, and evenings when Daddy comes home are my two most absolute favorite times of the day. The interaction from the little monkey is so candid.
The fat lip is an extremely effective tool that the big guy has mastered.
Not a day goes by that I don't thank God for my little miracle. I couldn't imagine life without my Chunky Monkey!

Bloopers!
Upper left: Wiggly little fella'.
Upper right: Notice whose nose made a cameo?!
Lower left: Mommy couldn't center the photo, whoops.
Lower right: Lean much Big Guy?

Wow. Two months. Where is the pause button to life?

Turkey, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Cups

Breakfast foods aren't really my thing. There are some peeps out there who live for breakfast - you know, pancakes, eggs, bacon, etc. I don't get it. A bowl of Cheerios is all I need to get me going. However, since Chunky Monkey's arrival it's been hard to get my cup pot of coffee downed in the mornings, let alone cereal. And, Scott has some crazy metabolism (he eats like five meals before noon). We both agreed we need something to get our days jump started.

After a little Pinterest action, a little blog following, and a few tweaks of my own, I've come up with some breakfast cups that should make breakfast quick and tasty, and keep the energy levels at their peak.

Make 'em, throw 'em in the fridge, heat 'em up when you're ready for a quick bite to get your day started.

Turkey, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Cups

4 large eggs

4 egg whites

1/2 lb turkey sausage, cooked and crumbled

3 Tbsp fresh basil chopped (I used 1 Tbsp dried basil)

1/2 cups cheddar cheese (reduced fat)

12 thin slices turkey lunch meat

Preheat oven to 375.

Spray 12 regular-size muffin cups with non-stick cooking spray.

In a bowl combine eggs, egg whites, and basil. Set aside.

Line each muffin cup with turkey lunch meat.

Spoon about 1 Tbsp cooked, crumbled sausage into each cup.

Sprinkle about 1 Tbsp of cheese on top of the sausage.

Divide egg mixture evenly among muffin cups.

Top with additional cheese.

Bake 12-16 minutes, or until filling is set and edges of turkey lunch meat have browned some.

Cool in the pan for 5 minutes.

Run a knife around the edges of each muffin to loosen; remove to cooling rack.

Serve warm.

To store:

Keep in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to three days.

Reheat in the microwave for 15-30 seconds.

You can throw pretty much whatever you'd like in your cups. Next time around I think I'll add some broccoli and chopped onion.

Enjoy!!

Source: Slight adaptations from Multiply Delicious and Never Trust a Skinny Cook

Happy Marcus Monday!

Last week was all about the big guy's smile.
This week, the progression of Chunky Monkey's fat lip...

Having a grand old time on the play mat.

I think we're losing interest in the play mat...

Yep, interest is most certainly gone.

And there it is. The start to the fat lip.

BAM! Full blow fat lip.

Believe me, the monkey knows that fat lip gets me every time.

On a much different note... I couldn't help but throw up a photo of Monkey's kicks. 

How awesome are these socks?!