Fried Ravioli

Eh. 2 stars. I think it depends on what kind of raviolis you use. I just used Bertolli cheese raviolis. These would probably be better if the raviolis were homemade. At least they look pretty though, right?

Here's the link to the recipe, but seriously, only try it if you use different raviolis than I used.

Bad Decision

I love love love banana pudding, and Publix makes a really good batch. I miss Publix and their commercials that make you cry, because there are none here in Kentucky. I also miss my mom getting groceries for our family. She is the best grocery shopper because she gets all the goodies, and this one time she got banana pudding…for my dad. But I didn’t know it was for my dad. Actually, I think I did, and that’s why I planned on only eating a little bit. But like I said, Publix makes a good batch and so I ate the whole thing. That was bad choice numero uno.

Bad choice number two came soon after. My friend and fellow buttercreamer Sarah and I made the dum dum decision to make it up to my dad by trying to make him some homemade banana pudding…no Jello pudding but the real stuff. We bought the ingredients and headed to my house, and this is where things fell apart. We had to use a double broiler, which we had no clue what that was and the recipe said to stir constantly. So that is what we did for the next 5 hours. We would take turns, but this stuff would not turn to custard. I really don’t think I’m exaggerating either with the 5 hours. 

This was just one of the many memories that came to me as I delved into making a homemade banana cream pie. I’ve never made anything this seriously homemade before.

I started by cooking a Pillsbury crust, which is not homemade and knowing Grandma Brocco would have disapproved I caved and made Grandma and Betty Crocker’s crust.

I read to put beans in the crust to weight it down.

I cooked the crust and simmered the custard, and things almost went awry because I didn't know simmer means to almost boil without actually boiling, but things worked out. And yes, Jack and I ate the whole thing! It's hard to give 5 stars, but this is as close as its gonna get! 

Here's the link to the recipe if you want to try.

And here's the link for the homemade pie crust.

Enjoy!

"Everyone needs a good pot roast recipe..."

...or at least that's what I've been told. As a cook, I'm still a major novice, and I'm still figuring out if the meat is from a cow or a pig and which part its coming from. It's tricky stuff. But this is what I've figured out so far. I used eye of round for the roast, and that was just because there was a sticker on the meat that said pot roast and it was on sale so I figured I was on the right track.  Jack told me that the meat was from a cow and so I found this chart, and grosssss. But this roast was SUPER easy, and made the house smell really good. I give it 4.5 stars! 

Ingredients 

• 2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 5 1/2 pounds pot roast
• however many you like baby carrots.
• 
  
• Directions

1. In a slow cooker, mix cream of mushroom soup, dry onion soup mix and water. Place pot roast in slow cooker and coat with soup mixture. Add carrots around the roast.
2. Cook on High setting for 3 to 4 hours, or on Low setting for 8 to 9 hours. 

Bottoms up!

Easter Sunday

At church this past Easter Sunday the choir sang "By Faith" by the Gettys and it was amazing, so I thought I would share the song.

In His Victory,
Laura

Oh, so cheesy chicken enchiladas.

Keeper. This is a good solid, simple recipe especially if you are cooking for kids.
Rating: 4 stars

	Ingredients -1 can (18.5 oz) ProgressoTraditional Chicken and Cheese Enchilada Soup (I've only been able to find this at Walmart.
	-1 can (10 oz) hot or mild enchilada sauce
	-2 cups shredded cooked chicken
	-2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (8 oz)
	-7ish tortillas (it depends how packed you want your enchiladas)
	-2 medium green onions, thinly sliced Directions

1. 1.Heat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, stir together soup and enchilada sauce. Spread 1 cup soup mixture in ungreased 11x7-inch baking dish.
2. 2. In large bowl, mix 1 cup soup mixture with chicken and 1 cup of the cheese; reserve remaining soup mixture. On microwavable plate, stack tortillas and cover with paper towel; heat on High 1 minute to soften. Place 1/4 cup chicken mixture along middle of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam sides down in baking dish with sauce.
3. 3. Pour remaining soup mixture over enchiladas. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese. Sprinkle green onions on top. Bake about 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly around edges.
4. Enjoy!

Buttermilk Chocolate Bread with Creamy Chocolate Honey Butter

I love chocolate and I love bread, so this is food after my own heart. You can also make it & freeze to pull out on a whim for friends or family. Super Yummy!!
Rating:4.5
adapted from Taste of Home

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup baking cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup buttermilk (I used low fat).
• 
  
• CHOCOLATE HONEY BUTTER:
• 1/2 cup butter (no substitutes), softened
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
• 
  
• Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In separate bowl combine the flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Fold in pecans.
2. Pour into a greased 9-in. x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.
3. In a small mixing bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Add honey and chocolate syrup; mix well. Serve with the bread.

Enjoy!

My sincere apologies...

...to my roommate I lived with my senior year of college. I know it was close quarters in our little loft, and I know I'm not the cleanest. You dealt with my lack of domestic skills with so much grace. Thank you for letting me mooch off what you cooked, since the only thing I could cook was cereal. And so, Nicole Robison, this dish is for you!

Almond Cheddar Appetizers (Taste of Home)

Rating: 4 star

Ingredients

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3/4 cup slivered almonds, chopped
• 6 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
• 1 loaf (1 pound) French bread

Directions

• In a bowl, combine mayo & Worcestershire sauce; stil in cheese onion, almonds and bacon.

• Cut bread into 1/2" slices (unless you buy the skinny French bread). Spread with cheese mixture. Place on baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until bubbly. Yield: about 4 dozen.

Enjoy!

FOODIE:

(noun): one who loves and enjoys food so so much.

It was a combination of watching "Julie & Julia" and my Ministry of Hospitality class with Mrs. Mohler that I have been on a bit of a cooking kick. When I got married almost 2 years ago, I only knew how to make spaghetti and taco pie, and so that is what we ate. Every night. This is one of the ways that Jack and I are very different. He really could eat spaghetti every night and be totally content, and I love that about him because he's really easy to please. But me on the other hand, I am an absolute foodie and I need variety.

And because of this cooking kick, I have found that I really love cooking! I'm not one of those people who can just think of a bunch of ingredients that would go good together, so the hard part for me is finding a good recipe. So, I thought I would start sharing the recipes that I've enjoyed and the ones I've enjoyed not so much.

So here's the run-down of the rating scale.

***** (5 star) SUPER yummy. Insert self-control [here] because I could eat it all in one sitting. Will definitely make again.
****(4 star) SOLID. A good solid recipe. Will make again.
*** (3 star) eh... probably won't make again unless it's quick, easy, and cheap.
**(2 star) Pretty bad. Definitely won't make again.
* (1 star) Disgustingly horrible.

There ya go! Recipes coming soon.

I got so carried away...

...that I forgot to post Silas' 5 month picture!

And this picture just made me laugh.

5 months

Our house is quiet. I just put Silas to bed, and I'm enjoying my evening downloading pictures and videos of our precious boy. He is 5 months old today! It's hard to tell how much he's changing, because I get to see him everyday, but when I look back over his newborn pictures, I can tell he's changed so much. Some of Silas' favorites pastimes are playing in his exersaucer, kicking on his changing table, going to Target with mom, watching basketball with dad, eating and playing with his toys.

I'm not sure what happened, but somewhere around 3.5 months, Silas was able to eat better. This was a huge answer to prayer because since he couldn't eat very much at one time without hurting, I was feeding him all the time. He now eats  about 5-6 oz. He's been sleeping for longer stretches at night, usually 7 to 9 hours.

So, what is little boy able to do this month that he wasn't able to do last month?

-Well, he can roll over from his tummy to his back. He's only done it a few times. He reallllyyy does not like tummy time.

-He can lean forward in his bathtub so I can wash his back. Super helpful.

-He kicked a hole in the pad on his changing table hence his nickname "hammer heel." Other nicknames include "little stink(erton)" and pork chop.

-There has been definite improvement on eating from a spoon.

He loves all his toys. They are some of his closest friends.

-He can hold his bottle. (We still haven't totally mastered this.)

That's all for now. We will keep you posted.

Love,

Laura

The Challenge.

Silas is four months old and it's time to kick it in gear. Throughout my pregnancy I tried really hard to stay in the best shape I could. Initially, I started working out because that was the only thing that would ease my nausea. But after the first trimester and I started to feel better, I figured why not just keep going. Eventually by the end of my pregnancy, working out consisted of just walking, but it was something. And so here I am. Four months after the birth of my precious son, and I was in better shape when I was pregnant! 

And so here is the challenge.

Jack knows my motivation is little, and so to give me a little nudge in the right direction he has challenged me to run 3 times a week and do a workout tape 3 times a week (Slim in 6). I really hate working out, but if I do this Jack is going to treat me to getting a whole new workout outfit, including shoes! In all actuality I don't really care so much about getting a new workout outfit, he knows I just need something to try to motivate me. 

The challenge begins April 1st.

So, if you have any advice, this would be most helpful since on Friday I did part of the workout tape and I still can hardly walk (aka I'm talking to Kristen Thompson and Christina Caltabiano and anyone else who is in ridiculously good shape).

He's finally noticed his toys!

Family Update

I have no clue where the time has gone. I keep saying that over and over, but it's true. Silas is 3 and a half months old. Jack is right in the middle of the semester, and I'm just trying to keep up. And so here's what we've been up to...

...Jack and Silas are both getting over "the crud." I took Silas to the doctor twice to make sure he was okay. The doctor says he has a virus going around and a minor ear infection and pink eye, which are both due to the virus. Poor little guy, he spent a good day sleeping and cuddling with me, and now he's back to being awake and alert and ready to play. The doctor weighed him and he's 13 pounds 6 ounces with a fully loaded diaper.

...Jack's mom and his sister took a road trip up here from Florida last weekend and we got to enjoy a brief but sweet visit with them, and my parents are coming up in a week and we are looking forward to more family time.

...Silas and I went to Kosair Children's Hospital today for him to get a UGI test to see if he has acid reflux. A couple weeks after he was born he would cry after about 3 ounces and not be able to eat anymore. The test came back negative for reflux, and they said that nothing structurally is wrong with him which is good news. I think this is just something he will have to outgrow.

...I've spent the last week trying to get Silas to notice the toys his aunts, uncles, friends, and grandparents have given him. After a week of practice this is what you get. [A half-hearted grip on a rattle: top. And him kicking at his fish friends (the dangling things are fish): below]

In His Victory,

The Jarrett's Big Adventure

Silas turned 3 months old yesterday!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoLjgOyK9fI

Look what I can do!!!

This is pretty impressive when your head is a third of your body weight.

It's almost been 3 months...

..since Silas was born and it has been the most
exciting,
exhausting,
trying,
memorable,
happiest,
emotional,
joyful,
can't find just the right words to describe it,
time of my life.

I decided to start blogging about the past few months and what is to come, because even after only three months, my memories are already foggy (possibly due to sleep deprivation :).

And so I'll begin at the beginning of this great new chapter in mine and Jack's lives.

It was 7:30 in the morning, and I was awaken by my full bladder. Groggy, I went to the bathroom, and then crawled back in bed. And then it happened! I thought I wet the bed. I was disappointed, because at 23 years old this should not be happening. But I was 9 months pregnant now, and so grace and poise were long gone at this point. I rolled back out of bed, literally rolled out of bed, and headed back to the bathroom, and could not figure out why I couldn't stop wetting myself. The thought should have struck me sooner, because my due date was one day away. Then it dawned on me, my water had broke!

I woke up Jack, we packed our bags, I vacumned the house (I don't know why, but at the time it just had to be done), we called our families and we headed to the hospital.

By 10:30am I was hooked up to and IV that was giving me liquids and had monitors strapped to my belly. I really wanted to have a natural birth with no medication, and Jack and I had taken a Lamaze class to prepare. Once I left triage and was wheeled to the room I would give birth in, I was informed that I was bed-bound, and couldn't even get up to use the bathroom. Helloooo bedpan. Gross, I know, but they told me that there is a small chance Silas' umbilical cord could drop out, and that would result in an emergency C-section.

Around noon, I started having some contractions, but they weren't too bad so I continued reading the seventh Harry Potter. My nurse was really pushing pitocin to increase my contractions, but I really wanted to go drug free, but she told me by 2pm that I had no choice. Looking back, I wish I would have been more informed, because I don't think I really had to be put on pitocin.

And so at 2, I was hooked up to more IV's and the drug started to do its job. I have NEVER felt anything that painful before! Jack was so great though, and would tell me where in the contraction I was, and how much longer. My nurse would come in the room about every 30 minutes and turn up the pitocin. 

Soon I was having back to back contractions. The doctor came and checked me around 5pm and I had gone from 2cm to 2.5cm and I cried. I thought it had to be more than that. I couldn't even talk anymore! After that and a couple other stressful circumstances, I raised my white flag and called in for an epidural. 

By then, the nurses changed and I had nurse Carrie, and she was an answer to prayer. At 7:30pm I was given the epidural, and was feeling pretty good, and by 10pm I was fully dilated. Jack's family had started driving up and my family booked a flight when we called that morning and told them I was in labor, and so by 10pm, both families had arrived at the hospital. We all got to hang out until around 11pm. 

Jack had told nurse Carrie that he was hoping for Silas to be born November 14th, because my birthday is October 12, Silas' would be November 14, and Jack's is December 16. Jack had also called it from the beginning that he would be born on the 14th. So, nurse Carrie told us to get some rest before I started to push.  

Around 11:45pm I started pushing and after 3 pushes she told me stop, because little boy was almost here. We had to wait about 10 minutes, because my doctor was delivering another baby. The next part is a bit of a blur. I remember my doctor Gigi telling me that after the next push I was going to have a son! 

And then like a good friend of ours puts it, I saw colors. 

Silas was out. I don't remember if he cried or not, but they put him on my belly and Jack cut the cord. Then they took him and weighed him and he was 8 pounds 2 ounces! 

After we were all cleaned up, Jack, Silas and I got to spend the next hour together as a family.

Over the next 2 days in the hospital, friends came and saw us and met Silas, and Jack and I got time to reflect on how faithful the Lord had been to us. He answered so many of our prayers from having a healthy baby to my doctor, Gigi, being the one that was on-call to deliver my baby. We prayed that Silas would come in God's perfect timing and he did! Not only was he born on his due-date of November 14th, he came with just enough time for family to get here to welcome him!

Our life since Silas has been born has been a whirlwind. Time is flying by. We are just starting to get in the swing of things. We have had trouble with Silas eating. Since a fews weeks of age, he's been crying when he eats and won't eat very much at once. We now have him on acid reflux medicine, and we've seen a little improvement. We are trying our hardest to be Godly parents and asking for wisdom continually. We are definitely tired, but we are really trying to savor this time because everyone says that it goes by so fast.