We Are The Littles

From Kugelhopf

I am so excited. This is my first “Tuesdays with Dorie” or to be referred to from here on out, TWD, post. This week’s recipe was Kugelhopf as chosen by Yolanda of The All-purpose Girl. I am so happy to be in such culinary company! I was even happier that my Kugelhopf even made it into the ballpark of looking like Kugelhopf! As I write this, I have just had 2 slices of mine toasted and with strawberry jam, accompanied by chocolate truffle coffee. It is amazing how such quaint treats can be made right in your home.
The only problems I had with my first go at making Kugelhopf is that I was unsure of how the dough should look in the different stages and how it should be applied to the pan. Also, my dough did not rise to the top of the pan at the “final rise”-stage after several hours (7) of waiting. I finally threw in the towel and popped it in as is. The result was not too shabby. I was happy with it. At least it resembled a baked treat! It also tasted like a buttered croissant. The kids ate it, especially since I substituted raisins with Craisins, and brushed the outside generously with honey butter. I also did more than just sprinkle powdered sugar, I dropped it on! It may be a while before I make this again. It takes some time and with kids (the baby is in the background fussing), it can be a little difficult,although, my seven year old son did help add in the sugar and butter and he and my oldest daughter took some of my pictures.
Anyway, I am so happy to be here. I can hardly wait to do the next challenge,arborio rice pudding (vanilla or chocolate). BTW, all my recipes are coming from Baking From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan. I am not allowed to post the recipes, per TWD rules, but they are floating around. Also, I bought my copy for a really good price at Jessica’s Biscuit. It is like the online Wal-Mart for books! O.k., gotta get to the baby!

Okay, so last night the kids and I used our imagination and had “Fancy Restaurant” Night. Even though, it was not that fancy, it was still fun to do with the kids. I will not say it did not have its moments. Unlike a real fancy restaurant, I had interruptions from the kids in and out of the kitchen and a demanding infant, so my Rachael Ray inspired 30-minute meal took more like one hour and a half. True to the cooperation of a baby, Gabby fell asleep before mealtime, so she did take not take part in this first event.

The menu was as follows:

App (somthing I threw together with the kids in mind)
Tortilla strips crisped with olive oil topped with diced grilled chix and bacon with cilantro lime salsa and lightly melted fresh mozarella tossed with olive oil and grilled tomatoes

Main Course
Turkey Thyme Meatloaf Patties with Mashed Sweet Potatoes (Everyday with Rachael Ray, November edition, pg. 106)

Dessert
Fresh Strawberries with cream lightly sprinkled with cocoa and drizzled chocolate, accompanied with glazed lemon biscotti.

Drinks
Sparkling Apple Cider

Of course, I have short cuts I will take next time to make the same meal, with a similar taste, without so many steps and ingredients. This meal would only take 30 minutes with no interruptions, prepped ingredients, and experience. However, the meal itself was very delicious and the whole house smelled of Thanksgiving. Another tip, next time, I will probably add dried cranberries to the sauce.
Of course, the critics had their say. The boys appreciated the attempt, but would prefer no onions next time. Other than that, they liked it.

As you can tell by the pics, Savannah really liked the meal. This means a lot, because she normally does not like Meatloaf. My secret, I left out the ketchup the recipe called for to take away some of the “meatloaf” taste. I also added in soy sauce with the Worcestershire sauce to add some sweetness to the dish. Since Savannah helped me with the prepping of some of the food, she found out the hard way, that sweet potatoes can be difficult to peel and cut. The secret, nuke four good sized ones for about ten minutes on high in your microwave. Then, you are in business. Another shortcut, buy canned and go from there. I think this is what the magazine must have done or used a different variety, such as a real YAM, because I did not achieve the same brick color as is expected by using the fresh sweet pots.

Okay, there are a few more shortcuts I could add, but it would make this blog too long. The kids did a great job playing along with mom and getting themselves all dudded up for the occasion. Next to Gabe, they are my favorite culinary guinea pigs! My friends come in a close second.

Don’t forget to scroll down and look at Gabe’s Culinary Creation and our Halloween Pics!

Okay, here are the pics from last night’s Halloween happening. Not much went on. The boys were grounded from trick o treatin’ and had to stay indoors to help pass out candy. They did a great cheerful job. Savannah helped me decorate outdoors and the cupcakes. Both were a lot of fun.  Even though we did not go trick o treatin’ we did manage to get dressed up. Gabby had a total of four costume changes, being the lil’ diva that she is.  We did watch some light scary movies, The Corpse Bride and Jaws.  It was a pretty tame night. Hardly any trick o treaters. Did anyone else get an unbelievable amount of high schoolers at their door? I mean I am a believer in being youthful and all, but 6-foot high school boys with “OMG”-girlfriends should really stick to their own crowd!  Although, I guess trick o treatin’ could be a creative, cheap date and it is better than drinking and driving! Okay, I have second thoughts. Maybe it is not so bad after all.

Speaking of teenage boys, Savannah’s sweetie surprised her again this week with flowers AND and an Easy Bake Oven.  He delivered the oven in a cute way by leaving it at the door and brought trick o treatin’ to her, or maybe he was just too scared to face me! Either way, I am so jealous. I have always wanted an Easy Bake oven. I think we will use it tonight or tomorrow.

Okay, well after an already busy day with still a lot more to go, I think I am going to go take a nap with hairball.  Tonight, the kids and I are having “Fancy Restaurant” night at home. Something new and CHEESY I thought we could try.  We are all going to get kinda dressed up (even Gabby) and eat at the rarely used formal dining room table.

Ahhhh, memories. Yesterday, the kids and I made a stop at the pumpkin patch on our way home from picking up the Princess from school.  You know it was spur of the moment, cause I have no make up on and we are not dressed in cute fall outfits. You will not believe the kids we saw all decked out with their parents posing them and taking pictures with professional camera gear. We were just there, us, casual, with my little trusty ole camera.  Next year, we will be prepared, expensive camera and costumes and all!

In true “lets-ruin-mom’s- let’s- make-a- happy-memory-moment” form, the boys managed not to pick out a pumpkin. They were dragged from photo op to photo op, followed grudgingly by their older sis, who felt she was not dressed right for the occasion. Gabby might have followed suit, but she is just a baby and oblivious to everything except when she is going to get fed! Thank goodness she was full.  So while I was inquiring about the price of the pumpkin the boys picked out, a less frugal family grabbed the pumpkin the boys wanted, pouting ensued, and no alternate pumpkin was chosen! So, I managed to get fall pictures for free and did not get stuck with a pumpkin bill. All in all not a bad moment, but not much of a Kodak one, either!

Here are the pictures the kids obligingly took. Hope you enjoy. Please forgive my exhausted,homely look. I hope you will all understand, especially since I have made huge strides by letting these pics be posted. Hope my loving hubby appreciates it.

After note: Justin did find a fake ear of fall corn on the ground and brought it home, actually snuck it home. He told me it must have been free since it was on the ground. I hope we are safe, since the pumpkin patch was at a church! Susan K, if you are reading this, please do not tell your congregation!

Gabe left today to go make us money.  We are so sad. Even one of our neighbors was sad for us today when she watched Gabe say bye to the boys at the bus stop.  We were so busy this time off, but as always, we had a great time. I am especially happy that we had a family weekend and sendoff before he left. Papa and Weezer and Aunt Omega came into town. We all went to see Savannah perform in The Little Mermaid. It was funny and she did great! Yesterday, she was even singled out to pose for a journalism student’s project. We were honored to sit out in the Explorer and wait for her as she had her photo shoot outside on the hood of a car. Okay, you are probably wondering as we did, What is a mermaid doing on a car? Well, that was the photographer’s vision. And in case you were wondering, the photographer was a girl. Hope that does NOT add more fuel to the fire (haha).  My other thought was, if they were going to pick a car, why a Honda Civic? I digress. Anyway, we had a great weekend with the family filled with a lot of food, as only we can do it.  I was especially happy to take Weezer to the mecca of grocery stores, HEB.  For those of you unfamiliar with the store, one day I will take you on a photo tour and show you why it is all that.  Sunday we had a HUGE breakfast that included Omega’s famous home styled potatoes and signature pancakes (big and thick!).  Sunday, Savannah left us to go act and we went to the park, while the Cowboys were getting it handed to them. Gabe and the boys pretended to be MLB stars and Gabby and I were the cheerleaders.

Anyway, that is a glimpse of our days. Now, my best friend is gone, and once again, the house is not the same.  It is going to be a LONG six weeks, but Gabe and I are having a running contest, so that should help time fly. It will also help our waistlines, especially since we ate Tres Leches all weekend like there was no tomorrow. I want to try to lose enough weight so he notices a difference when he returns and has to buy me a new wardrobe. He now has his new home gym in Nigeria already assembled and waiting for him. I have my new treadmill (thanks again, baby!). It is going to be ironic when I beat him using the gift he bought me. And I am bringing it!

Gabe will put up pics and video from the play as soon as he is settled, but don’t tell Savannah or she will kill us! I will also be keeping everyone updated with pictures, stories, and videos, while I keep Gabe in the know when he is away.

There’s not enough of it. Everyday I say I’m going to upload more pictures and update this site and then Gabby needs attention or the boys need homework help or want to play catch or Savannah has to be picked up from school or something manly needs to be done around the house (in which case we hire someone )

Anyway, we do have new pictures and video of Gabby to put up on her site when I get around to it. It might not be until I’m back in Nigeria but I have plenty of time there. Speaking of Gabby, she’s been a little terror the last two days. Crying crying crying and not wanting to be left alone for even a few seconds. Right now she’s sleeping so the house is peaceful. When she wakes up it will probably be another story.

The boys are still doing Karate a couple nights a week. They’re usually outside playing from the time they get home from school until it gets dark. Of course they want to run in and out in and out so I have to pull an “Arnie Little” and tell them to stay in or out because they’re letting all the cold air out by opening / closing the door so many times. However, I have finally managed to get them to close the door as opposed to slamming it. It took 5 months or so but they’re tired of hearing me yell “DON’T SLAM THE DOOR!” on their way outside so they finally broke down and complied. A small victory for me. Now I just have to get MBM and Savannah on board! Those two are not likely so I’ll probably just buy a revolving door.

In other news, Savannah’s play is this weekend. She’s in The Little Mermaid and she plays the Little Mermaid’s sister. Expect video of that too… Even though Sav has threatened me about putting it on the internet. I ain’t skeered of her.

So, that’s it. I’m headed back to Nigeria on Monday for a whopping 6 weeks this time. I probably won’t even recognize Gabby when I get back. Her goofy hair will be down to her waist. Not that that’s a long way given her squatty stature.

See ya!

Did I not mention that we are busy folk around these here parts?

We’ve had birthday parties, karate, a trip to Wichita Falls, AT&T TV & Internet installation for two days, PTO Meetings, Curriculum Nights, cakes to make (for the b-day party mentioned above) and a million other things I’ve probably forgotten.

We have pictures of the cake (of course) and pictures of Gabby (of course) but the camera is downstairs and I’m upstairs so I think you’re S.O.L. until tomorrow. MBM wants to show off her latest culinary creation so I’m fairly confident she’ll be updating tomorrow so you all can tell her how great her latest cake looks. I had a bite or 10 and it tasted as good as it looks.

In other news, the cake class MBM is enrolled in will start (again) tomorrow night. Keep your fingers crossed that the teacher actually shows up this time. If not it will not be pleasant around the Little household tomorrow night.

More importantly… Savannah went on her first date Saturday night. Her boyfriend Aaron came to meet the parents Saturday afternoon before we left for the birthday party. He seems like a nice lad. MBM talked his head off, Gabby cried, Justin bugged, and I sat there quietly and didn’t say much like a good dad should. Of course they talked about us that night and he doesn’t think I like him. I think my silent treatment did the trick. Anyway, they went to dinner and then to a friend’s house where the boys played Guitar Hero and the girls probably sat around and giggled like… Teenagers. She had to be home by 10:30 and they rolled in at 10:29. We’ve asked if there will be a date two but the Mouth of the South hasn’t decided. I’m thinking there will be. I’m thinking if there is I might have to borrow a shotgun or two from Poppa so I can be sitting downstairs with them pretending to clean’em and I do my Dirty Harry “Do You Feel Lucky Punk” routine. Should be entertaining.

Rocky the dumb dog is barking at a mosquito. Gotta go put him up for the night. Pictures and such tomorrow. I know… I said that last time. Maybe you all should start your own little sites and then you’ll see it’s not as easy as you think!

Later haters.

Today, Gabby reminded me that it is the simple things that often bring the most joy. It is wonderful how babies and children remind us how life should be. All my children often do. Gabby was having the time of her newborn life in her new swing, courtesy of Weezer. She smiled nonstop at the tiny little safari animals she saw above. She also decided to take her pacifier and bottle for awhile. We are definitely making progress! Date night and the gym here we come, hopefully. Unlike Gabby, I am going to break in my new mop later today. I doubt that will bring me the same joy like Gabby’s swing did. However, Gabe promised to talk to me while I was mopping, so it should not be too bad. The fun does not stop there! No siree. I will also be cleaning baseboards today. How fun. Don’t you just envy my life of leisure? Hope you enjoy the pictures!

Weezer left us this morning <sigh>. We were all sad to see her go, even Gabby who managed to sleep through her goodbye. Rocky misses sleeping under her car. I miss drinking coffee with her and our t.v. and table talks. Weezer and I kept really busy with running errands, keeping up with the kids, catering to Ms. Gabby, and just catching up. We did find some time to go watch one movie, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, and have a nice La Madeleine Lunch, with Ms, Gabby in tow. Yes, it was nice to have Weezer around. She was able to get in a lot of Grandma time and bond with the wee baby. I even reintroduced Weezer to Houston traffic yesterday when I got turned around on highway 290. Yes, we both agree, that will be a moment to remember! We can hardly wait for Weezer to come again!

Unfortunately, no matter how hard we tried, we could not get Gabby to successfully take a pacifier or bottle. The battle wages on. We did however try out a new baby car seat carrier that suited Ms. Gabby to a “T” and will make Auntie Kari happy that I gave into using it (plus, it was free!).

I will leave you with pictures taken during Weezer’s trip and a candid video I took of them without them knowing. I also have included pictures taken today while Gabby and I fled the unsettling quiet of home to have lunch with my dear friend, Auntie Stella. We used the opportunity to use our Red Robin Free Birthday Burger Coupons! We had a $20 meal for only $6!!! Plus, we had great service and a wonderful time. Gabby also met some ex workers of mine, one with a special connection to me and Gabe. Gabby, of course, slept through it all. Once we got home back to the quiet, she became very fussy! That is my Gabby. Party girl. She also got to talk to her daddy on Skype. She had a lot of smiles and flatulent moments for him. Okay, well, I have to go meet the boys at the bus stop. Later.

So, the house is very quiet. Weezer left me to go hang with Wanda. The kids are in school (yay!). The baby is sleeping (double yay!). I am waiting for the exterminator to arrive to rid our house of those ugly ginormous wood roaches! It rained forever here in H town and we were over run by those suckers. We even saw them trying to move their furniture in. Not gonna have it.

I am taking this very foreign and still moment to catch you all up. First Weezer made it into town on Saturday afternoon. She was immediately drawn into her grandmotherly duties and also surprised with a famous Carolina’s Potluck Gathering. My COF’s (circle of friends) arrived to welcome her, all with good eats and treats in tow. We think we amused her. We also celebrated the August birthdays and had a mini tribute to fellow Leo, Rick Springfield, whose birthday did not go unnoticed by his faithful female fans.

Weezer and I have also been making the rounds in Houston. Don’t worry, Kari. We have not hit any of the cool stores, yet, but it is nice to have another grown up to shop with and spend all of Gabe’s money with. Weezer has also been helping me keep the boys entertained and the baby rocked and cuddled. She is quite the diva. She has many arms and little helpers who want to be at her beck and call, so she is very spoiled.

Since Weezer’s arrival, I have mysteriously become the proud owner of a beautiful new coffee maker (like Kari’s) and Gabby now owns a pacifier she will take (well sometimes). She slept with it for almost 3.5 hours! I felt like I slept an entire night.

I am including a slide show of an assortment of picture taken recently. Many are of the kids and some of the big shin dig the subdivision held for the Olympian Gymnast, Jonathan Horton, outside his home when he arrived from China. Savannah also made her first Cupcake Cake solo, without mom. I also would like to thank my amigos for coming over to welcome my M-I-L. Keith, Frank, Linda, Jorge, Nadine, Shannon you are awesome!

BTW, don’t forget to scroll down and read the other recent posts by my hubby!