Fast & Easy Yummies

Our very first Parent Trip (with a guest) was centered around food. Most of the talk was food that is good for us and our kiddos. But as parents, it is sometimes so hard -- almost impossible -- to get something tasty and good on the table.

Enter, the crock-pot.

(Did you hear the angelic music playing when you read that?)

I have one of these fancy marvels of cooking, but I forget about it -- a lot. When I am awakened from my haze of too-much-to-do mixed with wanna-snuggle-my-boys and remember this wonderful creation, my life gets a little easier for a day.

To make your life a little easier as well, we had a listener (that is also a nutritionist) submit a few of her favorite crock-pot recipes. Try one of these favorites tomorrow (heck, you can get most of it ready tonight and just dump it all in on your way out the door)!

Potato Soup
6 large potatoes, cut up (I use baking or red. Skin on or off.)
1 large onion chopped
3 -14oz cans of Vegetable broth Low Sodium (may use chicken)
¼ cup unsalted butter
3 teaspoons Seasalt
Fresh ground Pepper to taste
1 cup half-and-half or whipping cream (may use low fat half-and-half)
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese – I use more!
Chopped fresh chives (optional)

Combine potatoes, onion, broth, butter, salt, and pepper in crock pot.
Cook 4 hours on HIGH or 8 on LOW – potatoes should be tender.
Mash mixture until potatoes are coarsely chopped and soup is thickened; stir in cream, cheese, and chives.
May serve with shredded sharp cheddar, crumbled bacon and  sour cream.


Pot Roast
Beef roast
Small Potatoes about 8
Baby Carrots  about 10 more if your family likes them cooked
1 lg Onion
2 Cups Boiling water
2 Beef cubes

Cut potatoes in half line bottom of crockpot with potatoes. Place carrots add on top of potatoes. Slice up onion add on top of veggies. Place meat on top. Add boiling water and beef cubes.  Cook on Low for 10 -12 hrs.
Add a salad or some fresh apples and you have a full meal and not much work!


Black Beans and Rice
1 pkg Dried Black Beans about 16 – 20 oz
1 Onion chopped
3 oz turkey pepperoni slices, diced
4 cups boiling water
3 chicken bouillon cube
Salt
Pepper
1 can diced tomatoes (spicy it up use the tomatoes with chili’s)
1 ½ cup rice (not the quick rice)

Soak black beans either over night or boil on stove for 30 mins.  Drain black beans and put in crock pot add onion, pepperoni, 2 cups of water, 1 chicken bouillon cube, salt and pepper. Cook Low 4 hours add rice, tomatoes, 2 cups water and 2 bouillon cubes. Cook another 4 hours on low.
If you work during the day, add all ingredients at the same time and cook on low for 8 hours.  
Add a can of pineapple for a complete dinner!

Why is this so scary??

I consider myself pretty tech savvy.  I enjoy Facebook, Twitter, blogging and being able to find pretty much any type of info I want on the internet.  Its fun.  Its educational.  If you have kids... its scary.  

On our most recent episode of The Parent Trip, we discussed raising kids in a time of technology.  Now, I am not that old - but I wasn't raised with half the immense level of technology that kids have today.  We had Oregon Trail.  My kids play on my iPhone and know how to operate an iPad... when I don't even have one.

So - after you listen to our latest show - be sure to check out this site I found.  It's www.safekids.com.  Great site with lots of info.  There's a "facebook guide for parents", FAQs, and even a contract you or your kids can sign about being safe on the web!  There's a lot of stuff out there on the internet - and not all of it is good.  So, let's make sure that as parents we have the proper tools to keep the web safe.  

 ps...  Yes, that is my four year old killing time at the Apple store - and my one year old hacking my facbook account.  I think I'm in for it!

Entertaining Activities

In my haste to ready my own family for the whirlwind that is Christmas and New Year's and the two week vacation my kids have from school, it seems I neglected to blog the other promised activities! Eeep!

Lucky for you, you still have a whole half of a week with your little darlings, and, if you are anything like me, now is the time you need those activities the most. So, in addition to the things mentioned on the last episode, here are a few activities for each age group that can be done free or cheap:

Preschool
3-D Numbers - cut out large numbers from something sturdy (cardboard, posterboard). Then have your pre-schooler glue items to that number in groups of that number. For example, if you cut out the number three, they would glue three macaroni noodles, three buttons, three jingle bells. This will occupy them AND help with counting and hand-eye coordination.

Cereal Jewelry - All you need is some Fruit Loops and Yarn. To make it easier for them to string, wrap a piece of tape tightly to the end of the yarn to form a sturdy, pointy end.

Young School Age
Bagel Bird Feeder - Smear peanut butter all over a bagel and roll it in bird seed. Tie a piece of string or yarn through the hole in the middle and hang it somewhere near a window so your children can enjoy seeing the birds.

Glitter Bracelet - I mentioned this one on the show. Very easy. Roll a piece of tape backward so the sticky side is facing out (the way you would make a quick lint remover), just wide enough for your child's hand. Then let her roll it in glitter to make her own bracelet.

Ages 6 to 10
Make Your Own Story Books - Stack three or more pieces of paper together. Fold the stack in half. Punch two holes along the folded edge and have your child tie a ribbon or string through the holes. Then have the child fill the pages with a story and pictures to go along.

Puzzle Piece Necklace - Who doesn't have an old puzzle laying around that is missing some pieces? Take some of the existing pieces and give them to the children to decorate -- paint, glitter, glue pictures from a magazine, anything. Then punch a hole in the top if the piece(s) and string it into a necklace.

Tweens
Duct Tape - As I mentioned during the episode, there are all sorts of things you can make with duct tape. If they have a hard time coming up with something, Google "duct tape projects" and click the "Images" link on the left. Just be sure your "Safe Search" is turned on if your tween is looking with you.

Tie Dye - Fun and easy!

Decorate a Box - Find an old box (any box will do) and have them decorate it just for them. Paint, glue, shellac, duct tape :) -- anything they want. Then they have a nifty storage box that is all their creation.

Any Age
Favorite Things Collage - Go through old magazines and have them cut out their favorite things. Then glue them to a paper, cardboard or poster board.

Scavenger Hunt - Have the older kids hide and come up with the clues for the younger kids to find the items.
Trash to Treasure - Give your kiddos some of the stuff you were planning to throw out and see what they come up with. Toilet paper tubes, paper towel tubes, magazines, rinsed and dried bottles, cardboard boxes.

There are tons of resources online that have great suggestions if you still need some entertaining. I hope you are enjoying your kiddos and they are enjoying their time with you!

Happy Holidays and a fantastic New Year to you all!



'Tis the Season.

If you are like me, you have heard all those wives tales for years about colds... well, seeing how we all have to deal with them this time of year, here are some truths I found to help keep your sanity during this icky season.

"Feed a cold, starve a fever."
The truth: This centuries-old saying, popularized by Mark Twain, simply isn't so. All sick kids (and adults)  -- whether they've got a cold, fever, or both  -- need nutrients and liquids to get better, says Leigh Ann Greavu, a dietitian in St. Paul. If your child doesn't feel like eating solids, then chicken noodle soup, juice, and even ice cream are good alternatives.

"Greenish mucus means your child has something worse than a cold."
The truth: Not usually. While clear mucus is most common, green or yellow snot can also just be symptoms of a cold. However, discolored mucus plus a persistent high fever, decreased appetite, cough, or severe nasal congestion may be signs of a bacterial infection, which  -- unlike a cold  -- could require antibiotics.
If you notice your child often has green or yellow mucus, there may be an underlying problem (enlarged adenoids, for instance) that's causing recurring bacterial infections. In that case, let your pediatrician be your sleuth.

"Colds and flu are most contagious before symptoms appear."
The truth: They spread most easily when symptoms are at their worst. That's because these infections are commonly passed through coughed-up or sneezed-out droplets containing the virus, or via hand-to-hand contact. While the likelihood of catching (or passing) something peaks when kids are most miserable, the risk persists as long as the drip does. So even if your kid's almost over it, give the other moms in your playgroup a heads up; they may decide to take a rain check.

"It's best not to treat mild fevers."
The truth: It depends on how your child's feeling. Fevers do help fight infections by stimulating the immune system and killing bacteria and viruses that can't survive at higher-than-normal temperatures. But that's no reason to let your child be miserable. Try to strike a balance between keeping him comfortable and letting his body do its job, says Daniel Levy, M.D., clinical assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore. If he has a mild fever but seems especially cranky, lethargic, or in pain, giving him the right dose of acetaminophen or ibuprofen will likely make him feel (and sleep) better.
If he's reasonably happy and energetic even though his temperature is 102 degrees, keeping an eye on him may be enough (just make sure he's well hydrated). The exception: Any fever in an infant under 6 months merits a call to the doc at once.

From You

Before we hit the studio for the November edition of The Parent Trip, I put the word out in Facebook-land asking what you do to make mealtime easier and healthier. Here are some of your suggestions:

• Form a co-op with neighbors and from time to time share meals. You may cook 3x your normal servings on one night, but then you will have two nights off when your neighbors do the same and -- bonus -- it doesn't take you any longer!
• Cut food into fun shapes: squash coins, half-moon zucchini, magic edemame beans.
• One listener uses a local service that delivers fresh, organic fruits and veggies once a week (check your area for a similar service). She then allows her girls to open the "present" each week and they explore it's contents together. Doing this has convinced them to at least try everything once!
• Make double quantities of soups and casseroles and freeze half for later.
• Put your meat for your meal in the crock-pot in the morning. When you come home, it's already cooked. All you have to do is throw your dish together or add a side.
• Give your children an age appropriate task and allow them to help make dinner. Kids are more likely to try something that they helped create.

What do YOU do? Share your tips in the comments.

To help you along the journey, I also mentioned finding a few apps for your smartphone. I happily admit that I am a mac girl, so naturally, the first thing I look for is iPhone apps. I found an excellent post on another blog listing these great tools.

If you haven't (yet) joined the mac revolution, here are a few for you as well:
Hungry! Shoplist 
Fast Food Calorie Counter
Healthy Baby

Happy cooking!