Whatcha got Cooking?

Nesting is an amazing thing... Somehow you feel like you have to do certain things before this baby comes or else the world is going to fall apart.  In some ways this may be true, my little world as I would like to see it will temporally become distressed with the welcoming of our new baby.  I will have to slow down to recover from the delivery, stop what ever I am doing to occasionally to nurse the baby, learn to do things in sleep deprived mode again and just juggle a few extra diaper changes, lots more snuggle times, a million picture taking sessions and many moments to coo and ahh with new little guy.  It certainly isn't going to be the same as when I only had one baby to do this with... I still have to keep up with other 3, clean the grime from the toilet and provide food for these bottomless eating machines we call children...

Food is what seems to pull at me the hardest right now.  Shopping isn't fun with 3 little monkeys hanging from the cart, cooking dinner at the crazy hour of the day isn't fun & providing healthy choices (that they actually like) isn't easy, especially if you are as stubborn as me when it comes to the choices that they can pick from.  I have a really hard time settling for the easy way out of prepackaged foods and snacks, and with the consumption rate of our family lately, I think we would go broke if we used that option too often.  In my perfect world I would truly enjoy making most things from scratch, but that time and resource is limited when you take care of young kids everyday.  This is my work in progress to be able to do just that for my family.  It is certainly not a new concept and I have not made it as smooth as I can yet, but after 2 months of doing so, I am happy with the end result. 

This is a long posting to serve as a record for myself and also I hope that someone might find some of the info useful in your own home.  You might be a bit confused at this point, so let me explain...

It all started with ground beef and rotisserie chicken.  I have bought those items in bulk for quite some time and cooked the beef up right away and shredded the chicken to put into portion sized bags and then off to the freezer.  This became an easy way to prepare a quick dinner... ground beef for tacos, chili beans, spaghetti sauce, beef and noodles, etc and shredded chicken for enchiladas, soups, burritos, chicken salads, etc.  The meat seemed to be the hardest thing to prepare before a meal (and the messiest) so this cut my cooking time down and having it in the freezer I always knew I could quickly throw something together if needed. 

2 chickens can go a long way around here... I can stretch the chicken breast meat to make about 4-5 meals if they are portioned in bags.

 Just cut and shredded.

 Label, portion, zip and freeze.

The left over chickens are placed in a huge pot of water...

Some fresh veggies are chopped and put in to,

Everything is cooked for an hour or more, strained and after the chickens are cooled the rest of the meat is easily peeled off. Chicken and stock are placed in gallon sized freezer bags and off to the freezer.  With the 2 chickens I made enough stock for 3 large pots of future soup.  Next time I want to make soup I have homemade stock waiting. 

 For the ground beef I cut up 2 onions and use some crushed garlic (these frozen cubes are the best!) to season it, making it ready for anything when I pull it out of the freezer. 

 After browning up about half of a 10lb pack of ground beef, I now have 6 bags of seasoned beef in the freezer calling my name!

With the other half of the bulk size ground beef pack, I did the prep work to mix together 4 meat loaves.  The prep work to making meat loaf can be messy and use several dishes in the process. But doing it in bulk and ahead of time, has made it easy to have homemade meatloaf.  Just pull out of the freezer in the morning and it is ready for the oven by dinner time.  I got this recipe from my friend Carin several years ago- it has been a keeper & it freezes really well! 

Carin's Meat Loaf

1-1.5 lbs ground beef
1 cup Oatmeal
1 Egg
1/2 chopped onion (I sauteed mine with mushrooms & garlic too)
1 cup Ketchup
1/4 mustard
1/4 cup brown sugar
salt & pepper

Mix the ground beef, onion, egg, oatmeal and 1/2 the ketchup and mustard.  Form into a loaf shape.  This is where I stop wrap and freeze.  When I am ready to cook, I take out to thaw bake in oven for 50 minutes at 375.  While it is baking, you mix the other half of the ketchup and mustard with the brown sugar.  Pour on the top of the meatloaf and cook for 15-20 more minutes. 

Next, I browned some stew meet that I got on sale, threw it into the Crock Pot to make a big pot of beef stew... We ate some that night and I froze another meal size portion for later.

Beans are one of the cheapest proteins you can buy and if you buy them dried and on sale, they are really cheap... I think this huge (3 meal size portion) pot of beans cost around $4.00)!  I modified a recipe I got from my dad:

Dad's Full of Beans

4 cups of dried Pinto Beans

2 tbs taco seasoning

1 tsp baking soda (to reduce acidity)

2 cubes of bouillon (I didn't have this, so I used a can of beef broth)

1 chopped onion

24oz. can of diced tomatoes or tomato puree

1 lb cubed  meat (I used left over roast beef)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup raisins (was out of those at the time)

Green chile to taste (I used some salsa)

Liquid Smoke (I didn't have any)

Soak the beans in water overnight, rinse and drain beans.  Then cover with fresh water for cooking.  Add all the ingredients except the liquid smoke.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for about 6 hours stirring and adding water as needed to maintain desired consistency.  Add Liquid Smoke just before serving. 

I forgot to take a picture of the pot when it was full...

Next project of the day was an attempt at a new recipe for Baked Ziti...  I assembled the ingredients into some plastic storage containers that I happen to fit inside my square 8X8 sized glass casserole dishes... I lined them with parchment paper for easy removal.  After they froze for several hours, I removed them from the containers and wrapped the frozen squares in plastic wrap and gallon sized zip lock bags.  We have yet to try dish, I hope it turns out good.  Apparently, you just take it out the night before you plan to cook it, thaw it in the refrigerator and then bake it accordingly at dinner time. 

A favorite meal of our whole house is chicken stir fry.  We like it pan seared like Pei Wei, but the process is a bit messy to make when little ones are hoovering at your feet.  It never fails that someone needs me when I have chicken hands or the oil is splattering.  Last month I made a double batch & froze one portion to see how it reheated... It was good and no one thought differently of the meal?! I did notice it wasn't as crispy on the outside, but after a sauce is added you can't really tell.  This is what I did:

I cut some soft frozen chicken into bite sized pieces

Toss a little bit of flour with the chicken to give it a golden crispy outside

Heat some oil (I used canola) until it sizzles with a splash of water

Add the chicken (be careful it will splatter) and let cook on both sides until golden brown

Add some steamed veggies, brown rice, a quick microwaved sauce made from soy sauce, water, honey, splash of OJ, dried ginger, dried garlic & a sprinkle of taco seasoning, and then throw some peanuts on top...  It is our version of Pei Wei's Mandarin Kung Pao.

Cooked all day in another Crock Pot was a large Rump Roast with a little beef broth, onions and garlic.  The beef is shredded, bagged and froze making 2 quick meals of shredded beef and 2 meals of pot roast with gravy.

I also am trying out a new recipe for freeze ahead spinach lasagna, prepared for the freezer the same way as the Baked Ziti.  Here is a picture of the ricotta and spinach filling. I am excited to try this!

Last month I attempted my first big batch of homemade marinara sauce (I didn't stew my own tomatoes, but it still tasted fresher than anything we had in the past).  I used some sauce for the lasagna and baked ziti and froze the rest in meal sized portions.  It will be easy to take out on spaghetti nights & Mike loved the taste!

I used this HUGE can of crushed tomatoes as the base of sauce... It was only $2.74 and made enough for 5 meals!

Our freezer is packed full ready for baby to come!  Hopefully it doesn't break down on us ;).

Here is the break down of what I made extra for the freezer over a 3 day process...

2 Baked Zitis
2 Spinach Lasagnas
6 Ground Beef bags
4 Meat Loaves
3 Shredded Chicken bags
3 Chicken and Stock bags
2 Stir Fry Chicken bags
2 bags of Shredded Beef
1 bag of Roast Beef
1 bag of Beef Stew
4 bags of Beans
5 bags of Marinara Sauce
1 bag of Fish Taco Meat

I am hoping this lasts for 6-8 while mixing in some simple egg meals, salad meals, pasta meals, sandwiches & occasional take out.  I am planning to put together a month long meal plan and will post it when I am done.  I think what I like best about this kind of planning is that the dishes are really easy after a freeze ahead meal and the kitchen stays much cleaner.  I am hoping this can work out regularly.  If you have ideas or insight on freeze ahead meals, please let me know!

Kyle's Collections...

Kyle can find use of any kind of container when he plays... He will ask me ot get boxes down from his closet and he always has something in mind for it with his imaginary play.  It can be a house, a vehicle, a jungle or anything else he has in mind at the time.  He loves to find little toys from various playsets and start collections or treasure boxes.  It drives me crazy because at the end of the day I get to put everything away, but I love his imagination and the elaborate stories he comes up with! 

I guess he likes to organize like his mama...

 While it looks messy he has an order to what he is doing and if you change it, you will hear from him!

 Humm, where should I put this?

Kyle, I love your attention to detail and your drive to figure things out!

Technology

When the IPad first came out, Mike's boss got him one... Our busy lives and that fact that you can't train an old dog new tricks, prevented us from using it too much because we were used to our PC interface/keyboard. Lately, we finally have been checking it out and the features it offers- like its free apps.  Joshua has tuned in and now has "IPad nights".  Two nights a week, he is allowed play games, read stories, put together puzzles, etc (assuming that privilege hasn't been taken away) for 15-20mins before going to bed.  It is amazing what this thing can do... It is a bit addictive!  Currently our favorite game is 'Cut the Rope'... If you have an IPad or IPhone, you need to check it out. 

It is amazing how quickly these little ones catch on to technology... J is able to navigate like a pro!

Brotherly Love, I better enjoy it now- I am sure they will be fighting over it in a matter of months!

They have a lot of educational stuff geared toward the preschooler.

We have a new photographer in the house

For quite some time, Josh has asked me if he could take some pictures every time I took my camera out & when he found out that they made cameras for kids, he begged us to get him one for Christmas.  We broke down and bought him one after it became a frequent request.  He is such a little man... His biggest requests for Christmas gifts were a)a watch b)a camera c)a bike bell?! 

So what is it that a 4 year old takes pictures of?  Well come see for yourself...

I took this picture, this is what he looks like behind the camera

And of course he had to take a picture of me taking a picture of him!

This is his Lincoln Log train set, but he told me he was really taking a picture of his Iron Man night light.

More toys...

...And yet more toys, do you see a pattern?

He captured dad's Spider man Shirt...

And then captured his face.

"Kyle, say CHEESE!"

"Mom, say CHEESE"... First thing in the morning, lovely!

"Jakey, don't run away from me!"

"Here is my backyard"

"And this is the picture I colored".

Even though the quality isn't as good, it is fun to see things through his 'eyes'! 

Fire Station Tour

A couple of weeks ago we went on a field trip with our Mom's Club to the local  fire station.  The boys had a lot of fun meeting the firefighters, stop/dropping/rolling under the "smoke" from the fog machine, climbing in the trucks and trying on the gear.  Thanks Station #27 for sharing with us! 

Some of the group proudly standing with one of the firefighters.

Heavy helmet!

J was so excited to try on a real ff jacket and hold the door crusher- aka an "ax".

Little J, was content to stay with me... the big trucks and outfits were a bit much for him.

K could have spent all day inside the trucks exploring the many buttons and equipment!

There must have been something really interesting in this truck!

By the way, my prego scatter brain forgot my camera-  Thanks for the pictures Martha! 

Showered with Girlie fun!

In just a few short weeks, 5 to 1 will be the ratio of guys to girls in our house...  Lucky for me I have some great girlie friends who took me out to a tea cafe for a girls only brunch/baby shower.  We sipped  tea, ate scones and egg sandwiches & enjoyed several hours of girlie company.  What a blessing this group of gals have been over the years of baby rearing!  When we first met there were 9 little ones among us (I am counting J, who could not make it because she was out of town) & now we have 20 little ones... that is 2-3 babies being born a year since we met! 

The serious picture & you can see my huge bump...

The fun pose, this how we usually are!

Can't forget L, the photographer and M, the little mommy helper!

 Lots of diapers and cutesy shower gifts.

 This gift wins for Best Presentation!  I love getting baskets, thanks Mitra!

 I couldn't ask for a better group of friends!  Thanks Megan & Eileen for putting together such a special day! 

Mike and his boys

Almost every evening at about 4:30, the craziness begins... The afternoon snack has worn off, the house looks like a tornado ran through it, I am scrambling in the kitchen to get dinner started, the sun is going down and the cold sets in.  That is when my boys decide to magically turn the bored hyper switch on and the whining, pestering & crying begins.  That is why the winter is so long... No sending them outside to run off their energy and all of the sudden when it is dark outside ALL their toys are suddenly boring!  So while I can temporarily distract them with markers, stickers, play dough, etc for a few minutes at a time, they pretty much remain in this feisty state until they are nice and cozy in their beds for the night.  Mike has really stepped up lately and it has become a team effort to get this crazy crew of kids from dinner to rough housing to bath to book to bed.  After dinner he tackles, wrestles, tickles and plays superheros with them to get their hyper energy expelled (maybe his too!).  The loud action packed playtime migrates to the bath and the four of them have lots of loud splashy pirate fun while I clean the kitchen, get their pjs, vitamins, toothbrushes, etc ready.  One by one I get them dried off and dressed as he continues to entertain them in the tub... Straight to couch for a book with dad as I gather up the blankets and binkies.  Several cuddles, one on one talks about their days, bedtime prayers and off to bed, our exercise session is over :)!  They sure love their dad & I love you too... Thanks for all your help, you are an amazing father! 

Climbing

The boys certainly got blessed with many gifts this Christmas, but one unexpected (yet very appropriate for a household of active little boys!) gift came from Mike's cousin Carl and soon to be wife.  It is a climbing dome and fits perfectly into our yard full of toys and boys.  Mike and the kids had fun building it last weekend and even more fun playing on it... When the weather gets nicer, they are excited to make a fort dome out of it.

Big J helped Mike during the whole 2+ hour building process... His determination and hard work amazes me!

 K helped too!

 Counting, unwrapping, building- it was a team effort!

 This toy is solid!

 Little J had a bird's eye view of the building from his swing.

 Finally it is playtime- "Look Mom, what I can do!"

 They all can play with this one :).

 I had to throw in the "I am almost 3 and am getting an attitude look!". 

Suprise visitors

It has been awhile, I know, I have been busy getting organized with the anticipation of our newest little guy to make his appearance- I will get to some of those projects in later blogs... For now, I will catch up with our everyday life.

A few days after Christmas, we had a pleasant surprise visit from Mike's uncle and cousins from California.  His two local cousins joined the fun too as we enjoyed a evening of dinner and catching up.  When Mike and I were dating in high school, I remember each one of these kiddos as a little baby- where did the time go?  Ironically they are just about the same age difference as our four kids... It was kind of a fast forward look at what times will be like in about 12 years!  It also goes to show how much our grocery bill will be going up as I didn't nearly plan a big enough dinner for our house full of teenagers- sorry kids and your bottomless bellies! 

Kyle felt like such a big boy sitting with his older cousins!  He also totally hammed up the attention they gave him.  

 He is still our tactile kid and was obsessed with Uncle Donnie's curly hair... He was so thrilled that Donnie let him touch it.

 What great teenagers these are... They played with our kids all night.

 They were also super polite and interacted with the adults a lot.

 Not one of them spent any time texting or being preoccupied with anything... They were an absolute pleasure to be around the whole time!

It is strange how the circle goes, we were just there as teenagers at Mike's family functions playing with these kids when they were toddlers, who knows what will happen in the next round of 12 years or so... 

 We truly enjoyed your company and the boys are still talking about each of you.  Come visit more often and stay longer, I promise I will have more food!