Menu for 7/1/13-7/7/13

After the excitement of the hospital Friday I was relieved today when Dad cancelled dinner tonight.  I was looking forward to having some down time.  We did get together for ice cream this evening.  I got to share some wonderful mocha almond fudge with Bailey.  Actually, she ate some of everyone's ice cream.  She kept stealing bites of Dad and CJ's mint chocolate chip too.

This is what it's like having a child with a medical condition.

Well, we got to spend an unexpected 5 hours at Children's Hospital on Friday.  Isn't that what you do when your child has a tummy ache?  No?

Unfortunately because of Bailey's shunt every tiny headache and stomach bug is probably going to mean a trip to the emergency room.  See, some of the symptoms of inter cranial pressure are headaches and vomiting.  So when she woke up Friday morning crying and then threw up before I could even get her some breakfast I called the pediatrician.  I'm assuming that's pretty routine.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

I remember when I was little and Mom would make oatmeal raisin cookies and I thought they were the best cookies ever.  They probably were pretty darn good, but for some reason I can't seem to make good oatmeal raisin cookies.  I thought it was just me.  I thought I was doing something wrong.  I have a friend who is an amazing cook, but can't make a cookie to save her life.  Even frozen cookie dough turns out wrong when she bakes it.  I thought maybe I just wasn't meant to make oatmeal raisin cookies just like my friend.

Herb Crusted Chicken with Basil Cream Sauce

Tonight I was completely blown away by dinner.  I've been anticipating this recipe all month.  It's the one new recipe I picked just for me because I wasn't entirely sure Aaron would eat it.  I put it off until the end of the month, stupidly.  I wish I could make it again tomorrow night, and the next night.  I wish I could eat this sauce on pasta and potatoes and vegetables and pork chops and chicken every day for the rest of my life.  It's so good, I think I could eat it on cardboard and still enjoy it.

Menu for 6/24/13-6/30/13

Well, I finally got my hair cut this week.  I was supposed to have had it cut for my birthday last month.  I love to have my hair short but it doesn't flatter my face.  I have a very fat, square jaw that looks even more fat and square when my hair is short.  I tend to leave my hair shoulder length or longer so my face doesn't look so fat.  I love layers though and they make my fine hair look more full.  The girl cut it shorter than I had expected, but this time it worked out.  Though it took a few days to get used to I'm really happy with it.

Pizza Dough

Ah, this is a go-to recipe for me.  It always turns out perfect and it freezes well.  I have made this dough so many times that I know the measurements by heart.  I use it for pizzas, calzones, and occasionally I will make plain old cheesy garlic bread with it.

Chicken Parmesan Baked Pasta

Oh man, I've been waiting to try this one for months!  It's been calling my name all week... "Sara, cook me."

Seriously, I've wanted to try this since I first pinned it in, like, February.  The pictures on the original post look so appetizing, which is saying a lot because most photographed food doesn't look appetizing at all, including mine.  I frequently wonder how Ree and Annie (Pioneer Woman and Annie's Eats) get such amazing photographs of their food, but then they probably spend hours setting up the food just so and perfecting the lighting and such whereas I usually snap a photo of my plate just before I dig in.

Chicken, Bacon, and Ranch Macaroni and Cheese

Today has been exhausting!  Bailey's last tooth is finally coming in.  She has been refusing to drink her milk (and I won't give her any juice until she drinks at least 3/4 of her milk) and she has completely missed nap time three days in a row.  We ended up getting home from the store too late for her to nap today.  She has been whiny, needy, and clingy.  I really need a break.  Thankfully Mom has the summer off work so maybe she will keep Bailey some day this week so I can go get my hair done and maybe take myself a little nap.

Menu for 6/17/13-6/23/13

Dollywood was a blast!

Bailey spent the whole day soaked from playing in the water areas.  We had to buy her new shoes because hers were wet.

Loaded Potato and Buffalo Chicken Casserole

I know, I know... another casserole.  Another potato casserole at that.  I'm sorry, but I can't help falling for those potatoes every time I see a recipe.

I was skeptical about this recipe.  Like the Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake from last month, it's made with hot sauce which gives it a buffalo flavor.  I probably mentioned this before, but buffalo sauce turns my stomach ever since I was pregnant with Bailey.

Fried Apple Fritters

Hands up everyone who loves a delicious fried confection for breakfast!  I know I do.  I have an unhealthy relationship with doughnuts as it is, but apple fritters have always been a favorite of mine.

Menu for 6/10/13-6/16/13

Since Dad had plans tonight, my brother came over to our house for dinner.  We made one of his favorite dinners, beef stroganoff.  I'm not really a fan, but I let him choose the meal.  It's one of those things he wants to learn how to cook for himself, so I don't mind making teaching him.

Blackberry Cobbler

One of my favorite things about summer is the fresh produce.  You get strawberries, green beans, corn, blueberries, cherries, and of course blackberries.

When I was little, my Nana would can and freeze vegetables and she made her own jams and jellies (and apple butter, yum) and we would have delicious homemade goodies all year round.  She canned green beans and tomatoes, froze fresh corn off the cob and fried okra, and made blackberry jam and apple jelly.

Glazed Pork Chops

Have you ever pinned something on Pinterest and the description that the previous Pinner wrote was way wrong?  I have been looking at these glazed pork chops for awhile now and the description the previous Pinner wrote said "put them in the crockpot along with about 2-3 cups of apple juice and let them cook on low all day (about 8 hours). SO tender, no need for a knife" so I had been assuming for weeks that all I would need was apple juice.  (My fault for not checking the actual recipe.)  It turns out there is no apple juice involved in the original recipe.

Asian Slaw

So, we've had another change in plans.  My cousin decided she wanted us to cook lunch for Nana and Grandpa together.  She made some delicious grilled chicken and mashed potatoes (and cornbread, apparently she uses Paula Deen's recipe which I am going to have to look up because it was the best cornbread I've ever had) and I brought Asian slaw and blackberry cobbler (more on that later.)  I didn't know what to make since most of the time when I'm asked to bring a side dish I go for a pasta or a potato or rice, but she was already making potatoes.  I looked to Pinterest for some help, but came up pretty dry.  I found a list of vegetable side dishes, but none were really appealing at the moment, and I had this Asian slaw in my "Already Tried It" board.

Menu for 6/3/2013-6/9/2013

As of Friday morning we are a pacifier free house!  We weaned Bailey from her pacifier gently over the last 4 days.  She really only used it during naps and at bedtime anyway so it was easier than I had expected.  I made her take her nap Wednesday and Thursday without a pacifier, then Friday morning I took it from her when she woke up and didn't give it back.  Wednesday was really rough.  We had a 4 hour nap time because she cried for almost 2 hours before she finally fell asleep.  Thursday was almost as bad.  She cried for 20 minutes, slept for 40 minutes, then woke up and cried for another hour.  Friday at nap time she cried for about 20 minutes then slept for over 2 hours.  At bedtime she cried only a few minutes then went on to sleep.  She only woke up once during the night and did not require the pacifier to get back to sleep.  She napped Saturday with no problems and went to bed without crying at all.  We are so lucky to have such a good little girl.