Happy Birthday Tammi!!

We celebrated Tammi's parents 60th wedding anniversary a couple of month ago so that's where the photo comes from.  Obviously the lighting wasn't the greatest;)  Back in the day, we'd be going out and tearing up the town on one of our birthdays but we blame busy schedules for not doing that anymore.  I think it's because we're getting OLD;)

 

Happy Birthday Tammi!!  I hope your day is FABULOUS!!

Dying some eggs

I cannot believe Easter is almost here.  Having Easter in March is kind of a bummer for people who live in Minnesota because the weather isn't always the best or ground dry enough for an egg hunt.  I won't think about that right now, we'll figure it out. 

 

But today's post, well it's genious!!  I think it was my friend Lauri who did this last year and OH how I wish I would have thought of this years ago.  Would have saved some hands that were sometimes dyed for days.

 

What you'll need is a small whisk.  This one was from our hand mixer but you can buy them at the dollar store for a buck.  Or you can use a larger whisk, you just need larger glasses for the dye.  At any rate, pop the egg in and dip.  Turn the egg and tip again.  Claire loved it.

Bantam Award

Every year our association has an awards ceremony.  Every year we have missed it for one reason or another.  On Tuesday Max opted to miss it because of baseball practice, homework and his friends not going. 

Alanna was texting me updates of kids from our team who were nominated or received awards, most of which were not in attendance either.

And, then this text came..."The Bantam Award....Max Kjome". 

CRAP!!  He wasn't there to receive it.  We weren't even really sure what "it" was. 

Alanna was kind enough to bring it over. 

The Bantam Award is a traveling trophy that started in 2000  He will bring it back next year.  We recognized a few names that were engraved from past years, one being Jack Jablonski, that made his smile a little bigger.

The Bantam Award is presented annually to the Bantam hockey player who, in the estimation of the awards committee, has shown; a) Sportsmanship; b) Willingness to learn; c) Clean mind and body; d) Positve attitude toward coach and players, on the bench and on the ice; e) Reliability and dependability; and f) Improvement in personal hockey skills.

I am SO very proud of him.

Stuffed Pasta Shells

One of my most requested meals.  Yum!

Spaghetti Sauce
1 lb ground beef or turkey (I use turkey most of the time)
1/2 medium onion diced
3-4 cloves diced garlic
6 oz can tomato paste
16 oz tomato sauce ~ you can use 2 small or 1 large can
1 can diced tomatoes ~ I used petite cut
12 oz water
3 t Italian Seasoning
1 t Basil
1 t Oregano
2 bay leaves
1 t Cayenne pepper or 1/2 C of your favorite salsa if you want it to be spicy

Brown meat with onions and garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If you're usually turkey, put 1 t Italian Seasoning in with the meat. Throw in rest of ingredients and simmer on low for a little over an hour. Remove bay leaves. You can leave meat out if you want to make these vegetarian.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Dump in a box of Large Shells and cook for about 8-10 minutes. You don't want them to firm but you DON'T want them cooked either or your end result will be a bit mushy. Drain shells and cool.

Mix together
1 beaten Egg
15 oz container Ricotta Cheese ~ I use low fat

Mix in
1 C shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1/2 C Fresh grated Parmesan ~ you can use the stuff in the green can, I just don't
1/2 t Salt
1 t Pepper
1 t Garlic Powder
1/2 t Cayenne Pepper
1 t Italian Seasoning
You can be done here OR you can add 1 C chopped fresh Spinach or 1 C defrosted, drained and squeezed of all liquid Spinach.

Spray 13x9 pan with cooking spray. Put a ladle to two ladles of meat sauce in the bottom of the pan, you don't want too much, just a thin layer of sauce. Take a shell and put a spoonful of cheese mixture inside. It can be coming out a little bit. Put sideways or face up, doesn't matter, just be consistent and don't do open face down or you'll lose all your filling in the cooking process. Keep filling up your shells until the pan is full. I usually have a few shells left over. Top with sauce, don't be shy, make sure the shells are covered. Top with 1 C of mozzarella and 1/2 C fresh Parmesan. Put in 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Serve. If you want, these can be made ahead, just take them out of the fridge for about an hour before baking and adjust cooking time for about another 30 minutes.

Mix ricotta with a beaten egg.
Mix in your salt, pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning and cayenne.
Handful of fresh spinach.
Chop your spinach.
Mix in your spinach.
Next mix in your mozzarella and parmesan.
Put some sauce down in your sprayed pan.
Here is what the Shell box looks like. You will cook these in salted boiling water 8-10 minutes
Give the shell a squeeze to open.
Stuff your shell.
We're going to pretend this is a 13x9 because that is what I usually make. This time I made two smaller pans and passed one on to a friend for dinner.
Top with sauce.
Top with cheese.
Dinner is served!

Dance

Another successful weekend at competition.  Claire's jazz group took 1st place and kick received 3rd.  She is very happy to be adding to her collection of ribbons and looking forward to the next competition.  Here is her team, some ready to dance their next dance. 

And, here is another iPhone photo I found...her ribbons and after dance treat of frozen yogurt:)

 

SOMETIMES THEY MAKE MISTAKES.  CALCULATION ERROR AND THE GIRLS FOUND OUT THEY ACTUALLY WON 1ST PLACE IN KICK TOO!!  HERE IS THE PHOTO FROM PRACTICE AFTER THEY FOUND OUT!

 

 

But, the photos below are the photos that are my favorite of the week.

 

My little girl is growing up and I can't deny it.  As tough as it was for me to admit it about Max, I had physical cues.  His voice changed, he passed me in height years ago, he busted out of his clothes like the Incredible Hulk and he is constantly eating. 

 

But, Claire, Claire is still my petite little girl.  Much to her irritation, she is not going to be anywhere near as tall as her Mama.  She'll get to rock those cute heels that I never could.  And, sure, people have commented on how she is growing up but I just nodded and smiled, not really listening.

 

But when her dance photos came home, I noticed.  I saw what everyone else is seeing.  She is growing up.  She isn't my toddler with the pigtail horns sticking out of her head.  I really miss those horns but I guess those wouldn't look as cute on the young lady she has become.

 

 

Baked Sweet Potatoes

This was deemed a keeper by everyone in the family, even those that don't like sweet potatoes.

 

What you'll need 3-4 large sweet potatoes

3/4 stick of butter

3/4 C Brown Sugar

3-4 T of maple syrup or pancake syrup or corn syrup

 

Cut the potatoes like this

 

 

Spray a pan with cooking spray and layer potatoes on top of each other.  Top with brown sugar, drizzle with syrup and cut butter into thin pats and put that on top.

 

Bake at 350 for about 30-40 minutes until softened and serve.

Sorry, I don't have a finished product photo because they were scarfed up before I thought about it.

iPhone

For parents that have an iPhone but didn't indulge their children with the same luxury, i.e., ME, you will learn that "your" phone is not "yours".  If I am home or in the car, my phone is in the hands of one of the kids.  The bonus, if you will, is that you get a surprise when you open the camera function. 

This was the latest. 

I am assuming this photo was the inspiration for the latest nail art, also on my phone. 

Love her creativity.