Wrapping up January

Wow, things really have changed this month. I am so glad I decided to do everything I have done- the happiness project, organize and energize and the cooking adventure. I think I have learned a lot this month about how I can make my life better. For one, food brings family together. People in your family seem to follow the aroma or something of fresh cooked food. And it makes people happy to eat it. It makes me really happy to see other people happy from eating it. I love cooking it too. I love planning meals, shopping for the ingredients, and spending the time in the kitchen with a purpose and a plan. I love that after an hour or so of following directions it all pays off when you see people enjoy your work. As an artist I have felt that feeling before after completing a painting, but food actually pulls people together as well. I think I found a new hobby. Another thing I learned is that organizing things before hand really helps out when energy is running low. Buying all the ingredients on Monday night really helps after a night of no sleep with the kids and and all energy is depleted on Tuesday. The home cooked food is worth getting my rear end up off the couch. Organizing all this is not nearly as difficult for me as the energy part. I am going to have to continue working on energy. As far as happiness... I definitely found something that can bring happiness to not just me, but lots of people. January- success.

Kids and food

The relationship between my kids and food is, well, just frustrating. I know most young 2-4 year olds are much the same way. How in the heck do you get them to eat? Breakfast has been our thing lately. Kinda fun. I made goat cheese and strawberry tartine for me, or Brie cheese with apples and crackers. The kids love toast with Cinnamon and sugar and apples. Kenna likes apples with ranch dressing. It's weird, but at least she eats it all. We all camp out together, eat together and its been fun.
On a not so good note, the kiddos had bad, bad colds last week and with no sleep motivation was not so high. I still got in a couple of meals. I made fresh orange pork tenderloin with broth-braised potatoes and wild rice for my mom's birthday. Everyone came over for the party and it was great. I love how food brings people together. I made pumpkin-Gorgonzola flans and spinach salads with everyday vinaigrette. I had hoped the flans would taste as good as the picture looked, but k the American in me was expecting something a little sweeter. Next time I think it will need some brown sugar.
Considering the craziness of a week with sick kids I think i did ok with my cooking adventure. Energized? I would say no, but organized enough at least to get a few recipes out on the table and some great time with the family.

This last week

This last week has been a different one, but good. I only got to do two meals from my awesome cook book, but they were both so good. It wasn't that I was wussing out though. It was actually a week filled with family birthdays The whole point of this project is to bring family closer so I didn't feel bad about skipping out on the cooking to celebrate.
I last posted on Tuesday. I wanted to cook just something light and I almost didn't want to do anything, but then I say this show on the food network, French Cooking at Home, or something like that, and I was inspired enough to get my lazy rear end off the couch and into the kitchen. I actually was so glad I did. I made 'cheating on winter pea soup' and 'cafe style grated carrot salad'. I was just doing it for a light meal for Carl and I, but then Abbey and Corey came over. I was a little worried that the green slime looking soup and carrots were not going to cut it for the boys, and they did ask repeatedly if I was trying to turn them into 'hippies'. I admit I even had my doubts. I've never had that kind of soup for dinner, but it was awesome! They all actually got seconds. My little girl even loved it and she doesn't like anything. I think this may be one of my new favorite comfort foods- wiered appearance and all.
Wednesday was Nannie's birthday and we went to her house to celebrate. The kids are so cute together. Sometimes there is just nothing quite like pizza and birthday cake.
Friday night we decided to go the water park hotel. The kiddos had an amazing time. Kids love water and I love that it get all their energy out. 
Saturday night was Abbey's birthday and we did a party at her house with all her friends. I love that she has so many people that really love her in her life. Mason, my four year old sang her his favorite Brad paisley song. Gosh, he is cute! 
Then there was today. I had put out some ground beef earlier in the week for dinner and plans changed, but I didn't want it to go to waste. So in the midst of my crazy morning of kids and life I decided to make 'cafe salle pleyel hamburgers'. OK, so I don't mean to brag or anything, but these were no ordinary burgers. In fact Carl in the most seriousness ever said, "This was the best burger i have ever had." You have to understand he is like the ultimate burger connoisseur. It was amazing! I am going to have to make them again. Kids ate it all too. 
Tonight was Mom, Abbey and Grandma's party at Mom's house. I love my family. They are all crazy, but I love them. 
Although I didn't cook as much this week and it wasn't totally my focus I spent a ton of time enjoying my family which is the whole point of this anyway. I was organized enough to get everything done I really needed and could spend time with everyone and enjoy it. In the end, all in all a good week in the happiness project,  

Mission organization wearing me out

This mission of organize and energize has proven to be a lot of work this weekend and I am a bit worn out! Ran 5k on Saturday so got that out of the way, but that has been the extent of the running. Instead, I have been trying to 'make life easier' by eliminating sippie cups for the kids and go to cups and encourage more H2O intake. We also put the little 2yr old girlie in a toddler bed. This combination has equaled no sleep and a very tired mom. I actually caught her at 2 in the morning playing dress up with all her shoes on Sunday night. Who knows how long she was up for. So this organization needed a remodification. Last night she got her sippie and I used the Angel monitor on her bed so I knew right when she got up and could put her back to bed without stressing out. Went much better. But before I went to bed I had to 'organize' what I had to do for today. I am part of a mom's group and today was my day to help do a little presentation for spa day. I helped them make little samples of an olive oil sugar scrub. All natural and great for your skin. We also gave quick beauty tricks. I should have organized this Sunday though instead because it did take a bit of work to get it all together. Two trips to the store and some time, but it turned out well. So, at 12 o'clock last night I finally hit the sack.
Sitting here now considering backing out of the cooking adventure today because of sheer energy deprivation, but then this new show came on the cooking network- French Food at Home. Humph! I didn't even know they had a show like that, but it was that little nudge I suppose I needed to get my rear end up and into the kitchen. We will see how it turns out... 

First week of organized, energized cooking with my happiness project

January’s plan on my happiness project has been to organize and energize my life and so far so good. My cookbook “Around My French Table” has been awesome!!! Every recipe is complete with a little background story and just makes me excited to cook it. I have decided cooking is awesome. It is a little work, but you get instant conformation that it was worth it when you take that first bite, unlike so many other things we work at in life. When I go for a run my legs do not feel instantly thinner. When I finish doing my third load of laundry for the day the clothes do not thank me for getting them out of the hamper and it’s full again the next day. However, that first amazing bite of French onion soup with beautiful cheese bubbling over is instant conformation that a little work in the kitchen goes a long way for our taste buds and our hearts.

Speaking of which, this is what I cooked for dinner this week: ‎

1st day of my cooking adventure I made homemade French onion soup and a great avocado salad with a lemon vinaigrette. We had Abbey as our guest. Was a little hectic getting it on the table with babies crying and life going on around me. McKenna had her shots that day and refused to cooperate about anything and Mason was not help. I should have turned up the heat on the onions a little higher to start and it took a long time to realize this. Abbey got there right in time to help put the kids in the bath for me while I finished. Well sort of she tried to hold her own baby while trying to convince crying Kenna to get in, but close enough. Carl, in the mean time was trying to figure out why my truck wouldn’t start. Dinner got on the table by 6:30 and it turned out being only Abbey and I to eat it. Not really the kids ‘cup of tea’ yet and Carl was still outside with the truck, but did have his later. Despite the craziness it was very good and I was so glad to have Abbey there to enjoy it with me!!  

Wednesday night went a little smoother. It was Roast Chicken for les Paresseux and Gougeres. Mason actually helped me make the Gougeres (which are basically a cheesy puff biscuit) earlier in the day and then you can freeze them and cook them from frozen anytime. I was so fun to have him help. He mostly just stirred, but it was cute. After the crazy night before I decided preparation was in order so I decided exactly how much time I would need for everything and set out all the needed ingredients beforehand. It did also help greatly that the literal translation for Chicken les Paresseux is Chicken for Lazy People. You basically just through everything into a Dutch oven and let it cook! I also put carrots and potatoes in there so I didn’t even need to make anything else to go with it. It was great and everyone ate it including the kids. Abbey came over again and it was a great dinner. The recipe did call to cook the chicken liver with the chicken and Abbey dared each other to try it. I’ll try anything, but that is one thing both of us will only ever try once. Yuck! But the rest of the chicken was amazing!

Last night was kinda crazy again. We had Bistrot Paul Bert pepper steaks, les fritas (french fries), and asparagus and bits of bacon. Mom and Dad came over for dinner. The crazy thing about this meal was you had to make it a serve it right away. No making ahead here or it would get cold. The steaks had to be cooked a little longer, but were actually really good. Cooking I've decided is best when you have someone to share it with.

I have realized that I have really found a new hobby. I really like being in the kitchen and actually get why people get so fussy about the brand of pots they use and an oven that keeps good temperature. The one thing that I really have realized is my legs may not feel skinnier after I run, but they will feel fatter if I keep cooking this way. French people don’t get fat from this amazing food because they have small French appetites and savor their food, but I have an American sized appetite and two kids that keep me on the hurry clock- I’m working on it. In the mean time I did go for a three mile run today.

I may be an organized and energized cook, but I am also going to have to be an organized and energized runner too. lol

For January...

This January’s adventure was kinda stumbled upon. I started by doing what so many people do for a New Year s resolution and started cleaning out my house. I did the garage, closets, under the bed and then… I needed something else to do. So I started trying to organize my life. Something that had been bothering me was my crazy amount of lack of imagination when it comes to dinner for my family. I don’t know what has happened, but I seem to have developed a terrible case of writers block for the home cook! Because the thought of having to decide what to eat stresses me out, we end up just eating crap! The whole family suffers. It’s bad. My kids end up living off of ‘snacks’ of pop tarts and microwave popcorn. My husband lives off cereal and frozen pizza. I knew things had to change. Inspired by Julie and Julia, I thought wouldn’t it be great if I could pick up a good cook book and actually learn to cook the recipes in that book?! I went to my trusted, quiet friend Barnes and Noble. I picked up a ton of books. Some of just Italian, some American, some of all natural foods, some of diet foods, but I admit I was having a hard time finding a book that had just great, old fashioned home cooked food. Finally, I found it. It is called “Around My French Table,” by Dorie Greenspan. It was a total coincidence on the French inspired food thing. Never the less, it is perfect. All fresh, home cooked food that is made of simple ingredients that just taste great! I was inspired and excited!

 I have decided that I will be cooking great, home cooked meals from my new cook book at least three nights a week. Tuesdays, Wednesday s and Fridays I think will work best. During this time I really want to make a big deal about what it means to eat as a family and really enjoy the food we eat and company we have at our table. I’ve already done two meals this week before this post and it was awesome- Awesome for me to have purpose and awesome to actually experience the rewards of a little time in the kitchen!

January’s organized and energized cooking adventure here I come…

My first post...

I am trying to figure out what it is that keeps us- people, moms in particular- going. For me, I think the most important things in my life are family, God, and space to run.
I am embarking on a journey to see how I can improve my happiness and bring my family closer to these three important things. I am planning to pull out all the stops and use any and all ideas to do this.
To start- I am doing my own modified 'happiness project'. It is, after all a big thing right now and I would suggest it to anybody.
During this year of my happiness project I anticipate some things may be easy and some things hard, but I anticipate I will find that is what really is the Good Stuff...