Usually I agree with Simon - but just for the record, here are my top picks based on tonight's performances:

And my prediction of who is going home (or should have gone home weeks ago):

What I learned today....

NOT a good idea to put a Toddler down for a nap in just a diaper. WAY too removable.

Mark put this shelving unit together for me yesterday. I spent two hours organizing and loading it to its max today. I need more shelves! That area to the left of the shelves - that's all Christmas!! If it didn't involve moving all of that stuff again, I'd consider painting the laundry area of the basement....but then again - no.

The white countertop thingy that used to be next to the washing machine I moved into the "someday scrapbook room." I am hoping to use this as a workspace once I find a nice stool with a chair back or bar-height stool with a back - whatever they are called. I'd like to find one at a garage sale because I don't want to pay $70 or more for it. The lavendar/blue dresser on the right is an old dresser of Bailey's that I picked up at a garage sale for $40 and painted. It now holds craft supplies, material, gifts and other crafty stuff. The black thingy in the front is a cabinet that holds our internet stuff. I can't really move that because of the lack-of-outlets situation in the basement (grr.)

Anyway - this is what the future scrapbooking workspace looks like:

And finally, here is a picture of the current "cabinets" that I am going to tear out and put up a work table against that wall. That way I'll have two work stations. Here's dreaming anyway.

I'm the first to admit I've become a little fashion clueless over the years. I'm ashamed of this. Anyway - I bought these flats last week - and I love them - but my jeans are too long for wearing flats...so is it still in-style to roll your jeans? Not the 80's roll...but the big cuff? Please tell me this is still ok. And if not - what is the alternative besides skinny jeans?

Check it OUT!!! http://www.neave.com/strobe/

SPRING IS ALMOST HERE!!!! Last night we set the clocks ahead - yeah - more daylight!!! And today I think we hit 65 degrees...or close to it anyway! It was beautiful outside. But there is a downside to this mood-lifter.

Every Spring I get the itch to redo everything. Rearrange furniture, repaint rooms, change my purse to a "spring purse," change the bedding to "spring bedding," basically just give myself, the house and everything in it a facelift. Financially, this can't happen...but I can pick and choose a few things to change. And the things I can't? Well they are going on my garage sale must-find list (like a high-backed bar chair for my someday I swear it'll be a scrapbook room).

I bought a new purse today at Target. ($18.99) It has me in a very springy mood.

And here is the Duvet I want from Wal-Mart. I think it is a pretty good deal, considering it comes with 2 shams AND it is machine-washable...AND any color should go with it. http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5291716

The other thing I am consistent about each year when the weather turns warm is this. I wish we didn't have a dog. We were lazy in the bitter cold and just let her out in the back yard to do her business. Well, now that the snow is melting - I swear there are more "piles" than there is grass....and I HATE that. Lauren is old enough this year to play in the yard - so it HAS to be picked up thoroughly. So I have laid down the law that from now on, when Sadie needs to go out...she gets a leash on her and we WALK HER....on the sidewalk...and pick up her stuff out there...so NO MORE IN THE YARD!!!

I found another recipe on www.pillsbury.com that I want to try this week. I'm incorporating it into my meal planning this week for "breakfast night." I also noticed that you can take the recipe and print off a shopping list right from the Web site. Sweet! And if you make up some of this to quickly heat in the morning on your way to work - think how much money you'll save! I hope this one is as good as the other Pillsbury recipe I tried recently (see Super Easy Chicken Pot Pie in a previous post - yum!)
Easy Breakfast Pizza
Prep Time: 30 min
Makes: 8 servings Nutrition Information

1 (13.8-oz.) can Pillsbury® Refrigerated Pizza Crust
8 eggs
1/4 cup half-and-half or milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 (8-oz.) container chive, vegetable or regular cream cheese
8 slices bacon, crisply cooked
Green onions, if desired

1 . Heat oven to 425°F. Grease 12-inch pizza pan. Unroll dough; place in greased pan. Starting at center, press out dough with hands to edge of pan. Bake at 425°F. for 6 to 7 minutes or until crust begins to brown.
2 . Meanwhile, in medium bowl, combine eggs, half-and-half, salt and pepper; beat well. Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add egg mixture; cook and stir until thoroughly cooked but still moist. Remove from heat.
3 . Remove partially baked crust from oven. Spoon cooked egg mixture over crust. Drop cream cheese by teaspoonfuls over eggs. Arrange bacon in spoke fashion on top of pizza.
4 . Return to oven; bake an additional 8 to 12 minutes or until toppings are thoroughly heated and crust is deep golden brown. Garnish with green onions.

At what age do you only offer your kids what you made for the meal - no exceptions - no substitutes...this is what Mom made and if you don't want to eat it - that is your choice - but no alternatives? We started the morning off with blueberry yogurt. Lauren only ate a few bites and grew disinterested. I offered her a breakfast yogurt bar - again - a bite or two but not really interested. So, I figured she wasn't hungry.

An hour or so later I showered and fixed myself 2 pieces of toast with raspberry jelly. As soon as Lauren saw that, she started to say "Yummy!" and "Please!" So I gave her a piece. Wrong? Not sure - but the pictures are worth any mistake I may have made.

Change of plans for Saturday dinner....this looks too good and too easy to pass up:

(update - it is Sat...and here is what it looks like: Super Easy Chicken Pot Pie
**recipe from pillsbury.com
Prep Time: 15 min ; Start to Finish: 55 min
Makes: 6 servings Nutrition Information

1 box (15 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box
1 can (18.6 oz) Progresso® Rich & Hearty chicken pot pie style soup
2 cups Green Giant® frozen mixed vegetables (from 1-lb bag), thawed, drained
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 . Heat oven to 425°F. Make pie crusts as directed on box for Two-Crust Pie using 9-inch glass pie pan.
2 . In medium saucepan, heat soup, thawed vegetables and flour until warm. Spoon into crust-lined pan. Top with second crust; seal edge and flute. Cut slits in several places in top crust.
3 . Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until crust is golden brown. After 15 minutes of baking, cover edge of crust with strips of foil to prevent excessive browning. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Cut into wedges.

Feelin' a little crafty today - thought I'd share. You can print your own SUPER EASY handprint Easter chick at http://www.dltk-kids.com/t.asp?b=m&t=http://www.dltk-kids.com/animals/image/bachick.gif

My Mom (Grandma Peggy) is a knitting maniac! Look at the latest cute outfit she whipped up for Lauren!

Confession - We spend too much money on groceries. This is mostly because I am horrible at meal-planning and we make too many meal decisions as a family at the last minute. This means we usually don't have the ingredients and so we are running to the store at the last minute. This is not only more expensive, but time-consuming!

So, in effort to tighten the pursestrings in the grocery category and to hopefully use up some pantry goods, I am going to really start planning meals...at least dinner. Baby steps.

I thought I'd post our first-week's attempt at this in case you want to join the bandwagon.

Sunday: Tacos
(Supply list: taco shells, hamburger, seasoning, lettuce, cheese, tomato, sour cream)

Monday: BBQ Pizza (See recipe in previous post)
(Supply list: BBQ chicken, pork or beef - the kind that you can buy in a tub, pizza crust (ready-made), cheese, onion)

Tuesday: Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup (I've got book club - so Dad is on his own. I think he can handle this one)

Wednesday: Omelets, Bacon, Toast (Yes, breakfast for dinner - why not?)

Thursday: Baked Chicken and Spinach Stuffing (see http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/showrecipe.aspx?rid=41135 for the recipe...and lots of other good ideas on this Web site, too!)

Friday: At our house - Friday night is frozen pizza night. Yeah! Easy!!

Saturday: Hamburger/Rice Casserole served with corn and peaches (contact me if you want the recipe - easy and good...all you need is hamburger, cream of mushroom soup, cream of celery soup, rice...that's pretty much it!)

I hope I can stick to this!

Bbq Pork Pizza
submitted by Krista B.

Makes: 6 servings
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Slice a medium size sweet onion into thin slices.
Separate slices into rings. Heat a medium-size nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion rings and cook 3 minutes to soften slightly.
Meanwhile, heat one container (18 oz) fully cooked BBQ shredded pork in microwave as pacage directs for 2 minutes. Lay one fully cooked whole wheat pizza crust on a pizza pan. Spread with softened onions, BBQ pork and top with one cup shredded cheddar cheese. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup sliced jalapeno peppers, if desired. Bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes, or until pork is heated through and cheese is melted. Cut into wedges and serve.

I SWEAR to you this is an ACTUAL toy that is FOR SALE at places that sell toys!! Wrong on so many levels.

This very special Barbie doll is accompanied by her pet dog Tanner. Tanner is soft and fuzzy, and his mouth, ears, head and tail move — just like a real dog. Tanner comes with a dog bone and chew toys, and you can open his mouth to "feed" him dog biscuits. When Tanner has to go to the bathroom, Barbie doll cleans up with her special magnetic scooper and trash can.
Tanner dog has movable mouth, ears, head and tail
Comes with doggie biscuits and a pooper scooper

Dress decision for Easter:

The other dress I couldn't put back - so it is for 18-month-pictures:

Dinner During A Blizzard Warning

Thank you, Stacy for this AMAZING and EASY recipe that was perfect to warm-up with on this INSANE IOWA BLIZZARD! (I've slightly altered this recipe because I"m too lazy to get up and get the piece of paper it is written on.)

2 cans of Chicken Broth
4 Cups of Frozen Hashbrowns or Simply Potatoes (refrigerator section)
1/4 C. Minced Onion (I'd use less)
1/4 C. shaved carrots (or sliced - whatever you prefer)
dash of seasoned salt
dash of pepper
1 8 0z. pkg. cream cheese

1. Bring everything but cream cheese to a boil
2. Reduce heat. Simmer for 10-15 minutes
3. Cube cream cheese and add to soup
4. Stir frequently until cream cheese melts

Great with sourdough bread! YUM!

Last night was Bailey's band concert. Let me just say that a 6th grade band concert is not the ideal event if you are 17-months-old and it is close to your bed time. I came armed with a puppet, books, Cheerios and a sippy cup (both not allowed in the auditorium), a pen and paper, Little People...I thought of everything! Except getting a sitter of course. This is one of the challenges of having my kids so far apart in age. But - we lived through it. Bailey enjoyed having her little sister there - even if she was a little twerp..and Grandma was able to capture a brief moment of cuteness out of Lauren in the photo below. You can just see the little devil in her eyes though, can't you?

MY picks for the best-dressed at the Oscar's. A LOT of boring gowns in boring colors...but here are the stand-outs in my opinion:

And the WORST...

Freezing rain, heavy, wet snow and a stiff wind make for a power outage situation. As soon as the sleet started I began praying that the power would stay on at our house. I can't imagine no power with a toddler and an 11-yr-old! No TV, no computer, no heat, no way to cook, no lights. It was at this moment of thought that I realized I am more addicted to Dora than Lauren! Yikes!

Thankfully, our power stayed on last night, and I woke up to a BEAUTIFUL winter landscape that made me take in a deep breath, thank God for His handiwork and relish in the divine beauty of the moment. (Cue record screech sound). And then I remembered we'd have to dig out of this. Ugh. And I do mean dig - this snow is so wet and heavy, I don't think the snow blower will be able to handle it. It is back-breaking snow that is meant to be enjoyed from the other side of the window.

Grey's Anatomy tonight ! Yeah! I love this show - but was a little leary last week when they pulled an off-site ER-style episode. All I can say is - Meredith better die - because if she lives - too predictable - too cheesy. So far the show has proven better than that. I hope they don't disappoint me tonight.

Kid Safety: Fisher-Price Recall
Fisher-Price recalled its "Laugh and Learn" Learning Bunny Toys because a part can detach, posing a choking hazard to kids.
Call Fisher-Price at 866-447-5003 or visit cpsc.gov for more information.

Just in case I didn't make it perfectly clear that I am married to THE MOST WONDERFUL man on the planet....

Today is Feb. 15...the day AFTER Valentine's Day. The day AFTER my husband sent me flowers, bought me a nice gift and took me to lunch. Today is the day he surprised me on the way home from taking Bailey to school. Today is the day he brought me a Venti Peppermint Mocha and an egg McMuffin and hashbrown. Not because it was Valentine's Day...but because it was the day AFTER Valentine's Day and he still loves me.

On our wedding day he told me privately that he wanted to spend the rest of our lives making other women jealous of me. I think he's doing a great job. I don't know how I won this lottery named Mark - but I am so grateful.

My husband rocks. I, on the other hand, suck at Valentine's Day! I hope the card I gave him shows him I love him. What are other women doing for Valentine's Day? Are you getting your man a nice gift? Dinner? Chocolate? It seems like one of those holidays where it would be easier to be the man....or am I really just that unromantic?

I have an 17-month-old daughter who is OBSESSED with books. This is a great thing, don't get me wrong, but there are some books that I am just SICK TO DEATH OF READING! This is a sign that they are a top-notch pick for toddlers her age, I'd say. When they want to hear it again...and again...and again...and again...and then MORE! I've looked for recommendations on new books to try, but not had a lot of luck with these lists. I've checked out the library's recommended reading list for babies and toddlers, but only a few were actually books she enjoyed. I thought I'd share with you some of Lauren's favorites - in case you are looking for new books to read over and over until you think your Mommy skull will split. =-)

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Eric Carle

Goodnight Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown

You're My Little Love Bug, by Heidi R. Weimer

Each Peach, Pear Plum by Janet and Allan Ahlberg

That's Not My Fairy (and all other "That's Not My" Books), by Fiona Watt and Rachel Wells

How is it that Valentine's Day is only 3 days away??? How is it that I have NOTHING purchased for my husband or girls for Valentine's day yet??? Not a card, not a piece of candy - nothing! And those cute homemade valentine's day cards I wanted to make because now I"m a stay-at-home Mom and I should have not only the time to be crafty, but the ability? NOT EVEN STARTED! I think I pretty much suck at the stay-at-home Mom thing. But I'm enjoying the hell out of it!

Thanks to HoneySuckle White for this good-lookin' recipe!


Mandarin Turkey Stir Fry

Servings: 4
Preparation Time: :10
Total Time: :30

Ingredients
1 package Honeysuckle White® Turkey Breast Tenderloins, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 cup snow peas
1 can (11 ounce) mandarin oranges, drained
2 cups instant white rice, prepared according to package directions

Instructions: In a large container, pour soy sauce over turkey; refrigerate for 5 minutes. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook turkey, stirring constantly until no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Add garlic; cook for 1 minute. Add sesame oil, bell pepper and snow peas; cook for 2 minutes. Add mandarin oranges; heat through. Serve over rice.

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 11.5oz/326.0g
Calories per serving: 572
Calories from fat: 52
Total fat: 6 g
Saturated fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 71 mg
Sodium: 682 mg
Carbohydrate: 90 g
Fiber Carbs: 2 g
Sugar Carbs: 13 g
Protein: 36 g

CHEESE!

Winter is a great time to tackle the dreaded task of cleaning out the closets. And while you're in there - get rid of the clothes and shoes you rarely wear. Don't throw them away though - here is a GREAT way to recyle gently-used shoes. Thank you Real Simple magazine for this tip!

Donate Your Shoes
Soles4Souls distributes gently worn footwear to the needy, including victims of natural disasters worldwide. So far, the organization, only a year and a half old, has donated almost 2 million pairs. Consult its website, www.soles4souls.org, for more information on how to donate shoes. Donations are tax deductible.

We went to Wiggles & Tunes at Keyboard West this morning. Lauren (17 months) LOVED IT! The 45-minute experience was filled with songs, actions, child-sized instruments, child-friendly props like puppets, stuffed animals and scarves that float when thrown. Although the class is typically 10 sessions, I can only vouch for the freebie we tried today. It was fabulous fun.

I picked up a brochure on the way out, which says that their typical 10-session class costs a whopping $120! Although it was a great time for Moms and babies, and though it may be comparable in cost to similar programs offered in the area, I’m just not sure it warrants such a steep fee. If you want your child exposed to music, dance, rhythm and song in a playful environment with other children, you’ll very much enjoy this program. I think this budget-conscious Mom will be breaking out the songs and nursery rhymes at home or going to the library for music programming instead though.

It is Day FIVE trapped in the house because it is so !@#$ cold outside! I can't take it anymore - and I need to get OUT! The library? Target? ANYTHING! But how do you justify that when it is -20 with the wind chill - would be a not-very-good-Mom thing to do I think. So I have one thing to say...

You BETTER be right, Phil!

Phil Says Spring is Right Around the Corner!
Phil's official forecast as read 2/2/07 at 7:28 a.m. at Gobbler's Knob:
El Nino has caused high winds, heavy snow, ice and freezing temperatures in the west.Here in the East with much mild winter weather we have been blessed.
Global warming has caused a great debate.This mild winter makes it seem just great.
On this Groundhog Day we think of one thing.Will we have winter or will we have spring?
On Gobbler's Knob I see no shadow today.I predict that early spring is on the way.

I dreamt last night that I bought this really funky ring – way too big for my short stubby hands that are identical to both my Dad and Grandpa’s – but it was really funky and cool….and now I think it was a sign that I am to buy myself some jewelry today.

I just finished watching The Today Show segment on "cocktail playdates" and I'm infuriated! If you didn't catch it - see it here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16818362/

If you are a level-headed, responsible mother who has ever had a SINGLE GLASS OF WINE in the presence of your children - well, Meredith Viera and "Dr. Janet Taylor and mother of four" have painted you out to be a horribly irresponsible and FAILING "babysitter" who is not fit to parent. Poor and unsuspecting Mommy blogger, Melissa Summers was sucker-punched by the news giant - and it makes me MAD!
(See her side of the story here...http://www.suburbanbliss.net/suburbanbliss/2007/01/i_cant_help_it_.html

Now I know it has been quite a few years since I was in journalism school - but it seems I remember something about TELLING THE TRUTH as a core principle of journalism? Sure, getting all sides of the story is key - but it was blatantly clear that NBC WANTED this story to be about Mommies jeopardizing their children's safety at play dates - it was obvious - from the leading questions, the obnoxious set decor and camera shots of children appearing within reach of giant wine glasses - disgusting.

I think we all agree - as did the Mommy victim on the set - that excessive drinking while caring for our children - probably not a good idea....but an occasional glass of wine while we socialize with other ADULTS while our children play together? Why not? Case by case basis, I say -- but let's lay down our pitchforks and quit trying to constantly prove how Moms are doing it all wrong. Someone is always trying to make us feel like horrible failures. Whether you work or stay-at-home...whether you have a glass of wine when you are caring for YOUR child...or whether you use Pampers instead of Huggies. SOMEONE - SOMEWHERE will be at the ready telling you what a horrible excuse for a mother you are because of your parenting choices. Isn't that what our kids are for? To tell us later how bad we screwed it up?

I just think these OPINIONS should not be given by a news personality such as Meredith Viera. Present the FACTS and then let your audience form the opinion.

Can't we just all get along? Mommies Unite! And Cheers to that I say! (clink!)

It's 10:17 a.m. - and I"m showered and have makeup on. Today is a GOOD DAY! Tomorrow I might even push my luck and go for blow-drying my hair!

A Weight-Watcher-Friendly Superbowl Party Recipe - ONE POINT per serving!!!

Spicy BBQ Meatballs

POINTS® Value: 1
Servings: 30
Preparation Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: 25 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Keep the calories low in this popular hors d'oeuvre by making the meatballs with ground turkey instead of ground beef and by using fat-free barbecue sauce.

Ingredients
1 1/2 pound lean ground turkey
1 cup uncooked quick oats
2 medium egg white(s)
1 large onion(s), finely chopped
1 medium garlic clove(s), chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
1 1/2 tsp beef bouillon granules
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 1/4 cup barbecue sauce

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Combine all ingredients, except barbecue sauce, in a medium-size bowl; mix well.
Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Shape meatball mixture into sixty 1-inch balls; place on baking sheet.
Bake at 350ºF until cooked through, about 25 minutes. Transfer meatballs to a chafing dish or crockpot to keep warm.
Meanwhile, heat barbecue sauce over medium-high heat until hot. Pour sauce over cooked meatballs, toss gently and serve.

Yields 2 meatballs per serving.

PRODUCT RECALL ALERT!




Kid Safety: Graco Recalls Contempo Highchairs
The highchair can collapse while a child is sitting in it.
Call Graco at 877-445-1312 or visit cpsc.gov for more information.

Inside Scrapbooking

HILARIOUS!

Stolen from my sister-in-law's blog...http://yummytreatstoeat.blogspot.com

Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 cup super chunky peanut butter
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar (Splenda brown sugar can be substituted)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips (about 6 ounces)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix first 5 ingredients in medium bowl. Mix in chocolate chips. Using moistened hands, form generous 1 tablespoon dough for each cookie into ball. Bake cookies until puffed, golden on bottom and still soft to touch in center, about 12 minutes. Cool on sheets 5 minutes. Transfer to racks; cool completely.

Recipe From: www.razzledazzlerecipes.com

Dora FREAK OUT

This is what Lauren does when Dora comes on the TV. FREAK OUT!

Are your kids picky eaters? Does it seem that if there is good nutritional content, the less-likely they are to eat it? Well hold on to your seats because they've come up with something new. Know that delicious mouth joy we get from a carbonated beverage? Well they've added it to fruit - REAL FRUIT! Apparently Fizzy Fruit takes the water that naturally occurs in fruit and carbonated it -- and it doesn't affect the nutritional value of the fruit. bizarre! But wait - IF I can get my toddler to actually open her mouth to TRY it....this just might be the golden ticket I've been waiting for to get the fruit in! They are found at select Wal-Mart and 7-11 stores nationwide. If it hasn't made it here yet - should be on its way soon. You can read more about this crazy stuff at www.fizzyfruit.com

Bear Down Fight Song!

Know what COLTS stands for? Count on LOSING That Sunday!

Z Bones--The Chicago Bears Are The Best Team

Go Bears! Beat Saints! SUPERBOWL-BOUND!!

Put Your Records On

I have to buy this album - NOW! This is my new absolutely favorite artist.

I HAVE to get this girl's album! She is AMAZING!!!
http://www.corinnebaileyrae.net/

I have never met a pecan-crusted anything I didn't like. So I thought I"d post this recipe I found on the Honeysuckle White Web site (www.honeysucklewhite.com). In all fairness, I need to admit I have not tried this recipe yet - but I will be trying in next week and will post a short review of it at that time. There are quite a few calories per serving, so I'll most likely be altering the recipe somehow to make it a little more diet-friendly. Enjoy!

Pecan Crusted Tenderloin

Servings: 4
Estimated TimesPreparation Time: 00:15Total Time: 00:45

Ingredients1 package Honeysuckle White® Turkey Breast Tenderloins 2 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled2 shallots, minced1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil1/2 cup sherry1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon black pepper1 cup pecans, finely chopped1/2 cup bread crumbs

Instructions:Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut each turkey tenderloin in half horizontally to make a thinner piece of meat. Place tenderloin between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound with a meat tenderizer mallet to an even thickness. Sauté garlic and shallots in olive oil for 2 minutes. Add sherry, salt, pepper and remove from heat Dip tenderloin pieces in the garlic and shallot mixture, covering each side, and then dip into the chopped pecans mixed with bread crumbs. Place the tenderloins on a lightly greased shallow baking pan and drizzle remaining garlic shallot mixture on top. Bake on baking sheet for 30 minutes, or until turkey is no longer pink and reaches an internal temperature of 170°F.

Nutrition Facts
Serving size:
7.2oz/204.0g
Calories per serving:
446
Calories from fat
216
Total fat:
24 g
Saturated fat:
2 g
Cholesterol:
71 mg
Sodium:
448 mg
Carbohydrate:
19 g
Fiber Carbs:
3 g
Sugar Carbs:
3 g
Protein:
33 g

Before kids (BK), I was a very brand-loyal shopper. I didn’t buy anything but the brands spending the most ad dollars. Tide, Kleenex, Cottonelle and the like. I would have sooner starved than to have bought a cheap brand, and heaven-forbid a generic! But now that I am a stay-at-home Mom of two children, I find myself compromising my snooty shopping habits to save a buck or two. Now, don’t get me wrong – some things just aren’t worth the savings because – well – they suck. And that’s what inspired me to list a few of the dollar-savers my family has deemed passable, as well as the brands that continue to have our loyalty. Since I look for ways to be cheap in every household category, I thought it best to break it up. This week, I’m listing laundry-related items.

Detergents:
I used to be a Tide-only gal – but I’ve changed my tune for an acceptable knock-off found at Costco. Kirkland brand laundry detergent in the huge container with the spout is a close-enough second to my favorite, Tide. It is available in both a Tide-like container colored suspiciously like the real-thing, as well as a fragrance-free variety. The best part – are you ready for this? UNDER TWELVE DOLLARS!!! I do laundry every stinkin’ day and this thing lasts me a long time! Definitely worth a try.

Now – different detergent for babies, or same soap as the grown-ups? I have friends on both sides of this coin. I think if you are comfortable using regular detergent on your little one without ill effects like rash or hives – then go for it. I usually took precaution the first few months anyway, sucking it up and buying the expensive as hell Dreft. The Target “compare to” brand and All brand wanna-be just didn’t smell as nice and baby-like to me. Now that my baby is over a year, I usually use regular fragrance-free detergent. (See Costco plug above).

Fabric Softener:
I know it is weird, and my Mom always tells me it is unnecessary, but I use both a liquid fabric softener AND a dryer sheet. I like my clothes soft and static-free, what can I say? I have tried off-brands, but Downy still wins it for me every time. So, I watch the Sunday paper for coupons and also visit www.downy.com to see if they have any coupons available for printing. At the time I wrote this, they didn’t – but they will….trust me. You can also check out www.shoplocal.com to find out which stores in your area have the best deal on that product. Just enter your zip code, type in the product you are searching for and Voila!

I will occasionally buy Bounce fabric softener sheets – or even an off-brand. But I don’t mess around with the liquid stuff. I’ve found most off-brands to be too runny or to smell too strong. Costco’s Kirkland brand was a really good knock-off of Downy April Fresh, but they have changed the packaging from a pourable jug to the big ole container with the spout. I don’t like it. It is too hard to pour into the Downy ball – so sorry, Costco. You lose my purchase on that one.


Stain Treaters:
Oh, I’ve gone back and forth over the years between Spray ‘N Wash and Shout – but lately Spray ‘N Wash has my vote. That fairly-new Spray ‘N Wash Dual Power product ROCKS! As their Web site says, “its unique technology combines two different stain fighters in one amazing product! A powerful pre-treater and an oxi stain remover activate when mixed and start to break down and lift stains – right in front of your eyes!”

Yes, it is true. And it smells good, too. And a good smell is important when you spend too much of your time amidst dirty laundry. A good laundry product that smells clean and fresh is definitely important. And the clincher? COUPONS! www.spraynwash.com for LOTS of coupons on LOTS of products without a lot of survey questions and opting out hassle.

I know there are lots of other laundry products out there, but honestly – I don’t use them. My delicates aren’t washed in Woolite – but regular detergent. I don’t use stain pens and all of the other fancy products. Basically just a detergent, a fabric softener (or two) and a stain-treater. That’s enough work for me in the laundry room.

I’d love to hear how your shopping habits have changed since you’ve had kids, as well as the money-saving products you have tried and liked! Please post your comments!

BRRRRR! It's COLD outside! Here's a Good Housekeeping recipe to warm you up.

Stovetop Chili

YIELDS: About 11 cups or 6 servings
COOK TIME: 35 minutes
TOTAL TIME: About 55 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed with garlic press
• 1 jalapeño chile, seeded and minced
• 1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes in juice
• 1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and each cut crosswise in half
• 3 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
• 1 teaspoon sugar • 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cans (15 ounces) black soy beans or black beans, rinsed and drained
• Sour cream (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. In nonstick 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat until hot. Add onion and cook 10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.

2. Add chili powder, cumin, coriander, garlic, and jalapeño, and cook 1 minute, stirring. Add tomatoes with their juice, green beans, sweet potatoes, sugar, salt, and 2 cups water; heat to boiling over medium-high heat, breaking up tomatoes with side of spoon. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 25 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally. Add soybeans and cook 2 minutes longer to heat through. Serve with sour cream if you like.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
(Based on individual serving)Calories: 275 • Total Fat: 5 g • Saturated Fat: 1 g • Cholesterol: 0 mg • Sodium: 635 mgCarbohydrates: 45 g • Fiber: 11 g • Protein: 14 g

Hey! Urbandale Library! Bring back free programming for children under age 2! We attended a wonderful month-long event awhile back geared for this age group and it was fabulous. Song, actions, book, interactive play and social opportunities for both Mom and baby - it was wonderful! Although the staff member wasn't completely in-tune with the abilities of this age group, it was still a fun time. 20 minutes in length usually - just perfect for a busy and curious toddler.

It doesn't have to be every week - but please don't neglect this age group! Story time reading a couple board books? A puppet/board book? A song and book? SOMETHING! The truth is - without a REASON to go to the library, like a scheduled activity on your calendar, I just don't get there. We all miss that.

THE BEST COOKIES

Ok, I've tried many cookie recipes - and let me tell you - you just CAN'T BEAT the original Nestle toll house chocolate chip cookie recipe. If you haven't tried it in awhile - here it is.

Original Nestlé Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies
Estimated Times: Preparation - 15 min Cooking - 9 min Cooling Time - 15 min cooling Yields - 60 T

This famous classic American cookie is a treat no matter what the age or occasion. Enjoy it with a glass of cold milk.

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 cup chopped nuts

Directions:PREHEAT oven to 375° F.COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

PAN COOKIE VARIATION: Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Prepare dough as above. Spread into prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack. Makes 4 dozen bars.

SLICE AND BAKE COOKIE VARIATION: PREPARE dough as above. Divide in half; wrap in waxed paper. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. Shape each half into 15-inch log; wrap in waxed paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.* Preheat oven to 375° F. Cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices; place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Makes about 5 dozen cookies. * May be stored in refrigerator for up to 1 week or in freezer for up to 8 weeks. (Who can DO that?!@#)

FOR HIGH ALTITUDE BAKING (5,200 feet): Increase flour to 2 1/2 cups. Add 2 teaspoons water with flour and reduce both granulated sugar and brown sugar to 2/3 cup each. Bake drop cookies for 8 to 10 minutes and pan cookie for 17 to 19 minutes.

Good Housekeeping Tip:

Always keep several get well cards on the mantle.....

so if unexpected guests arrive,

they will think you've been sick and unable to clean.

CHEESY CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS:
5 tbsp. butter or margarine - melted and divided1 cup crushed cheese-flavored snack crackers¼ tsp. pepper4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves½ cup sour cream

DIRECTIONS:
Place 1 tbsp. of butter in an 11x7x2" microwave safe dish and set aside. Combine cracker crumbs and pepper. Dip chicken in remaining butter, then spread with sour cream. Roll in crumb mixture. Place in prepared dish and cover loosely. Microwave on high for 6-7 minutes or until chicken juices run clear. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.

From: Quick Cooking Magazine

Could it be TRUE?! Rumor has it that the makers of Andes - (you know those wonderful chocolate mints?) is coming out with a fat-free version! Hot-diggity-dog! Here's hopin' it isn't packed full of calories and that it will actually taste like chocolate. Keep your fingers crossed, ladies!

Thanks to Stacy for sharing this one.

Frozen Fruit Salad

2 cans (20 oz each) crushed pineapple, undrained
2 pkgs. (10 oz each) frozen sweetened strawberries, thawed
1 can (20 oz) fruit cocktail, undrained
1 can (12 oz) frozen orange juice concentrate
1 small can (6 oz) frozen lemonade concentrate
3 medium firm bananas, cubed

Mix it all up, freeze. Thaw for ½ hour before serving, or you can’t scoop it. I split it into 2 or more containers before freezing, otherwise it is pretty big. You can also do indiv. Servings in muffin cups, freeze, and then store remove them from the pan and store in a baggie or Rubbermaid.

According to information on the Starbucks Web Site, Here are 20 Choices Under 200 Calories

(based on a Tall 12 oz. serving)

I don't see my beloved Peppermint Mocha on this list of skinnies. dang.

Hot Beverages

Brewed Coffee
5 calories, 0 fat

Brewed Tazo Tea
0 calories, 0 fat

Nonfat Tazo Green Tea Latte
130 calories, 0 fat

Nonfat Cappuccino
80 calories, 0 fat

Nonfat Caffe Latte
120 calories, 0 fat

Nonfat Caramel Macchiato
170 calories, 1 g fat

Soy Tazo Chai Tea Latte
190 calories, 2.5 g fat

Nonfat Caffe Mocha - Hold the whip
170 calories, 1.5 g fat

Nonfat Sugar-free Vanilla Latte
120 calories, 0 fat

Steamed Apple Cider
180 calories, 0 fat

Nonfat Vanilla Creme
180 calories, 0 fat

Caffe Americano
10 calories, 0 fat

COLD BEVERAGES

Coffee Frappuccino Light Blended Coffee
110 calories, 1 g fat

Caramel Frappuccino Light Blended Coffee
140 calories, 1.5 g fat

Coffee Frappuccino Blended Coffee
190 calories, 2.5 g fat

Shaken Tazo Iced Passion Tea
60 calories, 0 fat

Shaken Tazo Iced Black Tea Lemonade
90 calories, 0 fat

Nonfat Iced Vanilla Latte
120 calories, 0 fat

Nonfat Iced Caramel Macchiato
140 calories, 1 g fat

Nonfat Iced Tazo Chai Tea Latte
170 calories, 0 g fat

Iced Coffee (with classic syrup)
60 calories, 0 g fat

A couple months ago, my husband put up with a "scrapbooking weekend" in our basement. That meant that several craft-toting women showed up with snacks, slippers and several hundred pounds worth of gear to invade our home while he watched the girls. Now THAT'S a husband. On the flipside...there IS payback to be had. And today is part of that.



Mark set his alarm clock for 4:45 A.M. this morning (who DOES that?!@#) so he could get out to the garage for some HAM radio time. (go for it, I say - it's still DARK out!). I checked on him at a little after 8 a.m. Now...does this look like a man enjoying a good time in his "man room" or what?!

A ham radio? Check. Coffee? Check. No women/girls allowed? Check.

Agh...I know the feeling of divine solitude (or at least I think I remember it)...and it is absolutely heavenly and recharging for the soul. And that's why I am enthusiastically supportive of his agenda today. (but don't think it's gonna be every weekend, buddy).

And so it goes....a THIRD generation of Hamburger Helper women...

Already I'm annoying her...and she's not even a pre-teen yet!

Thanks to Cheryl S. for sharing this one!
Taco Bake
1 bag nacho cheese doritos (or generics, of course!)
1 ½ - 2 lb browned hamburger
1 can cheddar cheese soup
½ can water
1 pkg taco seasoning
Shredded cheese
Salsa, Sour cream, all that jazz…

Crush bag of chips –not totally demolish – I just usually break them up a bit. Pour half in a greased 9 x 13 pan. Combine hamb, soup, water and seasoning. Spread over chips. Cover hamb mixture with as much cheese as you like. Then top with remaining chips. Bake at 350 for about ½ hour, or until heated through good. Then top with the good stuff! J

Thanks to Kelly for sharing this one!

Kelly's Famous Greek Chicken

Description:
This is so yummy. I'm going to upload it as it read with the caveat that it's a bit difficult to make and eat if you do it with drumsticks. Next time, I'm either going to put the stuffing in regular chicken breasts or wrap a chicken breast and the stuffing inside a puff pastry and bake it. (Also, I couldn't find the sun-dried tomatoes in my grocery, so I just used a regular fat tomato and it was still great. And I don't like red onions, so I used a yellow one.)

Ingredients:
Feta-Pesto Stuffing (below)4 chicken quarters (drumsticks or thigh), about 1.5 lbs.1/4 tsp. salt1/8 tsp. pepper2 tbs. lemon juice1 tbs. olive or veg oilFeta-Pesto Stuffing 1/2 cup boiling water4 sun-dried tomatoes (not in oil)1/2 cup crumbled feta chees1/2 cup chopped red onion1 tbs. pesto sauce

Directions:
Heat oven to 400. Make Feta-Pesto Stuffing (Pour water over tomatoes; let stand for 5 minutes. Drain tomatoes thoroughly and chop. Mix cheese, onion, pesto and tomotoes.) Gently loosen skin from chicken quarters, using fingers. Spread one-fourth of the stuffing between meat and skin of each chicken quarter. Place chicken, stuffing side up, in ungreased rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; drizzle with lemon juice and oil. Bake uncovered about 45 minutes or until juice of chicken is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut.

Number Of Servings: 4
Preparation Time: Less than 15 minutes

This day-ruiner brought to you courtesy of Hungry-girl.com

* Topping any Starbucks beverage with whipped cream will increase the calorie count by approximately 100 and the fat count by about 10 grams!

New EASY recipe I tried tonight – CHEAP, EASY and YUM!

Taco Cornbread Pizza

1 pkg. corn muffin mix ( I used Jiffy – cheap and the best)

1 lb. ground beef

1 pkg. Taco Seasoning Mix

¾ cup water

1 pkg. shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 F. Prepare corn muffin batter as directed on package; spread into greased 12-inch pizza pan (you could probably use a cake pan if you had to). Bake 8-10 min. or until lightly browned. Meanwhile, brown meat in large skillet; drain. Add seasoning mix and water; prepare as directed on package.

Sprinkle 1 cup of the cheese over baked crust; top w/the meat mixture and remaining 1 cup cheese.

Bake an additional 4-5 min. or until cheese is melted.

I added lettuce and tomato to the top and had sour cream on the table too…but the recipe didn’t call for these things.

YUM!

Makes 8 servings. Prep time: 15 min. Total time: 30 min.
Not very calorie/fat friendly..but you can use ground turkey or extra lean ground beef...and you can use egg substitute in the corn bread mix. That'll help.