Just in case you were wondering...

...it's not a good idea to let your kids use your garlic press to make "hair" with their play dough, then neglect to thoroughly clean it; and continue to use said garlic press to prepare dinner. Because, if you do this, you may be shocked as you open the oven door and discover bright turquoise polka dots on your lemon garlic chicken.  

Thank goodness for frozen pizza.

Whoopie Pies to Celebrate

Happy Valentines Day!

  I hope you all enjoyed celebrating with your loved ones.  

 

My sweet husband surprised me with a large box of chocolates.  It was wonderful, however,

the longer I go without eating sugar daily, the more I feel my body's intolerance to it.  I get shaky and sick. So, when I saw the beautiful red heart shaped box wrapped up all pretty, I knew I was doomed.  You see, chocolates are my favorite, favorite, favorite sweet treat to eat.  All of those gooey, chewy centers put a smile on my face. 

  

Those gooey, chewy centers took that smile off my face too.  I had a major tummy ache, the kind you are always warning your kids about.  I should be more mature than this right?  Ya, well, I really can't resist the chocolates.

 By dinner time, I felt so sick, and I only ate 2, 3, or  was it 4 chocolates?  I lost count, but really it wasn't more than 4, I promise. 

All I wanted was some good nutritious veggies, and that's what I got in the delicious stir-fry my husband made. (On a side note...he has definitely been holding out on me as far as his cooking abilities.  After 10 years of marriage, he's starting to whip up these awesome dishes that blow my socks off.  I didn't know he had it in him....we'll talk more about this later.)

Wholesome food made my tummy feel so much better, but I was doomed once again.  Do you want to know why?

Because of these:

  For weeks I had been planning to make these RED VELVET WHOOPIE PIES for my family on Valentines Day.  I baked my little heart out all afternoon, and I wasn't about to let this day pass, without eating one.

So I did, eat one

 or at least 3/4 of one before  I was back to tummy ache and now wanting to puke.  But let me tell you, that whoopie pie was so very delicious, I wouldn't change a thing.

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

2 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

3/4 C butter, softened

1 C sugar

2 eggs

1/2 C sour cream

1 Tbsp red food coloring

1 1/2 tsp white vinegar

1 tsp vanilla 

2 1/4 C flour

1/4 C baking cocoa

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

Filling:

8 oz. cream cheese softened

1/2 C butter, softened

2 1/2 C confectioners' sugar

2 tsp vanilla

Instructions:

In microwave, melt chocolate; stir until smooth.  Set aside.

In large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs, sour cream, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla.  Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.  Stir in melted chocolate.

Drop by tablespoons 2 in. apart onto greased or parchment lined baking sheets.  Bake at 375 degrees F. for  8-10 minutes or until edges are set.  Cool for 2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

For filling, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Beat in confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth.  Spread filling on the bottoms of half of the cookies. Top with remaining cookies.

*This recipe comes from the Feb/Mar 2011 issue of Taste of Home Magazine.

p.s. I ran out of red food coloring, so they don't look very "red velvety", but they sure tasted it.

p.p.s. Please don't make yourself sick like I did.

Green Smoothie

 A friend of mine recently recommended I try green smoothies made with spinach leaves and berries.  She loves them and her kids love them.  Which to me is amazing, because my kids start to short circuit at the sight of anything remotely resembling the color green in their food.  

I was skeptical, but willing to try it; I like to think of myself as adventurous when it comes to food.  So yesterday I decided I was up for this food adventure and I tried it.  

My little one stopped "washing" the dishes and watched me intently as I stuffed the spinach leaves, yogurt, and blueberries into the magic bullet smoothie glass (which I  love and highly recommend).   She asked what that green stuff was. I didn't know what to say; she had caught me red  green handed.  So I just ignored her for a minute trying to come up with some whimsical explanation as to why mommy was putting green stuff in the smoothie.  That didn't work.  She asked again and I said, "huh", as if I didn't here her.  She asked again.  This time I said it was yummy stuff to make the smoothie good.  Lame, I know, but I was put on the spot.

At that point I started blending.  And the color got really weirdish brown. But my taste buds were excited- ready to partake. And then they did.  And you know what....it was not my favorite thing.  I really didn't care for the weird leafy after taste.
So I...

...I politely offered some to the little one thinking she would flat out refuse, but she surprised me.  She took it and loved it.  I took a couple more obligatory draws through the giant slurpee straw, then passed it on to her.