Happy National Burger Day!!

This recipe review is going to be quick and simple.  It is a simple recipe, which is something I need in my life right now.  It just got crazier around here, but hopefully in the long run to make things better.

I am a huge mushroom fan and I know a lot of people are not, but I love them.  Brewsky's used to have a portabella mushroom sandwich that I ordered a lot, unfortunately they don't have it anymore.  Not like I go there anymore now that I am miles away.  What I tried was a side dish, roasted mushroom medley.  Here is the link, recipe.
I did not have the fresh herbs that it called for and I really didn't want to go buy all of it and have so much fresh herbs left over that I really wouldn't use for something else.  I just used the dried stuff you find in the spice isle.  Plus I just used regular white mushrooms.  I am sure using the variety would make it really tasty.  As you can tell I usually try recipes that I have the stuff already in my house. 

• 2 Pounds Mixed Fresh Mushrooms
• 2 Garlic Cloves, Chopped
• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper
• 1 Teaspoon Chopped Fresh Rosemary
• 1 Teaspoon Chopped Fresh Sage
• 1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Parsley

I mixed the olive oil with the seasonings in a shallow dish.

I then mixed in the washed mushrooms with the olive oil and coated them.
I thought the mushrooms looked like the color of my counter.  Maybe the name of this granite slab should have been mushroom.

I cooked the mushrooms at 350° for 30 minutes.  I then removed and drizzled with balsamic vinegar.

So you might be asking why my life is a little crazier, let me tell you.  A little while back we had an issue with Frankie biting Willow a couple times in the face.  Nothing serious, just a couple hard nips to get her to leave him a lone.  Well this last time he got our friends daughter in the face when she bopped him on the head for getting on top of the dinner table and eating her food while she stepped away.  That both sent Tim and I into this frenzy of what the hec are we going to do?  It was either get rid of him or find someone that could correct this unacceptable behavior.  I just couldn't give up on my dog, it was something I just could not think about.  Surprisingly, Tim, the dog hater, found a guy who works with dogs.   The cost was for both dogs, and we knew Beans was being a little brat sometimes and it would be beneficial for her too.

So the dog guy came and made his first visit with us on Sunday.  Basically we are starting from scratch with the dogs and they have to be on a leash A LOT and the leash has to be attached to us.  When we sit down they can't move and we are in control of everything.  It sounds weird but basically we are teaching them that us humans call the shots, they have to earn everything and they are not the top dog.  We are suppose to make them sit before anything they want like eat and go outside.  That is the hardest thing right now.  Beans will sit for nothing, Frankie will only sit for his food.  I am suppose to get them to sit before I even open the door if someone is here, yeah right.  This is going to suck.  Trying to take care of 2 kids who are needy with 2 little dogs at my heels is not easy.  It has only been day 2 for this method and the first day without Tim.  We will see how it goes.  They might be in the kennel more then usual.

Charlee is a mover.  She hasn't quite got crawling on her knees yet but that is coming soon.  She scoots herself around by pushing off with her feet.  She is a squirm bug on the changing table.  There is no time for hesitation, you gotta get in there and move or else she is turned over or arching her back.  I learned that you can't just put her in bed with no pants on or something covering her diaper.  She will undo the velcro.  I forgot to tell  Tim that bit of info until it was too late.  I found her with the diaper off and after the diaper came off, she pooped.  It was a sight to see.

Willow keeps getting bigger and talks more now.  I think I am the only one that can understand her.  Tim is always looking to me to translate what she has said.  I guess that is what happens when you are with her ALL the time.  She is a little helper too.  I can get her to put the silverware away from the dishwasher, take Charlee's clothes to the hamper and she even makes her bed.  It is not the best job, but she will get there.  When it comes to picking up her toys she is horrible.  She usually ends up in her room in trouble for awhile because she doesn't do what she is told.  I don't know why but she has to get up at the crack of dawn everyday.  My body has gotten used to this routine unfortunately.  If she happens to sleep a little longer my body has already woke itself up with no alarm clock.  I am ruined. 

Willow has learned to pedal her little tricycle now.  She can go forward not just backwards.  Why is it easier to learn to go backwards first?  She needs to learn how to turn her handlebars though.  When she needs to move she stands up and scoots her bike to the side to get it where she needs to go. 

These girls are changing all the time and keep me on my toes that is for sure.  I better keep taking mental pictures in my mind because next thing I know they are going to be teenagers and really hate me. 

It's Tuesday!! Try IT!

Jalapeno Popper Chicken

Okay so I am going to just review this recipe with out pics and such.  It was hard to think about taking pics when I was constantly touching raw chicken.  I didn't want to work with the chicken, wash my hands, take a pic and then repeat.  I will of course include the link to the recipe which has the recipe and pics already there. 

Plus I feel like being super lazy today.  For some reason I have been super emotional.  I want to pull my hair out when dealing with my children.  The stories I see on TV about the tornado victims make me cry like a baby.  I feel like I can't get all the things done I want to do.  I just want a break from my day to day life and just have to worry about myself for like 2 days.  I know that might sounds horrible to some of you but I just need a moment to breathe and think about myself.  This mommy thing is not easy and is wearing on me.  

Willow wears my patience so much lately.  Potty training is KILLING me!  She will potty for everyone but Tim and I.  She goes all the time for daycare and I just found out she goes at the childcare center at the gym.  What am I doing wrong?  I try to give a little to her and she just ruins it.  For instance, yesterday she would not go on the toilet after her nap.  She threw a FIT when I asked her to go.  I made her sit in her naughty chair until she decided to go to the toilet.  I eventually got her up and took her to the bathroom.  She went just a little and wanted to wear her Tinkerbell undies.  I let her, but explained she could not get "bell" wet or dirty.  She said she wouldn't go in her pants.  Not even 5 minutes later she wet her pants.  I wanted to die.  So I made her go with out any pants.  The bad thing about that is if she pooped I would be cleaning it off the floor and then I caught her with her hands on her crotch a lot.  Ahhhhh!  Tim got home and made her put pants on because he didn't want her going on the floor.  It is so frustrating, I am at my wits end with all this. 

Then Charlee is another story.  All she wants to do is be held.  I am not sure if she is teething, is hungry more or just being needy.  She used to be so content playing on the floor or in her jumperoo and now it is short lived and is all better when someone is holding her.  If she is not being held she just cries and it is not like a little whimper cry.  I have never heard this cry form her before.  I have upped her food intake, which seems like a lot.  She eats like a champ, no doubt she is a Polson. 

Both these girls are making me question my ability to do this or anger me to the point of breakdowns.  I feel so awful with myself at times.  I catch my self with the way or intensity of what I say and think, wow, now I know why Willow says and sounds the way she does.   If anyone tells you that their children are good and their life is all rainbow and unicorns is lying.  I want to know how the women of most blogs I come across have the time to take care of multiple kids, blog more then once a week and then home school.  I barely find time to get a shower in for fear Willow is into something that she shouldn't be in.  

Okay enough of getting my frustrations out, onto my recipe.  It was super yummy!  It is something I would for sure make again.  In fact, I can't wait to make it again.  The blog I got the recipe from had a tip of cooking the chicken on a cooling rack on top of the baking sheet was such a genius idea.  I hate it when the breaded food is soggy on the bottom.  

So here is the link to this yummy recipe... http://motherhoodontherocks.com/my-menu-needs-a-fresh-take-jalapeno-popper-chicken-recipe/

May your week be better then mine, thus far.  One day at a time.  I must remember someone else is dealing with far worse then me. 

Busy Busy Busy

Man, you would think being at home all the time I would have so much free time to do what I wanted.  NOT!  There is this or that going on.  Trying to take care of things that Tim can't do because he is at work.  I feel stretched and my job as a mom does not get the weekends off.

We went to Denver a couple weeks ago without Tim, he was suppose to go with us.  He was to go to a conference for work and that is why we all decided to go.  I would hang out with Chris and Carol while he was off doing work stuff.  Just a little get out of the house kind of thing for me.  Nothing fancy.  His big time manager job needed him more here then there.  This didn't get decided until the day we were suppose to leave.  Needless to say nothing was going to stop me, I had my heart set on it.  I quickly finished packing and took off with the girls in my mini van.  I have to say if I didn't have that van I think I would have lost it.  It was very convient on stops to feed or change Charlee, just to have the floor to lay her on.  Willow would get out of her seat too and sit on the floor.  I broke the drive up into 2 days.  There was no way I was going to do it in one by myself.

The second day was the worst.  I was going on about 4 hours of sleep for a 7 hour drive.  Charlee would not fall sleep in the hotel room.  For sure I thought Willow would be up talking to me or driving me nuts but she fell asleep way before her little sis.  So into the first hour of this drive Willow threw up 3 times.  It was gross.  She had a hard boiled egg, an orange and some yogurt for breakfast plus some cranberry juice.  It didn't smell, thank god, it was just all chunky.  I had to change her clothes, I gave up and left her in her diaper and covered the car seat the best I could so she didn't sit in it.  Figured out it was just her being car sick.  I found some kids dramamine for the ride back home.

We went to the Denver zoo on Sunday and the weather was great.  The next day it snowed.  That was Charlee's first time in snow.  Willow got to play in it and threw snowballs at me.  It was funny to hear her complain about it being cold.

My goodness, this girl loves "cream"  I asked her one day what she wanted for lunch and guess what she said?  Cream.

Our first snow of the year and Charlee's first ever snow.

Carol was kind enough to come back with us on the drive and then fly back home.  That was such a blessing.  We did it in a day and let me tell you that was not fun with the little ones.  Charlee cried A LOT and Willow was just really bad.  I am tired of hearing my name over and over again without her really wanting anything.  She just kept repeating "mommy".  Maybe next time we will make long drives during the night so the girls are sleeping!

We visited the botanical gardens while Carol was here.  It was neat to see all the different varieties of cacti.  Plus all the different plants that grow out here in the desert.

They started on our pool.  I am hoping it gets done in a couple weeks because it is already hot out!  Not sure how much I will get to get in it until Willow learns to poop in the toilet.  Tim has told her that she can't poop in the pool.   She sees the "hole" outside and says no pooping in the pool.  Any mention of the pool and she will tell us no pooping in the pool.

Charlee is eating solids now and is a little piggy like her sister.  I don't think I can get enough into her.  I have increased her milk intake now too.  She can hold her own bottle.  I guess she is just growing.  I think she will be crawling before we know it.  She gets up on her knees and rocks a little.  She is really a little mama's girl.  If I am not in the room or I walk out, she will cry.  I guess that is what happens when you are with your kids every minute of the day.

Happy National Micro Brew Week!

Try it Tuesday

Tomato and Goat Cheese Wonton Cups with Balsamic Glaze

 Yes, once again something with won ton wraps.  I still have some in my fridge so I had to use them.  This is a recipe that I didn't get from pinterest but I thought I would share.  It is something I have made over and over again because it is GOOD and very easy to make.  

Ingredients

Won ton wraps

grape tomatoes

goat cheese

balsalmic glaze

Heat oven to 350º.  

Place wrappers in a mini muffin tin.  Press down each wrapper.  I used a mini tart shaper because I have one, but I am sure you can find some sort of tool or maybe the tool god gave you called a finger.  Just be careful not to rip the wrap when pushing it into the tin. 

Place in the oven for 3 minutes to crisp up the wrap.

Drop in tomatoes to fill up the cup.  Cutting the tomato in half would be good but I never have done that. It might be easier to take a bite out of it.  I have found the whole tomato can squirt out seeds when bitten into.  Add as much goat cheese to the cup as desired.

 Place back in to oven for another 7 minutes. Remove and added the glaze over the filling.  You can then put it back in the oven for a couple more minutes or not.  I prefer my glaze to be a little warm when I eat it.

ENJOY! 
You might be wondering where to find the glaze in the grocery store.  It was difficult for me to find at first.  Maybe because I am vertically challenged and I don't see things above my head as well.  I think everything should be at eye level.  It is in the vinegar section and usually it is on the top shelf. 

Try it Tuesday

Baked Won Ton Tacos

So my sister pinned this recipe and I thought it would be good to try since I always have won ton wrappers in my fridge, not sure why, but I do.  I was reading through the recipe and I was confused as to why they were called tacos when there was BBQ sauce and Asian ginger salad dressing used for the sauce. I didn't see anything that would make it tacos in the recipe, maybe because of the shape?  So I thought I would still try it, but modify it to make it more like tacos.  Here is the link to the original recipe, http://heartmindandseoul.com/baked-wonton-tacos/

We like a little spice in our house, or rather Tim loves spice, so I put some spicy things into my recipe.  I also like to grill my chicken rather then boil it.  I just like grilled chicken better.  I will also let you know that most of the time I don't measure things out unless I am baking.  I don't think I want to mess with why my cake didn't rise and such.  With cooking I go by what I really want to taste when I am eating something.  

I started off with 2 breasts seasoned with Kick'n Chicken.  Not to much here since it is a little spicy on it's own and I knew Willow would be eating this. I then grilled them.

I chopped up the chicken very finely and added cilantro, green onions and salsa to taste.  I didn't want too much salsa to make it soupy.  

I then added shredded cheese to taste.  I think I could have added more cheese, you can't go wrong with cheese.

I then placed some of the chicken mixture in the won ton wrapper and tried to get the corners to stick some so it looked like a taco shell.   I was not so successful at this.  I lined them up against each other to support one another here.  I would not recommend this, for the part that was touching the other did not cook as well.  I was suppose to spray them with cooking spray before I put them in the oven but I forgot that part, they were just as good.

I then topped each one with a slice of avocado, since we are avocado freaks and they are always a good price here in the desert.

 

 Here is the finished product.  I just topped mine off with sour cream.  Tim used some jalapenos on his for more spice. Willow some black olives and tomatoes.  I am sure you could come up with your own toppings. 

I had some left over chicken mixture.  I didn't not want to assemble and cook all of it at once in case there was left overs.  I don't think reheating the won ton wrapper would be as crisp and tasty reheated.  Maybe I will add it to some nachos for dinner.