First of all, everything is OK with us! The title of this post is in regards to a situation that keeps happening. Sadly, it will keep happening too.
Death from drugs.
There is no way to justify that this happens. Period. Notice I didn't say death from "abuse" because it can happen the first time of use. Becoming addicted to or abusing drugs wouldn't happen if there never was a first time. I am talking about recreational drug use. I'm not here to condemn or judge people for doing so. They are not "bad" people and I certainly don't believe they are going to "Hell." We all make mistakes in our own way and I do believe that we all will have to answer for them to a higher power (God) one day. What I am saying is that it shouldn't be happening. There is simply no good reason for doing drugs. Never, not ever ever. Not even once. NEVER.
My heart hurts when I think of the tremendous talent we have lost from drugs.
John Belushi
Chris Farley
Judy Garland
Jimi Hendrix
Phillip Seymour Hoffman
Whitney Houston
Janis Joplin
Heath Ledger
Marilyn Monroe
Cory Monteith
River Phoenix
Elvis Presley
Amy Winehouse
Kurt Cobain
Bradley Nowell
This list could go on and on. Sadly, it does.
While suicide (even more sadness) does happen, I honestly don't think that most people that do drugs sit down and say to themselves, "Hey, I might die from doing this, but I don't care if this kills me!" They probably don't want to die, they probably think they are "safe" and that it couldn't happen to them.
"It's my first time using it, I'll be OK."
"I've used it before and been fine, I'll be OK."
THIS is why it's sad. THIS is why it will keep happening.
Friday, February 14, 2014
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Apple Cinnamon Muffins
Since I'm being all domesticated today, I'll share something else that I made today for poor Todd since he's sick still.
This recipe was the search result one night for a pregnancy craving. Boy oh boy it did NOT disappoint. Todd ate "lots" from that first batch and immediately requested them on a weekly basis. They take a little extra prep time because you have to slice, peel, and then dice the apples, but they are SO SO worth it!! Here's the original recipe. I've only tweaked it a tiny bit. Oh and the listed prep time is 5 minutes. HA. More like 20. :)
What you need:
2 cups flour (+2 tsp for coating apples)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon (+1/2 for coating apples)
2 cups peeled and diced apples (I found this takes about 1 & 1/2 apples, but I used 2 for more bits!)
1/2 cup butter, softened (+ enough to brush the tops after baking)
1 cup sugar*
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
What you do:
1. Preheat oven to 375. Grease and flour bottoms and sides of a standard muffin tin (12 muffins), making sure to discard any excess flour.
2. Mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. Toss together diced apples, 2 tsp of flour, and 1/2 tsp cinnamon in a separate bowl. Set aside.
4. Cream together butter and sugar until lightened in color, about 3 minutes. Add an egg, one at a time, taking care to fully incorporate before adding the other. Mix in vanilla.
5. Gently fold in flour mixture, alternating with milk. Stir until just combined. Fold in apple mixture.
6. Scoop (I use a small metal ice cream scoop that is SO handy, especially for portioning cookies! Like this one.) into prepared muffin tins. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
7. Once muffins have baked, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly in the muffin tin on a wire rack. This is where I start to deviate from the original recipe. Her topping calls for using 1/2 a CUP of cinnamon!!! That seemed a little much for me, and all the reviews said the same. So I just brushed butter onto the tops and then sprinkled a cinnamon/sugar (equal parts of each to your liking) mix on top. Place onto a plate to finish cooling.
8. Enjoy warm if you can!
*My second batch began my foray into using agave nectar instead of sugar. All you have to do is use 3/4 cup agave instead of the 1 cup of sugar, reduce the milk by a little (it says to use 1/3 less, but who has time for fraction division?!), reduce the oven temp by 25 degrees (so 350 here), and reduce the baking time by 10 minutes. I already reduce what the original called for (30 minutes) to 20, and that seemed perfect for the agave batch as well (so no change in time). They were just as good and we could not tell the difference! My next variation will be to use honey.
This recipe was the search result one night for a pregnancy craving. Boy oh boy it did NOT disappoint. Todd ate "lots" from that first batch and immediately requested them on a weekly basis. They take a little extra prep time because you have to slice, peel, and then dice the apples, but they are SO SO worth it!! Here's the original recipe. I've only tweaked it a tiny bit. Oh and the listed prep time is 5 minutes. HA. More like 20. :)
What you need:
2 cups flour (+2 tsp for coating apples)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon (+1/2 for coating apples)
2 cups peeled and diced apples (I found this takes about 1 & 1/2 apples, but I used 2 for more bits!)
1/2 cup butter, softened (+ enough to brush the tops after baking)
1 cup sugar*
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
What you do:
1. Preheat oven to 375. Grease and flour bottoms and sides of a standard muffin tin (12 muffins), making sure to discard any excess flour.
2. Mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. Toss together diced apples, 2 tsp of flour, and 1/2 tsp cinnamon in a separate bowl. Set aside.
4. Cream together butter and sugar until lightened in color, about 3 minutes. Add an egg, one at a time, taking care to fully incorporate before adding the other. Mix in vanilla.
5. Gently fold in flour mixture, alternating with milk. Stir until just combined. Fold in apple mixture.
6. Scoop (I use a small metal ice cream scoop that is SO handy, especially for portioning cookies! Like this one.) into prepared muffin tins. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
7. Once muffins have baked, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly in the muffin tin on a wire rack. This is where I start to deviate from the original recipe. Her topping calls for using 1/2 a CUP of cinnamon!!! That seemed a little much for me, and all the reviews said the same. So I just brushed butter onto the tops and then sprinkled a cinnamon/sugar (equal parts of each to your liking) mix on top. Place onto a plate to finish cooling.
8. Enjoy warm if you can!
*My second batch began my foray into using agave nectar instead of sugar. All you have to do is use 3/4 cup agave instead of the 1 cup of sugar, reduce the milk by a little (it says to use 1/3 less, but who has time for fraction division?!), reduce the oven temp by 25 degrees (so 350 here), and reduce the baking time by 10 minutes. I already reduce what the original called for (30 minutes) to 20, and that seemed perfect for the agave batch as well (so no change in time). They were just as good and we could not tell the difference! My next variation will be to use honey.
Potato Cheese Soup
This recipe came to us right after Rylin was born. Todd's Mom came and stayed with us to help out around the house and make delicious meals!
One day, sometime around noon, I woke up out of my first-child-newborn-nursing haze to the smell of bacooooon. By the time I pulled some sort of clothing on and stumbled out of my room, I was too late! It was not meant for breakfast, but soup?! Grumble, grumble... it better be worth it.
It. Was.
What you need:
1 pound of bacon, cooked extra crispy and chopped
2 Tbsp (or so) of the bacon drippings
1 bunch green onions, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
6-8 potatoes, scrubbed and diced
1-2 cups corn
2 cans chicken broth
4 Tbsp flour
Salt
Pepper
Milk
Heavy cream
Grated cheddar cheese (I know you're using Tillamook. Right? RIGHT?!)
What you do:
1. In a small saucepan, sauté the onions in the bacon drippings. I guess you can use butter if you're not awesome. ;)
2. Add the celery, carrots, potatoes, corn, bacon, and chicken broth to your large stockpot on medium heat.
3. Once the onions are done, add the flour to them to make a roux. You'll have to add some broth from your stockpot to avoid using a ton of fat here. Sorry. Once the flour is completely dissolved, add the mixture to your stockpot. Add salt and pepper.
4. Add milk or water if needed to make sure your veggies are nice and covered.
5. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for about 25 minutes. When your carrots and potatoes are soft enough to be cut easily, it's ready.
6. Add enough (about a cup) heavy cream to give the soup a nice creamy consistency.
7. Add enough grated cheese to your liking. I use about 2 cups.
8. Serve and enjoy. If you're Todd or Evan, go back for seconds. :)
One day, sometime around noon, I woke up out of my first-child-newborn-nursing haze to the smell of bacooooon. By the time I pulled some sort of clothing on and stumbled out of my room, I was too late! It was not meant for breakfast, but soup?! Grumble, grumble... it better be worth it.
It. Was.
What you need:
1 pound of bacon, cooked extra crispy and chopped
2 Tbsp (or so) of the bacon drippings
1 bunch green onions, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
6-8 potatoes, scrubbed and diced
1-2 cups corn
2 cans chicken broth
4 Tbsp flour
Salt
Pepper
Milk
Heavy cream
Grated cheddar cheese (I know you're using Tillamook. Right? RIGHT?!)
What you do:
1. In a small saucepan, sauté the onions in the bacon drippings. I guess you can use butter if you're not awesome. ;)
2. Add the celery, carrots, potatoes, corn, bacon, and chicken broth to your large stockpot on medium heat.
3. Once the onions are done, add the flour to them to make a roux. You'll have to add some broth from your stockpot to avoid using a ton of fat here. Sorry. Once the flour is completely dissolved, add the mixture to your stockpot. Add salt and pepper.
4. Add milk or water if needed to make sure your veggies are nice and covered.
5. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for about 25 minutes. When your carrots and potatoes are soft enough to be cut easily, it's ready.
6. Add enough (about a cup) heavy cream to give the soup a nice creamy consistency.
7. Add enough grated cheese to your liking. I use about 2 cups.
8. Serve and enjoy. If you're Todd or Evan, go back for seconds. :)
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