32.....again?

I think I've been telling people all year that I was 32, so when I realized a couple months ago that I would actually be
turning 32 at this birthday I was a bit surprised. I guess no fear of aging here!

The kids surprised me with a breakfast they made themselves. Wish we had a picture of it. My favorite part of the day was listening to the boys organize, decorate, and cook with their hushed voices, commands, and (sometimes loudly spoken) brilliant ideas! I kept pretending to sleep and smiled to myself when I heard Mike go out and ask them if they needed help and they responded that they would do all of it by themselves. They made us all plates of wonderfully arranged scrambled eggs, toast, strawberries, and carrots. Cuties!

Oh - and they woke me up by stuffing Amelia's leftover cake from the night before with 32 candles and singing to me in bed. Hahaha!

My birthday is the day after Amelia's. Can you see that she has already donned all her princess gear before coming down for breakfast? And all week she kept saying to me in an all-knowing voice, "We are da grils. So we have our birthday togezer. We don't want to have it by ourselves!" (Ourselves being said incredulously.)

Blue Ribbon Recipe

Mike won a recipe contest! I've always known he can cook, but now the world (or at least his company) does as well. The comptrollers office was holding an original healthy recipe contest, and since Mike's office is affiliated, he was able to submit a recipe. It had to be tasty, healthy, and completely original. He submitted a southern style entree and came home with a blue ribbon (and a gift certificate). The contest was in the morning, so the Judges just had microwaved leftovers, but they still liked it. I think it's pretty cool, and he had a great time doing it.

Here's the recipe. Try it out. It's dee...licious!


Chicken with Triple Sweet Root Vegetables
1st prize, entrée
By Michael Anderson

Who would guess onion and basil can be just as good as brown sugar with your sweet potatoes?

4 chicken breasts
2 large sweet potatoes
1 large sweet Texas onion
8-10 sweet basil leaves
6-8 parsnips (one bag)
2 sprigs rosemary
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3 teaspoons sea salt
Juice of 2 lemons
1-2 tablespoons olive oil

Pre-heat the oven to 325ºF. Peel and dice the sweet potatoes, parsnips and sweet onion. Chop the parsley, sweet basil, rosemary and add the cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Add the herbs to the vegetables, and put in a large pyrex glass dish. Pour juice from 1 of the lemons and olive oil over the vegetables. Cover with tin foil. Place in the oven for 1 hour. Pull out and stir the vegetables. Place the chicken breasts on top of the vegetables, pour remaining lemon juice on the meat and put back the uncovered dish in the oven at 375 ºF for 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Add more salt to taste.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 ½ hours

Nutritional Information:

Serves 6

264 calories
3.6 grams fat
17 grams carb
37.5 grams protein

The Nutrition information is from a nutritionist that the Comptroller hired for the contest, it isn't just Mike's guess.

My Little Chefs

It's Friday night and the boys wanted to cook their own dinner. Mike wasn't going to be home until late, so I let them have the kitchen to themselves. I'll let the pictures tell most of the story.





They were so meticulous with it all. They did everything except open the oven door and turn on the burner. Jacob even wiped down the counter and sinks when they were through washing dishes. Andrew was adorable. It took him about 10 minutes to fill the muffin cups, and I think almost as much made it into his mouth!


As they sat down to eat, I listened in on a couple of funny conversations.

A: (Said with so much enthusiasm I can't help but grin as I type it) Jacob! I'm so proud that I made these muffins all by myself! They taste great! VERY great! Are you proud that you made the eggs all by yourself?

J: Yes, Andrew.

A: Jacob! I have a plan! When we grow up we can be restaurant guys!

J: Yeah! I know, How about we plan it and then build it! You could pass out the menus to all the people, and then come back in the kitchen - and all the while you'll be on your skateboard - and you'll skate back in the kitchen and tell me what they want!

A: Yeah! And we can call it the french fry store!

J: No, there's like a million french fry stores...hmmm....

*some silence as they think*

A: Well, of course, we'll need a playground, of course.

J: Oh yes.

____________________

They munch some more and then:

A: Jacob, you did a wonderful job on the eggs.

J: Thank you!

*a little pause..

A: The eggs taste a little wierd.

J: I know. Kind of like crackers.

A: Yeah....but soft crackers. They're okay.

J: Your muffins are very soft.

A: I know. I love them! Mmm mmm!