December 9th, 2008 at 9:08 pm
(Food, Uncategorized)
Well we are hosting Christmas Eve at our house.
Starting around 6-6:30.
Since I have never done this I decided to set up this post so we all have a place to talk.
FOOD
I’ll be serving ham, cheese and rolls for sandwhices.
If someone wants to bring a salad ro something else like a dessert, that would be great.
There will be diet coke, and juices for the kids, so you may want to bring your own beverages, because we don’t drink much here.
Who will be showing up?
Bill F.
Olya F.
Damien F.
Sergey F.
Xavier F.
Sergey B. (aka Russian Grandpa)
Larisa B. (aka Russian Grandma)
Dan F.
Orliya (Lea)
Dianne D.
Kathy D. (Kit/Grandma)
Joe D.
Mike D.
Nancy D.
Denise R. (6-6:30)
Tony R.
Logan R.
Zoe R.
Peggy W.
Mike W.
Nate W.
Jonah W.
Others to be anounced when I find out
Who can NOT make it 
Kathleen R.
Jim R.
Rick R
Others to be anounced when I find out
Who can bring folding chairs, and how many?
Note: we have Tables (one for each kitchen chair)
Denise R.: 2 folding chairs
Joe D.: Chairs, number unknown
Will anyone be able to bring some food?
Dianne D.: signature cranberry walnut tofu salad (The PINK)
Rules for gift giving is that the recipient must be a child well under the age of 18.
(If the kids name is on the list please post some ideas for toys)
Nate W. (is that facial hair I see, that might disqualify him)
Jonah W.
Logan R.
Zoe R.
Damien F.
Sergey F.
Xavier F.
Non Relatives welcome to stop by, it’s Christmass.
32 Comments
August 18th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
(Food, My Kids, New, Recipe)
I made changes of my changes, then left it marked as new so it would spam you all and make it look like I am writing a whole new post but really only modifying an old one, this is a programmer trick known as “code reuse”.
I am going to try CHICKEN FETTUCCINE ALFREDO tonight children willing, something along these lines.
I’ll let youknow how it goes.
Actually I post the recipies here just in case I lose them (has happened before).
ALFREDO SAUCE
3 Tbls. butter
3 Tbls. flour
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, grated
1 c. Whole Milk
Melt butter in saucepan; add flour, wisk till smooth; slowly add milk wisk over heat until smooth; then add cheese (if you guessed wisk, you were correct). Cook over low heat, stirring (with a wisk) constantly. Do Not Boil. add to the rest of the non noodle items in a pan, then server over noodles.
CHICKEN FETTUCCINE ALFREDO
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. olive oil (I don’t like oliv oil with muchrooms, it causes the mushrooms to tast bitter)
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1/2 c. chopped green onions with tops
2 cloves garlic, minced (I cheated and used 1/2 tps powdered garlic)
1 c. whipping cream (um yeah I didn’t use any)
1 pkg. McCormick Pasta Prima Alfredo Sauce (I made sause from scratch see above)
12 oz. fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced (again I cheated using pre cleaned and cut mushrooms)
15 oz. can tomatoes, drained and diced (used 2 fresh tomatoes)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp. dried basil (basil does not like me or Olya so I used Oregano)
1 lb. hot, cooked fettuccine
1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese (already in sause)
Added the following
2 tsp. dried oregano.
1 tsp. dred sage.
2 fresh tomatoes diced.
1 vadalia onion diced.
Heat butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, saute Onions and mushrooms.
Add chicken, green onion, sage, and garlic; saute until chicken is lightly browned. Stir in cream, sauce mix, salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 3 to 5 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened. Stir in parsley and oregano. Remove from heat. Server over noodles, sprinkle with tomatoes (some grated motzeral wouldn’t hurt). Serves 6 to 8 (this was so good it only made 5 servings, because I stuffed myself).
End Result
Very yummy, Me and Olya liked it, and the kids tried it *gasp*.
They even asked for more *double gasp*.
Though Sergey refused to eat anything but noodles and sause (he even managed to seperate the sauted onions from the noodles), Damien liked everything but the chicken.
Maybe next time I’ll keep the suase seperate so the kids and noodles and sause, and more chickeny vegtable goodness for the adults.
I’ll probably also add some motzeralla eaither as a finishing sprinkle or as part of the sause, or both, and cut doenthe flour in the sause.
That is all with cookig with Bill the Annoying.
1 Comment
July 25th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
(Food, My Kids, New, Sergey)
Well yesterday morning was very interesting.
It started out very different than normal, becasue they “asked” for bibs, both of them, even Sergey who normally “do not like it” for bibs, wanted one. He even followed me across the kitchen so he could get the first one.
Then the kids were “done” with waffles, which is understandable, since they eat them almost every day. I have a large varity of flavors and textures on had at any time, but I can see how they would want to shake thinks up a bit rather than just the Blueberry vs Strawberry choice.
What they wanted was “pancakes“, which meant “crepes“, which takes quite a bit of time, which this being a work day I did not have, which prompted the response “No“.
So they decided that since Papa was eating cereal that they should ahve cereal.
So I gave them some Heart to Heart (to prevent heart attacks apparently) cereal.
So then they decide that since Papa has milk then they want milk.
So I get a towel ready for duty, and add some milk to the bowels.
To my ammazement they did not start a milky ceral fight of start splashing around in their own private, mini, water milk table.
To up the ante and make it easier on them, I gave them “real” spoons, since they were having trouble plucking the wet cereal out of the milk.
And…
They were fine, ate with less mess than normal. Could be that the experiance was so new that they were to distracted to make a big mess. But we will see how it goes next time. I’ll keep you posted.
2 Comments
June 26th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
(Damien, Food, My Kids, New, Sergey)
Normally my boys love Lasagna.
But last night they decided they didn’t like it.
They decided even before they tried it.
They decided even before they sat down, or wahsed their hands.
They decided that they didn’t like Lasagna, when they were outside.
I think this has everything to do with it, becasue they were having fun outside, and didn’t want to stop even for Lasagna, therefore Lasagna must be evil for making them stop, and how could they like something evil.
So I try bribing.
“If you eat your Lasagna, then youcan have ice cream”
I was goign to give them ice cream anyway so it was a safe bribe in my mind.
Sergey decided to try a bit of Lasagna, and devoured it and demanded two more helping even when offered ice cream as an alternitive.
Damien found some stale half chewed waffle bits on the kitchen table left over from breakfast and declared his “I don’t like lasagna” as he ran out of the room, clutching his prechewed food.
So dad just focused on the child behaving (devoureing his Lasagna like a good boy should) and when Damien wanted to watch TV I told him we were still eating our Lasagna, and he would have to wait, but he could play in the great room or read a book, but not go outside.
Damien cam back again with a Russian cartoon (my weak spot) and asked if he could watch it, he had even thoughtfully removed the DVD from its case (ack). But I told him now we were eating ice cream so when we were done then sure.
Ice cream, about 1 table spoon, of vanilla, and 5 inches of whipped cream is how Sergey likes his ice cream. When he finally gets to the ice cream he often complains that it is too cold (he is not real clear on ice cream)
Now Damien is interested, but he still protests and declairs “I don’t like, I don’t like it“. He did try a little bit of Lasagna, but then got distracted playing with Mommy who was to tempting just lyingon the couch just minding her own business.
So I packed them both Lasagna for lunch at school today with extra cheese, as well as a pepermint (candy cane) treat if they ate all their Lasagna. I can’t wait to hear how that went. 
Comments
November 20th, 2007 at 6:02 pm
(Food, NaBloPoMo, New, Sergey)
Sergey AKA Scourge of Books Everywhere.
Has always liked books, but mostly to chew up and spit out, usually after tearing or ripping.
Sometimes Sergey will just gum or gnaw the corner of the page, which leaves the page mostly intact as well as legible. It wouldn’t be so bad except that he usually rips the page out of the book first, and then starts gumming the paper. I suppose the rest of the book just gets in the way.
Sergey’s other method of book disfigurement, is to fold a page then start chewing in the middle of the fold. This creates holes in the middle of the page. At first I was not sure how he did it, thinking maybe he licked them then used his nose to burrow through the wet paper. But he actually did it once right in front of me {and Olya pointed it out other wise I still would have missed it, I am not very bright}.
Well a few weeks ago Sergey began getting interested in all the non-eating of books that everyone else seemed to enjoy so much. And possibly for the first time, Sergey actually paged through a book looking at the pictures, without drooling in anticipation.
Sergey has been asking {non-verbally, by drooling on my knee and trying to use Damien as a ladder, to climb into my lap} to join in when we read to Damien.
Sergey originally started paging through some board books upsidedown, but now I think he has the idea of right side up. He even has his favorite books.
1: “Spot love Mommy, and Mommy love Spot” (SLMAMLS) {which I always change “Mommy” to “Daddy” because I have had it with their sexist tripe.}
2: “Goodnight Moon” {classic, if a bit too over read by the main stream.}
3: “The Kitten Book” {Which is more of an excuse to press the “meow” button attached to the book, than it is a story, I mean SLMAMLS has more of a plot, the little noise maker is such a crutch, but it has Sergey fooled into reading, so I let it go.}
Now when Damien comes up with a book at bed time, Sergey also goes and gets one of his favorites off the shelf and brings it over. I balance both of them on my lap and read both books {just no at the same time}.
1 Comment
November 18th, 2007 at 10:40 pm
(Damien, Food, NaBloPoMo, New, Parenting Tip)
We went to visit Grandma {my mom, in case there is any confusion since grandma is a relative term, no pun intended but it would be a good one, so maybe I should take credit for it} today, my mom {this is probably a better way to introduce her, much less confusion this way} watched the kids while I helped finish up raking the leaves {holy crap I went over ten words without an aside, well this should fix that}.
On the way out the door, Damien wanted to take a battery powered candle, but I told him, “No“, because I didn’t want to find out what happens when they chew through the bulb.
So Damien put the candle on the table and went dejected {this sounds like the right word but I am not 100% sure if this is the correct use or spelling, I want to say that Damien was sad, but sad is such a common word not to mention short, so I went with dejected, hoping it would help me score points with the chicks} {I like my chicks to be bold} into my mom’s living room.
He came back shortly with a lobster on a stick. Not a live one, or even a dead real one, a red foam lobster on a stick, its a puppet. Anyway my parent senses went off as soon as I saw it, even before Damien said “I want this“, the “No” was already forming in my mouth. But then my mom, {the Grandma} said “Ok, but only for a visit“.
“Mom“, I said imploringly, “the kids will tear him to shreads as soon as they figure out that they can chew pieces of him off“. Then my mom said something but I didn’t hear it because I was too busy rolling my eyes, though I am sure it had to do with the lobster only visiting out house and having to return at some later time. Damien has other toys that are technically only visiting, but they have been in our house so long, that they have their mail forwarded to our house, and they have setup their own room in the basement.
So on the way home Damien had fun poking me and Olya with the stick, and having the Lobster attack our hair. We kept telling him to stop, and eventually he did, but not for the reason we wanted him to. We thought that he stopped because he had learned that mommy and daddy don’t like to have their hair attakced by a rampaging foam lobster on a stick, and that Damien had grown a little as a person on that trip and had become more respectful of his elders.
NOPE!
When we got home we learned that the lobster attacks had ceased because Damien had figured out that he could dismember him. The lobster lay scatered and shreaded all over the back of the car. Damein had bent the stick in half was was busy chewing on it mecause he had run out of lobster.
Well that was a short visit, though I am not sure if Grandma will want him {or her, it may have been a girl foam lobster} back.
CRAP!
I just remember I fogot to punish Damien for this. Hmm… This does not boad well the the red foam lobster community male or female {Damien won’t bother to check}.
Parenting Tip: Do NOT forget to punish your kids, the fate of the foam lobster kindom may depend on it.
4 Comments
November 16th, 2007 at 3:39 pm
(Damien, Food, NaBloPoMo, New, Parenting Tip, Sergey)
I have going back to being a hard ass with the eating routine.
If the kids don’t want to wash their hands then they are All Done.
If the kids don’t want to eat, then they are All Done.
If the kids pull off their bib, then they are All Done.
If the kids play with their food to much, then they are All Done.
If they throw food on the floor, I make them pick it up, and then ask if they are All Done {see I can be flexible}.
What does All Donemean?
I ask them if they are “All Done?â€
If they say “No†{which is their default answer to everything once they learn to talk, weather they mean it or not}, then I expect them to act better, and I tell them so.
If they say “Yesâ€, then they are removed from the eating area and can go play, but no eating until the next snack or meal.
If they have no response {except possibly a devious grin}, then the food is removed from them or they are removed from the chair, and they are asked if they are All Done again {this usually drives the point home that there is a consequence for being All Done}.
If they are still not answering they are assumed to have answered “Yes†and are removed from the area.
How has it worked so far?
Well at first the kids just laughed at me, and then they cried when they found out that all done really was All Done, and there was no more food.
Example: Damien decided that he didn’t want to eat Mac and cheese {which I know he likes, that is why I made it.} but he started giving me options of things he would like to eat such as (cookies, cake, brownies, and ice cream) {I wonder if there was a birthday party as daycare, hmmm}. That is when I decided that he was All Done. I can not be a short order cook making individual meal for each person, we are a family {with lots of dysfunction to prove it}and we are eating family style. The next day, we had leftover Mac and cheese, and Damien came running, he was an eager eater that night.
So I would say that the kids were just testing the boundaries of how far they could push Dad and his rules {which I believe they will do for the next twenty years or so}, and that as long as the rules are consistent, and not too harsh they will be obeyed, if reluctantly {Sergey is even wearing a Velcro bib through most of the meal now}.
1 Comment
November 7th, 2007 at 3:18 pm
(Damien, Food, NaBloPoMo, New, Parenting Tip, Punishment, Sergey)
Things run best when there is a routine, so once I set one up I like to follow them through as closely as I can, this helps the kids manage the various steps and speeds up the process once they are used to it.
We have a Morning Routine:
1. Olya dresses the kids, while I shower and dress myself (Olya finishes before I do)
2. I take the kids down stairs.
3. Wash hands.
4. Kids eat breakfast and take meds, I make their lunches.
5. Wash hand, face and teeth.
6. Shoes and Socks (but in the socks and shoes order).
7. Play time for kids; finish prepping for the day for me.
8. Coats and Hats.
9. Into the Car, drive to school.
Damien likes a routine, and if Sergey is taking his time getting down the stairs, because he is taking a self tour of the upper level, Damien will sometimes get the stool out, turn on the cold water, get some (too much) soap, and start washing his hands before I get there. This is the advantage of the routine; Damien is so used to it that he just does the next step without having to be prompted, a huge time saver, and stress reliever.
Well yesterday Damien decided to skip from step 2 (down the stairs) to step 7 (free play). So I gave him a choice.
Me:Â ”You need to wash your hands before you can eat”.
Damien: “No.” and he continues to play in the great room.
So I give him another choice.
Me: “Damien you need to wash your hands before breakfast is done, or you can’t have any.”
Damien: “No.” and he continues to play.
Breakfast is on the table, I make one serving for each child, but they usually have two servings each morning.
Me: ”Wash your hands right now or you can’t eat breakfast”.
Damien: Laughs “No.” and he continues to play in the great room all happy with his newfound autonomy.
OK so I feed Sergey, who wants two serving and I have two servings, so I feed him both. As I am washing Sergey up after breakfast, Damien has a change of heart, and decides that he would like to wash hands now, but I told him he didn’t have to because breakfast is all gone. Damien washes his own hands so I tell him he can have Milk and a vitamin (his favorite part of breakfast). He consents finally but decides to play with the milk instead of drink it, then he spills the milk, he has yet to drink any of it. The spill is his fault, he can drink a glass of milk with one hand while walking across the kitchen, or climbing out of his chair, so spilled milk is not a true accident with him anymore. Well at least he ate his vitamin.
Needless to say Damien ate really well at lunch yesterday (I did pack and extra big lunch because I know he would be hungry, I am just trying to teach him a lesson, not starve him to death).
Well we both learned something.
Damien learned that I will follow through on the choices he makes.
I learned to give him better choices.
Today I gave him the choice between washing his hands and eating breakfast OR sitting on the steps. Damien went to wash up, without a complaint.
2 Comments
September 26th, 2007 at 3:47 pm
(Food, New, Recipe)
I have always like the bread pudding at Famous Dave’s, but they are like way out of the way now, so I decided to try making some at home, and try out some different recopies, this is the culmination of the experiments.
INGREDIENTS:
12 slices of bread
4 cups of milk
9 eggs
1 and 1/2 cups of sugar
3 teaspoons of vanilla
1 and 1/2 teaspoons of salt
6 oz package of Goldens & Cherries (dried fruit)
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
9 x 13 baking pan
STEP BY STEP:
- Soak the dried fruit.
- Lightly butter the backing pan.
- Shred or cube the first 6 slices of bread and flatten into the pan.
- Beat eggs in a large bowl.
- Add in sugar, vanilla, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Add in milk.
- Add an even layer fruit on the layer of bread.
- Shred or cube the second 6 slices of bread and flatten into the pan, on top of the fruit.
- Add the batter using a saucer.
- Heat oven to 300, allowing the batter time to soak in.
- Bake uncovered for 75 minuets (1 hour 15 minuets).
- Bread Pudding will rise during baking, allow it to sink back into the pan.
- Cover with aluminum foil and wrap in a bath towel for 30 – 60 minuets.
- Server warm with ice cream, caramel sauce and whipped cream.
HINTS:
Hint 1: Soak the dried fruit in two cups of milk or water for 15 – 30 minutes or more.
This soaking allows the dried fruit to re-hydrate, making them soft and juicy.
I strain off the dried fruit and use the milk in the batter, so I don’t lose any flavor.
Hint 2: Layer of bread, layer of fruit, and layer of bread.
This is because the fruit may overcook if it is on the top or the bottom.
Hint 3: flatten each layer of bread by hand.
This ensures that the batter will fully cover the bread in the early baking stages, so the bread does not dry out.
Hint 4: Place a saucer or cup in the backing pan on top of the layers of bread and fruit to poor the batter into.
This ensures that the batter being poured in does not move the bread crumbs around and create trench in your pudding.
Note: remove the cup or saucer before baking.
Hint 5: Once the pudding is out of the oven, cover with aluminum foil, and wrap in bath towel for 30 to 60 minutes.
The edges will cook fine in the oven, but not the center of the pudding, this towel wrap traps the heat in the pudding, so it will finish cooking its self.
Special: Fitted Bread pudding.
Instead of shredding or cubing the bread you can make a layer of perfectly fitted slices for each layer.
Hint A: fill in all the gaps with bread.
Hint B: flatten each layer.
Hint C: use a knife or fork to release any trapped air after the batter is added.
3 Comments
September 21st, 2007 at 11:07 am
(Damien, Food, New)
Last night we (the boys and I) went to visit my Mom to install and setup a wireless router for her.
Sergey slept while I was busy swearing at the DSL modem, which is like a full time job.
Meanwhile Mom was entertaining Damien. Damien had found the trail mix and sampled the various bits.
Nuts, raisins, nuts, more nuts, M&Ms, and more nuts = Trail Mix (pre Damien).
Well it didn’t take Damien long to figure out that colorful little M&Ms contained chocolate, and that he really preferred chocolate to nuts and raisins.
With the thoroughness and patience of an archeologist Damien went through the entire bag and ate all of the M&Ms.
Nuts, raisins, nuts, more nuts, and more nuts = Trail Mix (post Damien).
Once all the M&Ms were gone, Damien decided that it was time to share, and started feeding Mom nuts one at a time.
2 Comments