Tuesday, June 19, 2007

I always forget

I had so many things floating around in my head to write about. Normal things too, life stuff instead of just 'news' (which I know is important and exciting for everyone, but sometimes there is just enough news)! The only thing I can remember to say is that I made delicious iced tea, but i botched the batch. Would that have made a better title for this post: Botched the Batch? Ha! Anyway, here is what I did:
1 big juice Jug
6 Regular tea bags
+boiling water
*Let steep for about 3 minutes (maybe less, maybe more... that's a lot of tea bags)
Remove bags, add 1 sliced lemon
* and here is where I think I went wrong*
Place jug, with lemons in fridge overnight (and you will find a very acidic, bitter cold tea in the morning.) Take out lemons in morning
I think I should have taken them out at night! Maybe... maybe not though, because once I added sugar (or splenda, depending on my mood for the day) and watered the tea down a little, like 3/4 tea 1/4 water the iced tea taste EXCELLENT!
There is my summer iced tea recipe then for everyone! Until I create a better one!

Today Corrina is at daycare learning learning learning (everything is said in three's now! If you come to visit and want to know how to talk to Corrina my biggest tip is to talk in three's three's three's!). Corrina's one-on-one worker is very dedicated and excellent. We were sent home from therapy last week with some coloring sheets of pictures like boats, animals, cars, etc. to give Corrina more opportunity for language... after our therapy session yesterday (detailed post at Hear we Go) our 1-1 worker P was telling us about the great evening she and her daughter had coloring the pics and talking about being a special needs worker! I liked that she took the time to actualy color the pictures. She will laminate them at the daycare and hang them up for Corrina and all the kids (the best part is that they put velcro on the backs and stick them to a carpet wall so the kids can move them around. they all have a picture of themselves up too!). All that to say that she does excellent work with Corrina and we thank God because we (i?) were worried about how daycare would go. She is definately receving great attention and language opportunities there!
So, today Corrina is at daycare, which means I am at home listening to two 3hr lectures on the ipod, and writting summaries! I am getting antsy because my bottom is soar from sitting... i don't spend alot of time sitting usualy, and my ears are actualy hurting from having ear buds in them... I need a break, this is it.. but i still need a break where I move around a bit.
The lectures are great and I will find a way to share the summaries about the theology of John Wesley because it is such a neat theology. Some info more than others is important and interesting, but I will put it up somehow, somewhere for those who would like to better understand sin, redemption, justification, salvation, faith, love, forgiveness, etc.. all those good things that make a theology substantial.

We desperatly want Corrina to do well, so we have spent alot of time collecting toys to use while playing which will give us lots of opportunity for language. Because we have many new (big and little) toys around I transformed my craft shelf to a toy self. I was sad to see everything go but have held the thought in my mind that someday soon Corrina and I will be able to do lots of crafts together, and talk!

This is becoming a big post because I keep adding to it. It is the night now, and I am working on our weekly menu, but i feel so bored with the food we normaly make. I am looking online at some menu planning sites. Menus 4 Moms is pretty neat and includes alot of information, but I was wondering what do you mom's out there use when you get bored? Is there a site? A book, and a plan! I would love to make your favorite meal in our home this week, if you let me know what it is... and if it's pretty easy and healthy. So I welcome ALL comments about food and menu planning...Do you rotate your menus? Do you have them organized on your compy (I am working towards this), or are you a random maker of meals? All in all, after looking at sites and such, i feel bored with our food and overwhelmed by the ideas out there. Help me.... (ps. i really hate cooking.. baking I love, salads I HATE, but love to eat!)
On that note I shall end this post, with no pictures.. hope you still read it!

10 comments:

Claire Colvin said...

I love a long, newsy post :)

I am no great expert on meal planning (but I hope to become one someday.) However, the following is a recipe Mom gave me when I went off to university and it is one of my favs to this day.

Ingredients:
* Enough potatos to make desired amount of mash potatos
* frozen peas or veg of choice
* one piece of beef steak, approximately the dimensions of a pencil case and not too thick maybe 1 - 2cm. Use whichever cut is cheapest. I can usually find a piece in the $3-$5 range (I'm usually cooking for three so you may need even less meat, or have leftovers)
* an onion
* Bisto & Oxo gravy mixes
* Worstershire sauce if you've got it.
* a little oil or cooking spray

Prep the mash potatoes in the usual way. (I keep thinking that I'll make extra and freeze them but I never do).

Prep veg of choice. (I usually use frozen peas with this because the're yummy.)

Slice the onion medium, about half a cm.

Cut the steak into strips starting at one of the short sides. Strips should be thin, half a cm or so.

Brown the onion in a little oil or cooking spray. Add the beef. It will cook fairly quickly.

Once the beef has browned add about a half cup of water, a generous spoonful (or two) of Bisto gravy mix, a package of Oxo, a little pepper and a drop or two (no more!) of worstershire sauce and stir, stir, stir.

This should make a nice gravy right in the pan with any onion and beef juices. It should thicken in a few minutes. If it doesn't add more Bisto or turn up the heat.

Once it's done serve the beef strips with gravy (save some gravy for the mashed potatoes) along with veg and spuds.

This always has a suprisingly good flavour and doesn't take long start to finish. Enjoy!

rachel joy said...

We just had a new meal for the second time tonight. Go to your store and find Thai House (Thai Kitchen?) Green Curry paste. There's an easy and tasty recipe on the jar. Today I added 1 Tbsp. of cornstarch to the broth (added the sugar & oyster/fish sauce at the same time) to make it thicker. So yummy. Serve with rice and something colourful.

Claire Colvin said...

Quick question, in this post you mention "after our therapy session yesterday (detailed post at Hear we Go)" -- but when I went to the other blog the latest post is dated June 11th. Am I missing one?

Robyn said...

Janie, can I make a suggestion on making icetea?? We have been having a blast making it this past summer.

I take my large pot, fill it, put 6-8 tea bags in it, and cover it with foil, put it outside on a hot day, in the morning, by supper time, I bring it back in the house. I take out the tea bags, slice some lemons, put them in rind and all, and then take some lemon juice, add that (about 1/3 cup), and add 1/4 cup of splenda.. it seems to work well. I only leave the lemon rind in for about 2 hours.

Keep up the great work!!

DAve and JAnie said...

Thanks for all the suggestions! I will write them down and add them to our menu (which i still haven't made up for the week yet.. ops!)
Thanks R for the iced tea recipe too. I will try a variation of that because I can't stick things outside because we live in an apartment. Boo. I remember my uncle used to make Ice tea way!

Sadly, I still have not put a post up on Corrina's blog.. but maybe if i get all my school work done today i can get on going!
onto reading and writing for me!
-j

that's us... said...

oh i'd love to be continually organized in my meal making. i guess i jump on and off the bandwagon with planning my meals ahead. i think i put more effort into making a real cute menu than i actually have in keeping it up:) i love trying out new recipes!

anyways, to answer your question i'd have to say brook is definately not tall. i'm still deciding if she's just short or all of her friends are just super tall- i think they're super tall. but summer is definately a great time to do lots of fun things together! enjoy the sunny days!!!

that's us... said...

ps.i use allrecipes.com a lot for meal/baking ideas- i'll have to check out the meals 4 moms one you mentioned. happy cooking!

Sue said...

yep , i'm a meal planner...in fact..if you saw mary's meal planning stack..mine looks a lot like that (just not as neatly printed). haha.

this makes grocery shopping a breeze, and it keeps me from over stocking, over spending, and wasting food. :) very helpful for a fluffy-mushy-mommy brain like mine!!:) hahaha.

Hmmmmmm......favorite recipe...well, i think my favorites CHANGE all the time. haha. this week...it would have to be the couscous salad and Pesto Cream and brightly colored veggie and pasta dish (umm. that wasn't the real name of it..i just don't remember what it was actually called).

delish!

call or email if you want the recipes! :)

great to hear what you are all up to!! learn corrina learn! :) she must be sooooooo excited and happy and thrilled to be hearing !!!

Iz and K. said...

Hi!! thank you for the message you left in our blog!! :0)
I've been following Corrina's journey for some time now, and I'm so happy for you guys, she's a beautiful and very smart girl!!! Congratulations!
My husband is from Toronto, Canada - I lived there for 5 years before we moved to California and my 5 year old daughter was born in Toronto too!! I love Canada and I miss it soooo much!!
Kauan is having his implant soon, and we're so anxious and excited about it...I can't wait!!!!!
Please, leave us a message or email me at any time!! izbataglin@gmail.com
All the best, we keep in touch!
Isabelle - kauan's mom :0)

Kari said...

Hi Janie! One of the biggest helps for me in meal planning was to make a recipe binder...essentially just a 2" binder with a whole bunch of page protectors. I typed my favourite recipes (along with some ones I want to try) into MS Word, with an e-file for each of five categories: Main Dishes, Side Dishes, Baking, Desserts and Miscellaneous). These recipes are now in my binder in alphabetical order for each section. I too was getting so overwhelmed with all the options, and this helped out so much! Plus, now i'm not searching for recipes whenever I want to make an old favourite! As for meal planning, we've found that even just writing down the main course item for an upcoming two week block makes a big difference too - i also don't like to cook, but I found it much more enjoyable when I knew the day before what I would be making the next day! Hope that helps!! :)