Just a Little Confused

Is it just me or is any one else confused at the way our legal system tends to work? I was watching the news yesterday (not something I normally do because it is depressing.) Any way this lady could have been sentenced up to 20 years for leaving her cats along for a month with no food. That seems a little odd to me since I have watched the news and people who do things to little children or elderly people et. al. have gotten what appears to be a slap on the wrist and most defenatly less than 20 years. It is appalling really. Now don't get me wrong; I like animals and all, but the system seems a little out of balance to me.

Family Home Evenings

There are times I wonder why we even have FHE. It is like those days you go to church and are wondering why you bothered to come since you heard absolutely nothing. Well tonight was one of those nights. It started off well enough. We had a coupon for a FREE pizza at Papa J's and got to order out. (YEAH. I didn't have to dirty my clean kitchen). Brock had treat tonight and he wanted to make Rice Crispies Easter Eggs. (What was that about a clean kitchen???) I must say though he did the clean up. We dipped some of them in melted chocolate chips and some in sprinkles. Emily loves sprinkles. On the rare occasion we get donuts she always wants a sprinkles one. Then she eats off the sprinkles and leaves 3/4 of the donut.

After we made our treat we had our lesson while they "set up". It was the Easter lesson we made at this last Relief Society Meeting, the one with the eggs. I hid the eggs and then Emily found them and then we opened them one by one doing the lesson with it. All Emily did was keep asking about the eadible eggs, and take eggs away from Meghan. Meghan screamed and tantrumed the entire time because she kept getting eggs taken away from her. During closing prayer Meghan screamed the entire time because the eggs got put away and Emily cried too although I have no idea why. Finally I took the baby straight to bed and Emily went straight to the kitchen. Oh well there is always next Easter. I did have to laugh at the whole thing though, through clenched teeth of frustration. I am sure the spirit was there....somewhere.

A Little Cuban

So I tried out this new recipe and it was so good I thought I would share it with everyone. I didn't think to take pictures. (Always a day late and a camera short it seems).



It is "Cuban Chicken with Mango-Avocado Salsa (4 servings)



Ingredients:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts



Marinade:

1 tsp cumin seed

1 fresh red chili pepper chopped (I used a red poblano and only used 1/2 since it was so big)

2 Tbsp. Olive oil

5 tsp. lemon juice

3 cloves of garlic minced

1/4 tsp salt

5 tsp. orange juice



Salsa:

2 Tbsp Olive oil

1/2 cup orange juice

1 tsp lime zest

1 tsp honey

1 tsp soy sauce

1/4 cup cold butter cut into pieces.

1/2 cup diced mango

1/2 avocado cubed

chopped fresh cilantro to taste

chopped fresh parsley to taste



Toast cumin seeds in dry skillet over medium high heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes/ Place the cumin seeds, garlic, chili pepper, salt, olive oil, orange juice and lemon juice into blender and grind until coarse paste. Toss with chicken and place in fridge for about 2 1/2 hours.



Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Cook the chicken for 2-3 minutes on each side until browned. Place into the oven and cook until the juices run clear, about 8 minutes. When the chicken is done, remove, cover with foil and allow to rest for 3-5 minutes.



While the chicken is in the oven, whisk together the olive oil, orange juice, lime zest, honey, and soy sauce in a skillet over medium high heat. Simmer until the orange juice has reduced to 1/3 of its original volume and is beginning to get thick and syrupy.Once thick remove from heat, and whisk int eh butter pieces one at a time until melted; set aside. To serve, place chicken on plate and sprinkle with mango and avocado. Drizzle with the sauce and garnish with cilantro and parsley.



***NOTES****

My marinade wasn't what I would consider a coarse paste but more of a thick chowder consistency. I also didn't have the fresh herbs on hand to garnish with.



I served this with some Spanish rice, steamed broccoli and Homemade Lemonade.



The lemonade was from Emily's Sesame Street cookbook called C is for Cooking. It is Big Bird's recipe and was really good. Every week or so she picks something from her cookbook and helps shop for the ingredients and make the item for dinner. Here is that recipe

Ingredients:
2 cups water
3/4 to 1 cup sugar
Juice of 4 large lemons (1 cup)

Combine the water and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Roll the lemons on the counter with the palms of your hands pressing down hard with one hand on top of the other. Halve and juice the lemons. Remove the sugar syrup form the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Set aside to cool completely. You can store the lemonade syrup in a covered container in the fridge for up to one week. To make lemonade place 1/4 cup of syrup in a glass, add ice if you like and fill with water or seltzer.

To make the rice I just cooked rice in my rice cooker but instead of straight up water I mixed water and tomato sauce to cook it in and then seasoned it with a cut up green onion, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, and red pepper flakes. I didn't measure the spices it was by look and taste.

So give it a try. I guarantee you will love it.

The Tampon

The tampon, a little invention designed to make the menstrual cycle a little less gross for lack of a better word. But did you know that they can be used for so much more. I bet you didn't. Since you have never lived in my house; let me enlighten you. Tampons (unused of course) can be used for:

* Sword fighting

* "Paint brushes"

* Make up brushes

* Roads

* They can be "people"

I walk in to the bathroom and the entire box has been dumped out and they were all opened. I started to get mad then thought whatever they are happily playing together. Em then brings two tampons to me and says, "mom the tampons are talking to you" and then makes up conversations for them.

There is something fascinating about Feminine Hygiene Products. Last year the pads were the most exciting "stickers" in the house. I found unwrapped and stuck all over the bathroom wall.
Note to self. Find another place to store those.

Conversations

I am amazed at the conversations I have with my child. The last couple of days we have very much enjoyed going on stroller walks. On one particular outing Emily began talking about going swimming. She says " we can take off our shirts and go swimming." I say well girls have to wear swimsuits so they can be modest. Boys can wear swim trunks with out their shirts." She says "why?" After much thought on how to answer this and not quite sure how, I say, " girls have breasts that they need to cover so they can be modest. That is why they wear swimsuits. Boys don't need to." Emily says, "dad has small breasts" (By the way in defense of my husband he does NOT have man boobs, but to a 3 year old he has breasts). She then says "when I get older mine will get big like yours mom." I end with,"yeah that's right honey, look! A squirrel."

Today while looking at houses with Grandma..... " mom it stinks it here. It smells like a museum."
How does she know what a museum smells like? The only one she's ever been in was the history museum at Christmas time and that house didn't smell like gingerbread.

Things you don't expect....

You don't expect your 3 year old to flop down on your bed at 7:30 in the morning on a Saturday and say things like, "Mom, I am sick and tired of making my bed."

Or when she looks at the back of the camera to see her picture and says, "thats not too bad."

The Cost of Beauty

Emily: Mom I swallowed my spit

Me: Do you want a drink of water honey?

Emily: NO! It will mess up my lip gloss