Applesauce Adventure

Homemade applesauce is so yummy and one of the many reasons Autumn is my favorite time of year.  On a good day it would have been so easy.  One can never predict the sort of day you will wake up to with a toddler in tow.  Mason enjoyed the first five minutes of putting the cut apples into the bowl.  After that he was done.  So I had to make the applesauce in-between dinner, bath and bedtime.  Hence the lack of any really good photos.  

I'm done with this applesauce making business.

San Diego weather was unfavorable for apples last April so many of the U-Pick places were closed this season which left the few open to run out quality apples quickly.  We didn't make it there in time.  Plan B:  farmer's market organic apples.  A dozen or so apples yielded two quarts.  Not enough to go through the hassle of canning, so I used leftover Mason jars to store the sauce.  What we don't eat or give away in the next few weeks, I will put in Ziplock bags and freeze.  

I de-cored the apples, threw out the cores and left the skins on.  I put the apple slices in a large pot with some water and low heat.  Stirring occasionally or whenever I made it back to the kitchen.  Then I blended the mushy pieces, adding cinnamon along the way (no sugar needed if you use a variety of apples).  The result: warm, yummy, cinnamon-y goodness.  Now to find some lucky neighbors who will help us eat two quarts of homemade applesauce... 

Mason's Grommet Valance

As Mason progressed into a toddler bed (where did my baby go?!?!), I have slowly transformed his room from a baby room to a toddler room.  The biggest project so far has been making him a window valance.  I had purchased material to match his bedding when he was born, and I sort of just strung it up over the window, not feeling the need to spend any more time on it.  A year and a half later, I am ready!  After throwing around a handful of ideas on what to do with the material, I decided to keep it as a valance but make it a more permanent fixture.  If you have been to my house, then you know I am a fan of grommet curtains: classy, modern, easy.

I took on the project with tons of motivation and, although it took a few weeks to finish (sometimes nap times are for mommy naps too), I am very pleased with the outcome.

First I lined the material to make it darker and more durable.  Then I had to sew two long pieces together for the width since Mason's window is 72 inches wide.  I hemmed the material and made a four inch header.  Using an extremely helpful video (click on video to view) and website (click on website to read) I measured and traced the grommet holes.  I then reinforced the grommet holes with some zigzag stitching (not as easy as it looks) so I could remove the grommets and wash.  Then I cut out the grommet holes.  Almost done!  To test my zigzag hem, I washed the valance.

Since I hadn't sewn perfect circles, and the circles were a little smaller than the actual grommets, this helped fray the edges up to the grommet hem.  It made snapping on the plastic grommets a piece of cake.  I purchased the grommets at JoAnn Fabrics, but after some research found them cheaper online and at Walmart.  I didn't return and buy online (click on online to see grommets) because I was in a hurry to see my project completed.   These grommets were super easy to install and did not require any other tools.


Craigslist had a cheap wooden rod with finials for sale, and I snatched it up.   I roughed them up with sand paper, sprayed white primer spray paint on them, and then painted them navy blue to match the rest of Mason's room.  I purchased one of the sample paint containers that are three bucks at Home Depot.

Bed, Bath and Beyond had some off-white sheers with branch cut-outs on them.  Perfect!!

Here is some artwork I made before Mason was born.

Now to find a nice reading chair for my little man since the only toys in his room are books.  It forces him to read, and it is working. ;)  He loves books.

Breakfast Cookies

You heard right.  Breakfast cookies.  I am not going to lie.  I was skeptical at first.  How could a cookie be somewhat nutritious and taste good?  They passed the Mason test so I'm sharing them with you.  

These amazing oatmeal sandwich cookies taste delicious for big and small people alike.  Mason devoured his almost immediately.  Then his dad devoured two.  And they didn't even know they were eating vegetables...

They also make a great post-nap snack.

Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies


1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. non-aluminum baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup organic canola oil
1/2 cup packed organic, brown sugar
1/4 cup organic granulated sugar
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup or 2 medium finely shredded carrots
1/2 cup raisins
6 oz organic cream cheese, softened
1 Tbs. pure maple syrup

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees.  Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a small bowl mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl combine oil, sugars, egg, oats, carrots and raisins.  Mix.  Add flour mixture.  Mix.

4. Drop dough two inches apart on prepared cookie sheets.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until cookies begin to brown.  Don't over bake!   Let stand for one minute on cookie sheet and transfer to wire rack to cool.

5. In a small bowl mix cream cheese and maple syrup.  Spread onto cooled cookie and top with another cookie.  Chill cream cheese cookie sandwich and devour within three days.

Not-So-Sloppy, Sloppy Joe's

I was stumped on what to make for some girlfriends I was inviting over for dinner.  While pondering I realized that summer is half over.  Or, at least July is almost over.  This made me vow to go to the pool or beach every day possible until the weather turns gloomy.  At least here in SoCal we have until October.  Growing up in the Midwest always makes me think August is the last warm month, and I still can't help but feel the need to soak up more sunshine.  Either way I am planning more trips to the beach and more riding around topless in the Jeep (the Jeep is topless, by the way, not me).

 Anyway, I decided on something that screams summer for dinner.  

Sloppy Joes!  Corn on the cob!  Lemonade!  

Here is the amazing Not-So-Sloppy Joe recipe: 

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped 

1 red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 pound ground turkey**

1 6 oz can tomato paste

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Salt to your taste

Whole wheat hamburger buns

Grated cheese (garnish)

Light Sour cream (garnish)

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion, garlic, and bell pepper.  Cook until softened, about 3 minutes.  Add turkey.  Cook and crumble with spoon until no pink remains.  Stir in tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, black pepper, cinnamon and salt.  Add a little water if it's too thick.  Maybe a 1/4 to a 1/2 cup.  Stir occasionally until sauce thickens slightly.  Spoon turkey mixture onto bottom half of bun and top with cheddar cheese and sour cream.  Sandwich with the top half of bun.  Enjoy!!

**This can also be made with vegetarian meat crumbles for the vegetarians out there.

Festive, Fast Fourth of July Treat

Crap!  I am a week late on this post.  I made this amazing dessert twice last week for the Fourth of July.  It was an instant hit at both parties.  With my hubby having a week off, everything was pushed aside including computer time...so while this may not be useful this year, bookmark this page for next year.  You will be a sure hit at your next Independence Day celebration! 

What you will need:

Fresh blueberries

Fresh sliced strawberries

One white angel food cake, torn in pieces

One or two containers of cool whip 

What to do: 

Layer dish with torn angel food cake  

Smooth cool whip on top of cake

 Push down with a spoon to get in between cake pieces

Line strawberries and blueberries on top for a pretty design

Dig in! 

Sorry you're sick, baby

I'm not a fan of being sick.  Who is a fan?  No one I know.  

My mom would tell me how she wished she could be sick for me when I was ill as a kid.  I always asked, "why, Mom?"  I didn't understand why anyone would want to be sick for someone.  Even as I got older, I didn't get it.  Then I had a child.  Then he had his first down and out sickness.

Poor guy spiked a fever to 103.5 and 104.4 two nights in a row.  Of course, the first night Rob and I freaked out.  We hadn't checked out the latest on children and fevers since Mason was an infant.  We immediately put him in a cool bath, gave him some children's Tylenol and called the on-call pediatric nurse.  We found out 105 is the emergency temperature, although 104.4 was a bit too close for comfort.

Since he didn't get better the next day, I took him in to the doctor.  VIRUS!  I hate those pesky buggers. Insert an unhappy, scrunchie face here.  We waited it out.  The fever finally broke for good after many false alarms.  Then a lovely rash appeared, and we headed back to the doctor for a prognosis I had already guessed: roseola or baby measles.

What made my heart ache the worst was how miserable Mason acted.  He wanted to be held all day and didn't want to eat a thing.  At night when the fever spiked, he would curl up next to me in bed and moan every thirty minutes in his sleep.  I ran cool wash clothes over his arms, legs, and forehead.  What else could I do besides pray and give him Tylenol?  I wished I could be sick for him.  Finally I understood what my mom meant all those years.  

Thankfully, Mason made a full recovery.  He is back to his old ways of climbing over the couch and putting his blankie in the toilet.  Dear boy.

My heart goes out to all the Mommas and Daddies who have to watch their children battle terminal illnesses or lifelong diseases.  You are in my prayers.

Rootbeer Float Pops

My last few posts have had nothing to do with food...so...here is one for all you foodies! 

My besties and I devoured these handmade rootbeer float pops. 

A perfect way to cool down on a warm day.

Learn how to make these summer treats here.