Recipe Time - Shepherd's Pie

Since Chris and I will be starting South Beach next week and our schedule this week is beyond crazy I'm forgoing a menu plan. We will be winging it and trying to eat through all the food in the house that's not 'South Beach Friendly'. This recipe is most certainly not diet friendly but Madelynn LOVED it - three helpings and then all the leftovers another night!

Shepherd's Pie - serves 4 with leftovers unless you're having Madelynn over!
*all measurements are estimations as I don't measure anything

2 lbs potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 stick butter
1/2 cup milk or half and half
Salt and Pepper to taste

Boil potatoes until soft. Drain, add butter and milk. Mash with masher or fork. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

1 pound ground venison (can use beef, turkey or chicken)
5 cups frozen mixed vegetables
Olive oil - about 1/8 cup (less if you are using beef)
1/8 - 1/4 cup flour
1-2 cups beef broth
Salt, pepper, no salt seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder

Brown venison in oil. (if using beef omit oil and don't drain) Add frozen vegetables and cook until warmed through. Add flour and seasonings. Stir to combine. Add broth and stir until desired thickness.

Pour into greased 9x13 pan (a deep baker would be preferable) top with mashed potatoes. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Serve immediately although leftovers are better! This can be made ahead of time and either refrigerated or frozen before baking. If you do make ahead it will take about 1 hour to bake.

Let me know how it turns out!

Not Normal

There are a few things that have been bothering me lately. Not bothering me in a sense that it makes me mad or angry but more sad - sad that in this wonderful country we live in we still can not educate ourselves to be advocates for ourselves and our children.

I have been getting a lot of comments about the fact that Madelynn is not yet sleeping through the night and that she is in the bed with Chris and I for about half the night (after she wakes up). Apparently we are 'bad' parents for not ignoring her needs and feelings. Our society has been so brainwashed by parenting 'experts' that we have forgotten how to listen to our God given instincts on how to raise OUR children.

Doctors opinions have trumped mothers' instincts for so long now that most new mom's don't even trust themselves to make decisions on behalf of their baby - the default is for the doctor to just tell them what to do.

Now I know that I fall into the not normal category on my ideas about raising Madelynn (and any subsequent children we may have) and in case I forget Chris is quick to remind me. So these next points shouldn't come as a shock to any that know me.

• God has given mothers an instinct that directly corresponds to her children; more specifically to each individual child. Who are we to tell someone else what to feel?
• How am I depriving my child by not encouraging her to watch TV, play video games or making her cry for hours just because she needs to 'learn' to sleep on her own? By the way I'm not depriving her at all in fact I'm allowing her the opportunity to use her imagination, problem solving skills and the chance to learn to trust her own instincts.
• Having a child in your bed IS NOT WRONG. Over half of the world co-sleeps! I'm going to let you go back and read that again - OVER HALF the WORLD. Children grow up more secure knowing that there is a parent who will respond to them when they are in need.
• By allowing a child to express their feelings and responding to them I am not allowing the child to run the house. Just because Madelynn wants something doesn't mean that she gets it - but she does know that Chris or I have heard and understood her request. Now we are working on this more as she approaches two and becomes more adamant about her requests but I have every confidence that as we stay steady in our listening she will more easily be able to let us know how she feels.

As far as normal is concerned I don't know if I really want my child to be normal. Take a look at the children you see in the grocery store and malls - is this really what we as parents have to look forward to? Screaming, back-talking, dis-respectful and ungrateful children? Maybe if we make our children feel like they are being heard, loved, respected and people they will show us the same courtesy.

So am I a horrible mother for not being normal? Maybe - maybe it will all backfire and Madelynn will behave exactly like some of the other children I see out and about, if so then my instinct was way off base; but maybe she will turn out to be a wonderful, self-confident, God-loving and independent child and adult.

Menu Plan Monday (Tuesday)

You will notice that this weeks menu looks an awful lot like last weeks ... well I did not follow the menu last week and have no clue as to what we ate. I did manage to make Valentine's cookies for Madelynn's class but I wasn't happy with how they turned out so I there aren't any pictures.

Monday 2/15
Tenderloin, mashed potatoes, Veggie blend

Tuesday 2/16
Cereal/Waffles
Soup and Salad
Pinto Beans, cornbread

Wednesday 2/17
Cereal/Waffles
Lean Cuisine
Shrimp Fried Rice

Thursday 2/18
Cereal/Waffles
Sandwich and Soup
Leftovers

Friday 2/19
Cereal/Waffles
Lean Cuisine
Sheppard's pie in crock pot

Saturday 2/20
Smoothie, Eggs, Toast
Sandwiches
Grilled Pork chops

Sunday 2/21
Cereal
Sandwiches/Leftovers
Pork shoulder in smoker or chili with cornbread

Monday 2/22
Waffles
Soup and Sandwich
Enchilada Bake

I'll let you all know how the shepherd's pie in the slow cooker turns out - recipe if it works! Also I will be going out of town overnight without Madelynn on Friday. Wish me luck, I know she will have lots of fun with Daddy while I'm gone.

Menu Plan Monday/Tuesday

Monday 2/8
Tacos

Tuesday 2/9
Cereal/Waffles
Soup and Salad
Pinto Beans, cornbread

Wednesday 2/10
Cereal/Waffles
Lean Cuisine
Shrimp Fried Rice

Thursday 2/11
Cereal/Waffles
Sandwich and Soup
Leftovers

Friday 2/12
Cereal/Waffles
Lean Cuisine
Tenderloin, Mashed potatoes, broccoli and cheese

Saturday 2/13
Smoothie, Eggs, Toast
Sandwiches
Valentine’s Dinner

Sunday 2/14
Cereal
Sandwiches/Leftovers
Chili, cornbread

Monday 2/15
Waffles
Soup and Sandwich

Last week we ventured off of our plan a little but made up for it over the weekend. Hopefully the weather will hold off so that we can stick to this menu.

Another Snow Weekend

So it started snowing on Friday morning and something* continued to fall from the sky through Saturday late afternoon.

*we got snow, rain, ice, and sleet

Since the weather was yucky I decided to try some new recipes. Both turned out well but Chris said that one was the best sandwich he ever ate. I didn't take pictures of the process since Pioneer Woman did such a wonderful job documenting her recipe. Find it here. Be warned though if you make this for someone other than your spouse there may be trouble!

I also made this:

Pretty normal looking cake right (well except for the flat side)

How totally awesome is this!!! (sorry I went into 80's valley girl for a minute I'm back now)

Find out how to make it here.

This week I'll be working on cookie valentine's for Madelynn's class. As well as a special treat for her teachers! Enjoy these recipes and let me know how yours turn out.

Madelynn enjoyed the cake too! (ignore the blurry picture)

Menu Plan Monday

Monday 2/1
Leftover meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans

Tuesday 2/2
Cereal/Waffles
Sandwiches and Soup
Pot Roast, Rice

Wednesday 2/3
Cereal/Waffles
Lean Cuisine
Tuna Pasta

Thursday 2/4
Cereal/Waffles
Sandwich and Salad
Leftovers

Friday 2/5
Cereal/Waffles
Lean Cuisine
Brock’s

Saturday 2/6
Smoothie, Eggs, Toast
Sandwiches
Deer Stir Fry

Sunday 2/7
Cereal
Sandwiches/Leftovers
Chili/Pizza/Wings

Monday 2/8
Waffles
Soup and Sandwich
Tacos

11 1/2 Inches

Let me preface this by stating that I have lived my entire life in the South. Because of this I am often excited by the thought of snow but since we rarely get any actual snow I have no idea what to do with it. Over the past year (February 2009 to now) it has snowed 4 times. Only one of those was less than a inch. That brings me to the title of this post - 11 1/2 inches - that's how much snow we got over the weekend. Plus they are calling for more "winter weather" on Tuesday and Friday nights. Let me go check the map and make sure that I didn't move with out knowing it. I'm not very up to date with the global warming debate but I don't think snow and freezing temperatures in the south would go along with that thought. I could be wrong though.
After frantically trying to find something for Madelynn to wear in the snow and not finding any pants we put her in a pair of 2T snow pants. A year to big but they did the job. She didn't get to play much since the snow was almost to her waist but I think she liked it until she started getting cold.
Chase enjoyed the snow most of all so we know that him and Madelynn will be having lots of fun next year.

We get to go outside in the SNOW!!!!!!!

Here we go!

Daddy? Where are you going? I'm not sure you're supposed to be down there!

Look it's almost as tall as me.

I think I'm starting to get cold. Can we go in now?