Blogging Blitz

As you can see I'm pretty ridiculous when it comes to blogging, either I post every day for a week, or 5 posts in one day or I go an entire month with out posting anything! So just laugh at me because that's just the way I do it. Right now I'm on a blogging blitz:) I was just on a recipe kick for a while too, so now you pretty much have all the meals I make, right here on this blog! Next up, refinishing my armoire and dressers- this has been on my "To Do List" for way too long!

Carseat Controversy

Everyone I talk to seems to be pretty frustrated with the new Carseat Reccomendation:

"REAR-FACING UNIL TWO-YEARS OLD"

It's a touchy subject with some... my husband really wants to turn Rockwell around at 1 for various reasons (he can't see, he'll be a better traveler, get's car sick, legs uncomfortable, etc)... but after researching it out, I'm pretty sure we'll keep him Rear-Facing until 2. For this fact alone: "children under 2 are 75% less likely to die or sustain serious injury when rear-facing."

NHTSA now recommends: "Your child should remain in a rear-facing car seat until he or she reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat’s manufacturer."

(Average limits are 35-40 pounds and 49 inches... anyone know any 2 year olds that big? Not me! Pretty sure Rock will turn 2 before he hits those limits)

I found a good website here that goes over reasons to turn keep kids rear0facing, even if you've already turn your child forward, and even if they are 20 months old and out grow there carseat, to buy an accommodating carseat until they are 2... it's pretty adamant on keeping your child safe, not taking any chances, because it's just not worth it.

Rockwell is 11 months old, let's hope he can last another 13 months!

Southwestern Chicken Soup (Easy and delicious!)

Ingredients:

1 12-ounce jar salsa verde

3 cups cooked chicken (I use 2 Costco canned chicken if I'm lazy:)

1 15-ounce can cannelloni beans, rinsed and drained (I add a can of kidney beans too)

3 cups chicken broth

1 tsp ground cumin (optional)

2 green onions, chopped

1/2 cup sour cream

tortilla chips

(I add avocado, lime, tomato, and shredded cheese for a super yum soup!)

Directions:

Empty the salsa into a large saucepan. Cook 2 minutes over medium-high heat, then add the chicken, beans, broth, and cumin. Bring to a boil, lower heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Top each bowl with a sprinkling of onions, a dollop of sour cream, and some tortilla chips. For a soupier dish, use 4 cups of broth.

Winter Green Salad (My FAVORITE:)

Ingredients:

1/4 C chopped pecans, 1 TBS sugar, mix on stove untiled glazed (med/high)

2 bags of romaine lettuce

2 cups celery

2 cups green grapes halved

3 kiwi (sliced or cubed)

dried cranberries

Dressing: *(Make plenty early before serving and refrigerate)*

1/4 C olive oil

2 TBS sugar

2 TBS Raspberry vinegar (Kozlowski Farms brand is best)

1/2 tsp salt

(I double the dressing and pecans. Put dressing on just before serving... Super yum!)

Taco Soup (easy, fast, healthy, cheap, on hand ingredients)

I love this soup, because I can use it in a crunch and know I usually always have everything on hand:

2 C canned tomato sauce

1-1/2 C Water

1 C frozen corn

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

2 C free range chicken broth

2 cans of beans, rinsed and drained (I use kidney and black beans)

1 garlic clove, minced

1-1/2 C shredded share cheese

tortilla chips

Combine frist 9 ingredients in a large saucepan, bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 12 minutes. Taste and add any extra seasoning. (Can add salt and Chili powder for extra kick.) Crumble chips and cheese and enjoy! (Also good to add sour cream and avocado)

Hershey's Doubly Chocolate Cookies (super yum!)

We love these cookies for a good change up from our oatmeal chocolate chip cookies... super delish!

2 cups flour

2/3 cup Hershies Cocoa

3/4 tsp. Baking Soda

1/4 tsp. Salt

1 cup butter (softened) **THE TRICK TO GREAT COOKIES IS TO LET YOUR BUTTER SOFTEN AT ROOM TEMPERATURE (NOT TO MELT IN THE MICROWAVE, IT MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD! so just get it out the morning of and it should be great!)

1-1/2 cups Sugar

2 Eggs

2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

2 cups Chocolate Chips

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350

2. Stir together flour, cocoa, soda, and salt.

3. Beat butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in large bowl until fluffy.

4. Gradually add flour mixture, beat well and then stir in chips.

Bake 8-10 min

Makes approx. 4-1.2 dozen cookies

Free Fun!

Hike, Hike, Hike, we love to Hike! This summer we have loved going hiking in the mountains, now that it's cooling down in the afternoons, we will go even more after his 2nd nap. Rockwell loves hanging out in the backpack and when Taylor comes with us, he'll usually fly fish while we walk around and we'll bring a little something to eat and have a picnic. We love it, and it's a great way to have fun for free:) We are still trying to find more good trails, so if you have any you recommend, let us know!