Jess' Kitchen Tips

Here are a few bits of kitchen wisdom I have picked up:

Beans can be used to stretch almost any meal. I haddn't realised how much I used this until a long term houseguest mentioned it. I had fed them beans every day! It can have an 'interesting' effect on digestive systems not used to it LOL

Food nibbled on while you're cooking does not count toward calories as you are burning it off while you cook. So feel free to nibble on that bit of carrot, slice of cheese.....the left over fruitcake in the fridge. This is my story and I'm sticking to it!

If you put something green on the plate, it is a healthy meal. So add a few bits of broccoli to the lasagne, some peas to the lamb chops... some green jelly beans to the top of the chocolate cake the kids cooked.

Fetta cheese makes it gormet cooking. So next time you clean out the fridge, put anything that can't run fast enough to get away in a large frypan with some fetta cheese and serve it up with some parsley (to make it healthy of course) and everyone will think you're a brilliant cook!

These bits of wisdom I picked up without even trying, I hope you will benefit from the wisdom I have chosen to share LOL

On a more serious note, please go and visit Large Family Mothering and read her post Broken, Not Crushed. I found it a timely and beautiful reminder!

Kitchen tip

After confessing where I am with the house, I just want to share something I learned a few weeks ago. If you are as messy in the oven as I am with various roast dinners etc you'll know that one of the worst chores is to clean the oven racks. A tip I picked up was to put them in the bath overnight with hot water and a bit of laundry powder. I just give them a quick scrub with a scourer the next morning!

update and recipe

The kids are all in the same room now with Billy in a big-boy bed! I have found this means the older two are putting themselves to bed at all hours of the day now and Erin wants afternoon naps with the boys!

Erin:
still thinks moving is fun! Overall, she has been delightful and a great help with packing and cleaning.

Billy:
is loving the big-boy bed concept and puts himself to bed at any hour - but especially at nap time. He also got a big truck from Nanny and Poppy for his birthday which he loves.

Christopher:
has 2 teeth, is crawling like a pro and climbing everything as well as harassing his older brother and eating things he shouldn't.

Tea tonight:
2 cans tuna - drained
2 cans cream of ch'n soup
frozen veg
1 can pineapple - drained

all in crock pot for a couple of hours while I clean the new house then served with pasta - quick and easy!

the house (which one?!)
the new house is lovely - in spite of the fact that there is a little more rot than we realised (not bad yet though), the roof leaks over the wood heater, we are getting quotes in for the septic and we are yet to build a shed for Jon. It is OURS!! A true blessing in every way.
The rental is suffering neglect, but still livable!

Our tea tonight

Porcupine meatballs
cauliflower, broccoli, peas, corn and carrot done in my steamer
white sauce for the cauliflower

yum!