Guacamole Anyone

When I was pregnant with Caston there was one food and one food alone that cured my carvings- Mexican!

I wanted it all....chips and dip, tacos, burritos, enchiladas....but mostly guacamole!

Guacamole is very simple to make too. We usually have avocados laying around the kitchen as well (did you know that avocados are very good for your health)! Doctors even believe that avocados are a cancer fighter....so eat up!

Here's my simple guacamole recipe that will suit your fancy!

Kick-Up Guacamole

3 medium avocados, very ripe

1 shallot, minced

1 small jalapeno chili, seeded and minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup cilantro, chopped

1/4 cup lime juice, fresh

1/2 tsp. lime zest

1 T. olive oil

1 tsp. salt

Place avocados and lime juice in bowl and mash with a fork, lightly. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and serve with chips!

(PHOTO: Caston turned 5 months recently...this was a couple days after his 5 month birthday!)

Caston 3 Months...How the Time Flies

Caston turned 3 months last week...it's that amazing? Charlie and I sat at dinner and were just talking about how a blur our lives have been the past three months: New jobs (for both of us), moved south, sold a house, bought a new house, painted the new house, oh...and had a baby! Throw that all together and what do you get? One crazy time...we wouldn't recommend it.

BUT- we are so lucky to have everything fall into place at the right times. We feel very blessed to be closer to family and have our beautiful baby boy in our lives. He has really enriched our lives and made us better people! Amazing how little ones do that , isn't it?

Today we had a photographer come and do a photo shoot of the family and Caston! I discovered Tiffany Kelley through searching online. I knew she was the perfect photographer for us after I was she not only was a "social media junkie" (like me), but that her photos were modern- and at the same time classic.

Caston was a little angel all throughout the photo shoot and Tiffany posted a "Sneak Peek" of the pictures on her blog, check it out!

Gardening...A Way of Life

Lately around our house it's been lazy nights, easy dinners and lots and lots of help from my husband. Being pregnant really takes it out of you- I never imagined how tired, excited, scattered brained and nervous one body could be!

Today was a filling day and I found that I pushed myself a little too much when it was 4pm at the office and my back ached like I was an 80 year old (no offense to those that are reading this and are 80). What caused this?

At my work we are putting in a community garden for our employees and somehow I got put on the organization committee- along with some other wonderful folks I work with- and we are responsible for about everything.

What does everything include? Try- building more than 20 raised beds for the vegetables, getting soil and mulch hauled in, picking up over 40 tomato plants, 20 pepper plants, getting sponsors for seeds, gardening equipment, new landscape design plans for the front of our building, herb garden.....the list goes on and on. I'm so thankful to be helped by two other very motivated co-workers that are real go-getters.

Today, a fellow co-worker finished some of the raised beds and moved them around in different locations on the grounds and then filled the beds with soil. I went to pick up plants from the Central Missouri Master Gardeners (who were kind enough to donate to our cause) and pick up all the equipment needs. I then had to set-up our watering system, water the plants, organize seeds, tools and gloves for the employees and finally we were ready to plant! Then about 2pm many of our employees started coming out to help plant the tomatoes and pepper plants after listening to a gardening 101 short course. (This is an educational course for some, but others are green thumbs).

All and all it was a great day and fun was had by all! Our gardens will serve as an educational piece to the public, but promote a healthy lifestyle to our employees. I mean who wouldn't want to go outside for a couple hours a week (during work time) to play in the dirt and get some good exercise? I know I will be spending a lot of time outdoors this summer getting my hand dirty.

We will also be putting in a small orchard, raspberry and blackberry plants, Norton and Concord Grapes, 5 pumpkin patches, a very large plot of sweet corn, some cut flowers- and who knows what else! The best thing- all produce goes back to our employees!

Gotta a Craving

What to do when a craving hits…that’s been my dilemma lately. Do I indulge, do I ignore the craving, what is a healthy option to fulfill the grumble in my tummy.

I’ve had cravings and food aversions all at the same time for the past month and a half- how does this happen- will being pregnant your body is totally out of wack. At least that is what I have decided, but I wouldn’t change it for the world! (Yes, many readers lately have been asking about the new label on the blog “pregnancy recipes” and yes they were correct the McConnell’s are expecting a little one November 18.) We are very excited - here is our Week 9 photo!

I’ve been reading What to Expect When Your Expecting and I laugh at some of the things I have learned about the pregnant body. Like that “gotta go feeling” that stays with you, the sleepless nights because you have to get up to go to the bathroom 5 times a night, or maybe it’s the way I can be so sick feeling at my stomach- BUT at the same time crave Honey Nut Cheerios or Bananas by the dozen! (Yes- that’s right Cheerios!) Or my favorite- being so tired that I fall asleep at 6pm after eating dinner.

You have to love being a woman! And no matter what-I wouldn’t change it for the world!
I’ve read that for those that have the all day morning sickness or upset stomachs that lemons help- and it’s worked for me. Drinking lemonade, making lemon spaghetti, or simply putting lemon in my water has soothed my stomach so far.

But, if you’re craving a nice indulging dessert this Lightened-Up Lemon Bar recipe from one of my favorite new websites , http://www.fitpregnancy.com/, is a true winner.

Lightened-Up Lemon Bars

From FitPregnancy.com

Crust

Nonstick cooking spray

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Topping

1 whole egg

2 egg whites

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/3 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed (about 2 juicy lemons)

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Confectioner's (powdered) sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350° F. Coat an 8-by-8-inch pan with cooking spray. For crust: Cream together butter and sugar; add flour, salt and lemon zest. Beat until crumbly and pat into pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven; let cool. While crust is baking, prepare the topping: Whisk egg and egg whites until frothy. Add sugar, flour, baking powder, lemon juice and lemon zest; mix until combined. Pour mixture over crust and bake for an additional 25 minutes or until topping is set and slightly golden. Cool on a wire rack; dust with confectioner's sugar and cut into 16 2-inch squares. Refrigerate if not serving immediately.

Serves 8.

Christmas Dinner Menu

Many folks stress about the holidays and for good reason. Our country is in economic distress, food prices are sky high and Christmas is just next week…which means all those presents, decorations, wrapping paper that you paid for by credit will be coming to haunt you in January!

I have to make frequent trips to the grocery store during the holidays because all of the baking I do. I was there this week and could not believe just the few items I had totaled $69.54 – and I only had two bags! WOW – I was speechless.

Of course, looking back on the receipt I ask myself – “Did I really need those Goat Cheese Stuffed Olives, or the extensive selection of Spanish cheeses. Or how about those oh so tasty, but so darn expensive gourmet potato chips.” I did however skimp on some things: sour cream, cream cheese and marshmallows. But, it just goes to say that sometimes we splurge a little too much, when we could be more thrifty.

Saying that though, there are just some things I will never cut corners on – and that’s my Christmas dinner!

We are hosting the McConnell family for the holidays next week and I’m so very excited! Last year I hosted Christmas for my family and it was so much fun and less stressful. You see we live 3 hours from both sides of our family and our families live about 2 ½ hours apart. So, this makes for very long holidays and gets very tiring going to and from. This year though will be a piece of cake since we only have to drive south for one Christmas.

I finally have the Christmas dinner menu planned out (and as you can tell – I’m not cutting any corners on this menu). In my opinion when it comes to food, especially Christmas dinner – you can only buy the best in ingredients for the ones you care the most about!

Merry Christmas from my kitchen to yours!

McConnell Christmas Dinner Menu
Appetizers
Olives (Black, Spanish and Stuffed with Goat Cheese)
Spanish Cheeses, Burgers Smokehouse Sausage (local Missouri company) and Crackers
Spudmaster Potato Chips and a Dip
Rosemary Pinwheels

Dinner
Three Meat Dish (Chicken, Ham and Beef Roast)
Holiday Sweet Potato Casserole
Country Green Beans
Pecan Grape Salad
Croissant Rolls
Corn Casserole

Desserts
Southern Red Velvet Cake
Texas Pecan Pie
Very Cherry Pie
Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cakes
Smooth as Silk Chocolate Pie

Be looking for these recipes to come…

The Blog Game Begins

It’s a cold and snowy one in Jeff City Mo this morning, but so very beautiful outside. Most might not like snowy weather conditions, but I’m not one of them. I know how to drive, unlike most of the others that were passing me on the road this morning, driving way too fast. I love when the snow sticks to the trees, as it makes for a beautiful setting.

My friend and fellow blogger Kenzie tagged me in a little Blog Game. So, I don’t’ want to break the cycle so here we go:

Here are 7 random things about me (that you probably don't care about):
1.) I have two other blogs I author besides Home Cooking. A Look at Missouri Farmers’ Markets and Missouri Organics InterActive.
2.) My all-time favorite candy is Horehound, which is an old remedy that is soothing to the respiratory system and is a natural expectorant. The candy can always be found in my candy jar at work.
3.) I have an addiction to crocheting scarves. It’s all I do at night when I’m at home. Ask any of my friends, I bet they either have a scarf or a afghan I’ve made for them.
4.) The place I would like most to live overseas is Australia. I lived there for 5 months while in high school for a National FFA Exchange Program and I miss the people, the food, the landscape and most of all the beer.
5.) When I was a little girl I was the biggest tomboy! In fact, my mother stuck me in ballet and tap dance class because she thought it would help me be more lady like. I think it worked!
6.) I love to sing, but I’m not very good at it. (Ask my husband, as he is the only one that gets to see me in rare form) I sing all the time, especially during the holidays. The only music I listen to is holiday music. Even when it’s not the holidays and I’ve had a bad day I put in a holiday cd and jam out.
7.) I have a dream for my husband and I to start a peach and apple orchard in southwest Missouri someday. I want to also incorporate raspberries and blackberries and have a you-pick operation on the farm. Plus, I want the farm to be open to school children so I can teach our younger generation about the farming industry, so they know where their food comes from.

Now I’m tagging:
1.) Sarah: AgriMissouri Showcase
2.) Sarah: Front Porch Rocker
3.) Michelle: Down on the Dairy
4.) Steve: SMays
5.) Amy: Delicious by Nature
6.) Danene: Missouri Wine Girl
7.) JyLnC: A Cup of Joe With a View

Have fun with the game and don’t break the chain. Season’s Greetings Ya’ll!