fAST fOOD fRIDAY

I found this in a SEDOL cookbook from my Aunt Nancy many years ago. It's super simple and Todd & the boys love it.

The Soundtrack: The Flaming Lips,
At War With The Mystics
check out the album under the music tab here
(Rex & Nate love The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song!)

The Meal: Hamburger Stroganoff
this costs under $10 for 4 people

what you need:
1 small chopped onion
1 clove chopped garlic
1/4 cup butter
1 lb ground beef
2 TBSP flour
pepper to taste
handful of sliced mushrooms
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
egg noodles, about 1 cup per person

what you do:
saute onion and garlic in butter.
add beef and brown.
add pepper and mushrooms, simmer for 5 minutes.
add soup, simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
stir in sour cream and heat through.
serve over cooked noodles.

Enjoy!

His & Hers

I had my baby in November. A beautiful baby girl. She has big bright blue-gray eyes, a head full of golden hair, the cutest smile you've ever seen. I love my boys, but being a woman she is the one that completes me. She offers things in her future that they could not. Nail polish, shopping trips, slumber parties, tights. Oh, how I can't wait to put her in a pair of Mary Janes.

I love all of my children equally, for their very different personalities and quirks. With only a glimpse of Lucy's, I already love that one day she may want to go to the prom, have a big fancy wedding, have babies of her own. That is why I wanted her. To experience life as a mom to a little girl. To be able to say that I enjoyed spiders in pockets, lightsaber duels, and tea parties. I wanted the best of both worlds and, so far, I've got it.

Todd got his baby last night. A ginormous plasma TV. To say that he has waited a long time to see its darling frame prominently displayed in our living space would be an understatement. To deny his persistence in attaining this treasure would be unfair to the hours he spent researching them, wooing me with all of the pleasures they promise, stalking them in the stores.

As much as I so painstakingly wanted a chance to have a little girl, Todd wanted this TV. I fought and argued it as valiantly as he did when the visions of a little pink bundle entered my head many months ago. So expensive. Totally unnecessary. Can't we just be happy with what we've already got?

When it arrived yesterday (after another very interesting debacle with transportation...thank you very much for use of your van again, Mike & Lisa) I, much like Todd in the moments preceding Lucy's arrival, felt much more at ease about our decision. When it was placed so perfectly in the space we created for it, it seemed like it was meant to be there. When we watched a bit of the Tom Petty Blu-ray we were given with the purchase I was in awe.

Now, I refuse to compare it to Lucy, since she is far more precious than this thing will ever be in our eyes. I do however, understand kind of how Todd felt when this thing you really didn't want shows up and takes your breath away.

A Hopeful Beginning

Today I flooded the inboxes of many of you with my first round of 'solicitation' for the Avon walk.

I worked all morning and part of the weekend trying to make things just right to send off into the world. I also made a special trip to get some supplies for some of my other fundraising plans. (Keep watching those inboxes!) I'm hoping to find a way to put the F-U-N back in fundraising by making it a family affair. (Not to mention I really think it's important to have the kiddos participate in this stuff too.)

I gratefully accepted my first donation over the weekend from an 'anonymous' donor eager to be numero uno on the list. Unfortunately for the donor, Avon sent me an email disclosing their identity right away, spoiling some of the fun. (I think they want me to know who to thank, it was nothing personal against my anonymous friend.)

I'm hoping this is a bright start to this incredible journey I've decided to make. I am very eager to see how things go and excited about some of the things I have planned for later!

The Last Waltz

Yesterday my cousin threw out a random list of thoughts on her blog. This is what #7 said:

7. I wish I could remember more about my Grandma Ina. I wonder a lot if I'm like her at all...

Her simple words struck a chord, resonating curiosity in me and memories in my aunt.

I don't really want to call it this, but what followed from that post resembles a college lecture. The best, most intriguing, makes-you-want-to-keep-learning-forever lecture, where one person passes on golden knowledge that you feel may be intended only for your ears (and the lucky few there in class with you). The kind of information that you know the instant you hear it, you will not only never forget it, but you will tell people about it for many years after.

My cousin simply posed the question. One I'm sure all of us Kordas girls have wondered for so long. With me being the oldest at 10 when she died, I can only imagine the questions my young cousins have about my grandmother. I remember the little, obvious things a 10 year old would. What she looked like, petite like me and blonde. I remember her always either cooking or gardening, her food always the most delicious, her flowers the most beautiful. I knew she liked sweets and kept her home tidy, I don't ever recall seeing her in jeans.

It was the stuff I didn't know that is fascinating. The things I needed my aunt to say to make me sure I am just as much a part of Ina as I am that big hearted, generous, jokester Victor.

It's reassuring to hear that she is where my junk food gene comes from. That she loved chocolate and McDonald's. In fact ate it, then went home, squeezed in a bite or two of dinner and always kept her teeny figure. That she is where my hopeless romantic streak originated, the kind that has you snuggling on the couch with your guy and crying at (Todd says ridiculous) scenes in movies. That, like me, she was shy until she got to know you, loved floral prints and music (though I can't quite understand her obsession with Englebert Humperdink?), baking and Sixteen Candles.

I like to think that, though my life has had many twists and turns, she would be proud of who I am right now. That she would recognize her characteristics in me. The self will that kept me going when others tried to hold me back, the strength to endure what was necessary when I needed to get through hard times, and the strong family bonds that motivate me through my darkest hours. I like to think she would find joy in seeing herself in the gray eyes of my little children, and giggle at the strong resemblance of Victor in Nate. That it would please her to see them working hard in the garden, baking cookies from scratch in the kitchen, loving the wonders of the ocean.

I'm walking away from this lecture feeling sure of the direction I'm headed in. I feel a bit more confident about why I am how I am and a bit happier knowing the history behind some of it.

Like every good student does, I also printed off my notes. Just in case the kiddos want to copy them later.

fAST fOOD fRIDAY

Oh, I so love this recipe. I just got this from a friend after eating it and raving about it for at least a week after her shindig. I don't think I'll go back to the 'old' way we used to make Italian Beef, at least not any time soon. Since it's a slow cooker, you 9-to-5ers can plop it in on low before you leave in the morning and it'll be darn near perfect when you get home. We serve it up with some chips or a slaw and some fruit for the kiddos. It's a nice simple meal for a Friday night or your March Madness get together!

The Soundtrack: (Ok, this is a slow cooker and I won't be doing much so I'll share the album Rex and I listened to while making cookies yesterday...)
The Muppet Show, 25th Anniversary Collection.
listen to our fave Mahna Mahna here

The Meal: Slow Cooker Italian Beef
I bought a top round roast at Sam's and all the condiments at Jewel for about $25 to feed 7-10 people. Feel free to adjust this to feed your family.

what you need:
6 lb. of chuck roast
2 packets of au jus
2 packets of zesty Italian dressing
2 jars of peperoncini peppers
garlic powder
crusty rolls (we use Gonnella French Rolls)

what you do:
mix 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder and the two packets of Italian seasoning together and rub it on the meat. let the meat sit in the slow cooker over night.
cook the meat for 8 to 10 hours. when you start the meat add 1 cup of water and one cup of pepper juice. also add the peppers.
1 hour before the meat is done add the packets of au jus. (you can add sliced green peppers too.)
when the meat is done take it out of the slow cooker and remove any fat. when all the fat is removed, shred it and put it back in the slow cooker.
serve on rolls with your fave cheeses and peppers.

Enjoy!

Love This...

I was searching for a tasty recipe to compliment something I was making the other day and stumbled on this blog. I haven't thoroughly scoured it yet, but I will very soon. So far I love what I've seen and that's enough for me to keep going back for more! (Not to mention I love that the blogger is a veggie, new mom, and knitter!!)

Tales from a Veggie Kitchen

Tween-age Freakshow

As many parents before us understand so well, there comes a time in your child's life where they begin a drastic transformation from darling child to gawky adolescent. I vaguely remember my own transition, hellish torture of my parents being my hallmark. It seems so recent that I subjected my parents to such unnecessary cruelties as riding my bike to neighboring towns to meet boys they couldn't stand.

With my parents' threat that 'one day my own children will (you can fill in the blank here with any number of darn near unforgivable things)' still ringing in my ears, it saddens me to acknowledge we've come to the point in dear sweet Nate's life where he has abandon the label of 'child' and embraced some dreaded 'tween' characteristics. He's sloppy and forgetful, kinda sneaky, a bit irresponsible, totally awkward, and way overconfident. He's absolutely sure he is correct 100% of the time, he knows everything about everything, and he's capable of doing anything. He talks back a lot, gets embarrassed way too easily, has loads of questions about questionable things.

I don't in any way foresee him being our most difficult child, but I am sure he will do a great job preparing us for the little ones. Since Rex is already sneaky and overconfident I imagine I really need this trial run with cool, calm, and collected Nate first.

Grandma's Here!!

Todd's mom is in town from CA for the week and the kids are brimming with excitement to see her. (Rex has been asking daily for a week if she's here yet.)

We're going to have some lunch with her today and introduce her to her littlest granddaughter, Lucy. If she's like everyone else, she'll be smitten immediately!

Dancin' Machine

I talk often about my cousin's upcoming wedding. But why wouldn't I? We're all super excited about the big event!!

Now, thanks to her and her groom, I have one more reason to anticipate the evening! They have decided to turn their 'dollar dance' into a donation competition for my breast cancer walk. They're going to have a bit of a dance off in my honor, trying to see which can raise the most money to benefit my participation in the Avon Walk. I am super duper grateful that they are thinking of me!

I've also received my 'walk packet' and all of the info I need to kick off some fundraising. I am going to do my best to get that all together soon and, in good time, will start cooking up some cool ways to earn that money. (Right now I'm thinking poker tourney, bake sale, in addition to begging for the outright donations.)

Things are going to start moving along quickly! I can't wait!

fAST fOOD fRIDAY

I am posting this really early, but I've made it lots before and it is super easy. Plus I promised the boys we would go for a walk at the mall with their cousin today, so I won't have time to do this later....

The Soundtrack: Lily Allen, It's Not Me, It's You.
listen to The Fear here

The Meal: Linguine with Asparagus
I LOVE asparagus this time of year, this quickie from Rachael Ray is delish!
This should cost less than $10 for 4 people.

what you need:
1 pound linguine
1 onion, cut into wedges
chopped garlic, about 4 cloves
1 bunch asparagus
crushed red pepper to taste

what you do:
cook linguine according to package.
in a large skillet cook onion and garlic in olive oil until tender, about 5 minutes.
add asparagus and 1/4 cup water. cover and cook till crisp, about 4 minutes.
season with red pepper.
toss with linguine.

Enjoy!

Love This...

I love that Kohl's sells $5 books to benefit their charity. Even more, I love that 100% of the profits go to the charity. But the best part is they are good books and you will never be sorry you spent the money on a good cause.

Right now the books are all by one of my faves, Dr. Seuss. Check out the titles here:

Kohl's Cares for Kids

Assembly Line

According to Todd's boss Tina, I proved to be an intelligent wife by allowing my husband to purchase his big ticket item just days before I planned my own shopping spree at Ikea. In a few short hours I managed to spend the rest of his 'bonus' check on (I think) much needed items for around the house. We left the place with an Explorer full of boxes for the kids' rooms and basement, despite Todd trying tirelessly to tell me all of my wants could not possibly fit in it at once.

Todd's biggest problem with Ikea is not the money I spend there, but the work he must put into my purchases. My darling hubby has to spend the time with me at the store, hemming and hawing over what I want to get, how it will look in the space I've determined for it, what color I want it to be, if we need to paint because the color I want does not match the existing color scheme, etc. etc. etc...Then he has to pick up all of the boxes for my chosen items (if you've never been, Ikea is self service. You go to the ground floor warehouse and get your own boxes). Of course he pays, then loads said boxes into car. Drives me home. Unloads boxes. Puts together contents of boxes. (All of this is done with an increasing amount of cussing as we move toward the end of the day.)

Last night he put together 1 of 7 boxes we purchased. Over the course of the week and well into his weekend he will put together the rest. He will swear lots and drink even more. The children and I will stay away from him until he is done. When he finishes, everything will be as beautiful as I imagined, and we'll all be super happy it is over.

You see, Tina was right about me planning wisely. However she failed to see that I took it one step further. Todd's TV won't be delivered for another week. Plenty of time for him to pay full attention to the stuff I want done before then.

The Ultimate Test

Todd took the day off of work to help me with a few housekeeping things.

First on our list: a trip to Ikea to pick up new dressers for the kids and a new TV stand for the much anticipated overpriced technical abomination we bought on Sunday.
First roadblock: arguing all the way to Ikea about Todd's driving and the all the while at Ikea because we cannot agree on anything.

Second on the list: going to Target to pick up a cheap bookcase to house our (rapidly growing) DVD (soon-to-be-Blue-Ray) and video game collection and see if we can get Lucy's new carseat there rather than ordering it.
Second roadblock: The carseat is expensive (about as much as the warranty on said abomination) and we don't need it right now so Todd does not see the need to purchase. The fact that I did a ton of research to find the perfect one at the best price will barely be acknowledged.

Third on the list: Constructing all purchases.
Third roadblock: This should be obvious, since Todd is thorough but not the best with a hammer and I can create with ease but hate following directions. We will fight lots, until everyone else stays away from us and one of us gives up and admits defeat.

Bottom line...if we make it through today without petitioning for a divorce, we will consider it a success.

Save The Boobies!

Well, I did it.

This morning I committed to walking a marathon over 2 days to support breast cancer research. Over the course of the next few months I will be training hard and working diligently to meet a fundraising goal of $2,000 to support this very worthy cause.

Any and all donations are greatly appreciated, as every dollar is money well spent toward education and research for a cure. Click on the link to the right to view my donations page and learn more about where your money will help.

As always, anyone wanting to join me on this journey is more than welcome. If you are interested I can help you save $30 on your registration fee.

Thank you in advance.
I'll update my progress frequently.

Technical Hillbillies

Come and listen to a story 'bout a man named Todd
A Pactiv auditor, got a wife with a killer bod,
Then one day he received an unexpected check,
So he went to phone and said what the heck.

Old insurance money that is. Extra clams, big fat green.

Well the first thing you know ol Todd wants a TV,
Then Ky said "Get a dishwasher for me"
Patti said "Best Buy's gotta friend of mine you need to see"
So they loaded up the kids and went to the city.

Chicago that is. Home of the Cubbies, the windy city.

Well now Best Buy said "Sold out" and sent them off to Sears.
Sears said "Come on in and buy your TV here"
Ky was not happy 'bout spendin' the money,
But Todd walked outta Sears with a ginormous TV.

Plasma that is. 50 inches, Samsung.

Y'all come by and watch it sometime, y'hear?.

3rd Month's A Charm

Today Lucy is 3 months old!
She celebrated by sleeping well last night, 8 whole hours! Love her! She is moving more and more, grabbing, trying to roll over, sitting up a bit. She is giggly, showing off her beefy laugh whenever she can. I know I say it every month, but she is just so darn cute!!

fAST fOOD fRIDAY

The Soundtrack: Regina Spektor, Begin to Hope.
listen to Fidelity here

The Meal: Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry
This costs about $10 for 4 people.
Use a bag of frozen stir fry veggies or select your own fresh ones.

what you need:
3 boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 bottle teriyaki marinade (I use Sweet Baby Ray's Honey Teriyaki)
stir fry veggies, about 1 cup per person (I'm using broccoli, red & green peppers, green beans, & carrots)
cooked rice

what you do:
marinade the chicken using half of the bottle for at least a half hour.
saute chicken in olive oil until no longer pink, tossing old marinade.
add veggies and remaining bottle of marinade, stir fry until veggies are tender.
serve over rice.

Enjoy!

Zookeeper For A Day

Today is one of those days when I kinda wish I had a 'real' job. My head is achy, I'm tired, my back hurts, I desperately need a shower (last night I told Todd I don't even notice the smell of baby barf anymore because I am constantly coated in a small layer of it). I've been in pj's since yesterday morning when we went to story time, only then did I trade in my bottoms for a half hour in jeans. I just noticed I have a boogie friend on my shoulder, god knows how long ago Lucy put him there for me to enjoy. I have dishes to do, a floor to vacuum, toys to (trip over) send to the basement. I am listening to 101 Dalmatians as I type, for the (kid you not) 3rd time in 2 days. I had Rex's leftovers for lunch: chicken quesadillas and Cheetos.

Right now I really want to trade all this stuff in for a good nights sleep and an exotic 9 to 5. I'd love to shower, put on something other than fleece and cotton, dust off my heels, and brave the morning commute. I want to stop at Starbucks and spend a small fortune on a ginormous coffee and a muffin, worrying if my selfish indulgence will make me late. I want to put my two cents in at a meeting, have lunch with a colleague, meet a deadline other than 5pm dinnertime. Ah, to dream...

Instead I will prod on in my current position: volunteer zookeeper.

After a morning spent cleaning cages, I have to give the small animals baths. Then I will have to find a way to get them some exercise, mentally stimulate them, and shower them with affection so they do not eat me alive. Eventually I have to feed them something healthy and in their meal plans. Before I can remove my stained, splattered, and soaked uniform I will have to launder all of their clothing so they will have fresh socks and pocket shirts for tomorrow. When I think I can sit back and relax, one of them will torture some other innocent living thing for no reason and I will have to diffuse the situation and prepare a statement for the bewildered spectators.

At the end of the day I am exhausted. My body is achy, I'm tired, my back hurts, I desperately need a shower. The work is hard and the pay is crap, but I've always loved working with animals. Even more than that huge vanilla late and blueberry muffin.

Getting the Quirks Out

Before I start with the Friday food thing, I want to share a little about how I operate in the kitchen. I can sometimes be a bit of a "food snob" and wanted to do some explaining before you start reading and thinking "WTF is she talking about now?" This may be totally unnecessary, but I'd rather you were aware of my quirks from the start.

1. Feelin' Fresh: I always use either fresh or frozen produce. I don't like canned veggies, it kinds freaks me out thinking of them submerged in water for countless months before I decide to eat them. I rarely ever use canned fruit either, don't like the extra sugars and syrups. If I get a good deal on fresh (or when we're picking it from the garden) I buy a lot and freeze it myself, especially with pricier items. If I'm adding a can into anything, it's because I haven't found a better way to do it yet.

2. Opting for Organic: I am so not committed to exclusively buying organics, but if they cost about the same as the regular stuff I always buy them first.

3. Dinner Anatomy 101: Lots of times I will eat something somewhere and like it so much I try to dissect it and recreate it. Sometimes my recreations turn out fabulous, sometimes we throw them out and order pizza. I promise to inform you beforehand if I'm working from scratch on a Friday.

4. 30 Minute Rule: I consider things quick if I can go from start to finish in 30 mins or less. This doesn't include baking time because I don't consider that work, but it does include anything on the stove top that is boiling, bubbling, simmering, sauteing. I take shortcuts when I can and try really hard to have my veggies and things precut.

5. This Is My Day Job: Since I don't work outside of the house I devote a lot of time to this food thing. Besides caring for the kiddos, making the food around here is my #1 priority. I spend a lot of time planning weekly meals, finding new recipes, and shopping for the goods. By the time I get to Friday I have almost everything ready to go. I'll try to give you as comprehensive a list as possible for what I'm using right away.

6. Unfinished Business: There are most likely a bazillion things I am leaving out. I'll let you know if goofy things come up as I go along. See you Friday!

Friday Forecast

I was trying to think of something to spice up the blog. Though I'm sure my rants and raves are enjoyable, there has got to be only so much any one person can take of my daily complaining. My cousin does some cool day specific things with her blog (Wedding Wednesday, Friday Five) and I've decided I am going to rip her off a bit.

Starting this week I'll be posting fAST fOOD fRIDAYS.

I'm a fairly busy person, despite being unemployed outside of the home, and preparing a dinner that's kid friendly, tasty and nutritious on the fly tends to be my day-to-day specialty. So, every Friday I'll tell you what I'm making, where I got the stuff, and (if I can remember) about how much it costs to put together.

My goal is to share some of the things that keep us running behind the scenes. Besides a bottle of wine here and there, listening to really loud music and chopping vegetables is the best way I've found to stay sane in this crazy family of mine!

A Letter to Phil

Dear Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Prognosticator of all Prognosticators,

I am truly disturbed by your recent prediction. I do not now, nor have I ever understood what gives you the authority to proclaim whether or not we will have 6 more weeks of winter.

Do you understand what 6 more weeks of winter means to a person like me? What it means to my family? It means we have to remain prisoners of this dreaded season that much longer. My children cannot go outside to burn off the extra energy they have been storing all winter long because it is too darn cold out. I cannot open the windows to let the fresh air in and the stale, virus infested air out. We have to continue to worry about catching the flu at the grocery store, shoveling the driveway, finding missing mittens before we leave the house.

You are condemning me to carry around these 10 extra pounds of winter/baby weight that are just dying to be shed on a warm, sunlit trail in the forest preserve. You are forcing my husband to continue to brave the hellish winter elements warming up the car and searching for a parking spot long after the rest of the family is safely inside the mall. You are upsetting baby Lucy by making her sit in the dark, under piles of blankets, on every trip to and from the house because it is too cold outside for her to even briefly feel the harsh air.

Why Phil? Why? Why do you do this? Why do you make us wait, year after year for the warm days of spring? Is it because you are a groundhog, hardly more than common vermin? Is it because the National Climatic Data Center says you are correct in your prediction less than 40% of the time, while you profess it is 90%? Is it because those goofballs in Pennsylvania tramp on your home and parade you around like some circus animal?

I understand if you do not wish to answer, if you feel your actions speak loud enough. Just understand that I am not happy with this. I do not condone this sort of selfish behavior, nor do I feel you should take out your frustrations on the millions of us patiently waiting for spring.

I wish you the best, until next February of course, when we must do this again.

Karleen

Are You Ready For Some FOOTBALL?

It is Super Bowl Sunday and we are pumped.

For whatever reason the Super Bowl is the only championship sporting event we always watch regardless of who is in it. It's the one time a year when we will all sit around the TV watching the game,without flipping channels during commercials. We cover the coffee table with hearty snacks, load up on beer and soda, choose our bathroom breaks wisely. The kids get excited about placing quarter-a-quarter wagers with Papa for the winning team. (Of course this has more to do with bragging rights than anything else and offers some fun heckling during the game...) We talk candidly about the players on this years team, comparing each to the 85 Bears, hoping and wishing the best ones will be picked up by Chicago during the off season.

For whatever reason this has become our family football tradition. No parties and no guests, we politely decline both nearly every year. Instead it's just us. Watching football the same way we do every Sunday.

(Almost forgot...Go Steelers! I (heart) that Ben Roethlisberger.)