Toy rotation....and letting go of things

A while ago...a long while ago, when it was just Ruby playing with the "big kid" toys, I started a toy rotation.    I followed this article:  http://thelittlestories.com/how-to-rotate-toys/  which I've been wanting to look up ever since, because it was wonderful, but, I completely dropped the ball on the whole toy rotation thing.   With the small set of toys we had out, she played!  She loved them!   They were easy to clean up!   She wasn't overwhelmed with junk everywhere.   

I need to do this again.   For the last 6 months or so I've not been doing sets, I've just been grabbing a box and picking up a whole bunch of toys and moving them to the basement for storage, and bringing up one or two new things.   It's all disorganized.   Oh gosh!  We have so many toys!    I want to get rid of so much stuff, but it's all good stuff, and that's really hard for me to do.    Some of it was gifts, some we bought (although not that much) some was hand me downs, and I have trouble getting rid of perfectly good things.   My own issue.   I need to deal with that.   Perhaps that's why we're buried in clutter ;)

Anyways,  Ruby has a memory like you wouldn't believe!   She remembers the toys, and occasionally she'll randomly ask for one that I wouldn't think she even knows we have.  So there's another reason I'm a little hesitant to get rid of so much.     And then there are the younger two, who haven't had their turn yet with these things, so I'd be getting rid of toys that are possibly going to be their favourites...see?  right?  no?  Ok...  I'm working on it.   

What good are all these toys if they're all stuffed into bins in the basement and not being played with right.    If I get rid of 2/3 of it, and actually rotate the ones that we keep...then maybe they'll actually have MORE to play with rather than less.    I know it's true.   

So, anyone need some little kid toys?   We've got a lot to clear out.   Especially since we got a few more things for Christmas and I don't want them to be lost in the clutter!

Blogging again?

Hmmm,  it has been on my mind to start blogging again...why?  well, since I've got such a good handle on everything else around here (insert laughter).   Why not add one more point of distraction to my already scattered brain  :D  Right?   Sure, why not.  

Ok...so expect some new sporadic posts from me.  What about?   Whatever likely...life in general, a journal of sorts... yes..a public journal...who's bright idea was this anyways? 

Merry Christmas!

Just popping in to say Merry Christmas!

Now how do I read my blogs?

Oh dear,  Google Reader is going away....now what to do?

Well...I looked at a few online...  the usual lists that will come up if you google alternatives to google reader....

I was going to pick one and give it a try...then I was reading one of my regular blogs, and there was a button on the side that said something about bloglovin....so I clicked on it...and decided to give bloglovin a try...

we'll see!

I tried to import my google reader list of blogs, but that just got all hung up.  I was easier for me to just search and add them...it didn't find them all right away...in fact...it's had some trouble finding my blog at all...I hope this isn't a bad sign, but so far other than that it looks quite nice!   I think most blog following sites are having the same problem right now as a massive flood of people come from google reader....anyways... I'm going with bloglovin... that's my story of the day :)

Saturday Morning Breakfast

We tried another new recipe this morning.    This one was for breakfast.... you know...to keep me out of the McDonald's drive through at 8am Saturday morning.  Oh...the McGriddles...they call to me....

So.  We tried this recipe:

Bacon Egg and Cheese Ring

Source: www.navywifecook.com

Course: NEW TO TRY

Serves: 4?  

Ingredients

• 1 can crescent rolls
• 5 large eggs; scrambled
• 1 cup shredded Colby and Monterrey jack cheese
• 8 slices cooked bacon can be precooked
• 1 teaspoon season salt

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Scramble eggs on stove top. 
2. Lay out crescents on a parchment lined pizza pan in a star formation (the longer sides of each crescent on the inside with the pointed ends pointing out.)
3. Place cooked bacon around the inside center of the ring. Top with about 1/3 of the cheese, scrambled eggs, season salt (or whatever seasoning you're using), and remaining cheese.
4. Fold pointed tips of each crescent over the filling and join in the center of the ring. Press all the points in the center down to seal them together.
5. Place in oven and bake for 15-17 minutes, or until golden brown. Slice in between each crescent to make 8 individual pieces.

Powered by

Alterations:  I didn't use seasoning salt.  I just added a bit of salt and pepper to the scrambled eggs.
I used precooked bacon.   Next time I would "pre-crisp" the precooked bacon in the microwave before adding it.
I need to wrap the dough tighter, and try not to overlap in the middle on top, the rest was done, but that part was doughy. I just cut that part off.

The Verdict:  Yes!   We'll make it again...which is good, since I bought ingredients to make it next Saturday too ;)

The Mom:   Yum!
The Dad:  Delicious (said several times...and made known that this would be welcome on Saturday mornings  again soon)
The Picky Girl Child:  "I can't like it!"  picks up bit of bacon...let's fall from fingers...  pokes at it....eats a bite of bready part... refuses to even eat the eggs or cheese...which she loves.     She's not allowed to vote anymore.  OK, she is...but her vote will be weighted lightly.

Turkey Leftovers...part 1

We had a HUGE turkey in the freezer that we cooked a few weeks before Christmas.   So big, that I froze stock, drippings, 4 ziplocs of white meat about 2 cups each, and I think about 3 ziplocs of dark meat the same size.    This was in addition to all the turkey we ate when we cooked it.   This was a big big turkey.

Now,   I'm going through a bunch of recipes for turkey leftovers that I found online.  You know, to expand the leftover turkey recipe horizons.    We can eat up the dark meat no problem, but we are always left with a bunch of white meat, and there are only so many turkey sandwiches one can eat.

Tonight I'm making a recipe for Turkey Enchiladas.  (I'm writing the first half of this post around 11am, I'll write the rest either this evening after dinner, or tomorrow, yay for elasped time in blog world!)

I found many, many recipes for Turkey Enchiladas online.   I've only recently had enchiladas for the first time.    They are delicious.   I have a recipe, which a friend recommended, for "White Chicken Enchiladas" .  Wow! They are delicious!  We all loved them.   I also tried some more traditional (I think) beef enchiladas with red enchilada sauce, which I liked, but not as much.     So the Turkey Enchilada recipe I chose is closer to the chicken one.   For that matter, I'm sure I could just substitute turkey for the chicken in the above recipe, but I'm trying something NEW today!  

So...without further ado...  here is the recipe I'm cooking tonight:

Turkey Enchiladas

Source: www.campbellskitchen.com

Course: NEW TO TRY

Total Time: 45 Min

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Celery Soup, Regular or 98% Fat Free,
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 cups chopped cooked turkey or chicken,
• 1 can (about 4 ounces) chopped green chiles
• 8 flour tortillas (8-inch), warmed
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack cheese, about 4 ounces

Directions

1. Stir the soup and sour cream in a small bowl.
2. Heat the butter in a 3-quart saucepan. Add the onion and chili powder and cook until the onion is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in the turkey, chiles and 2 tablespoons soup mixture.
3. Spread 1/2 cup soup mixture in a 2-quart shallow baking dish. Spoon about 1/4 cup turkey mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up the tortillas and place, seam-side down, into the baking dish. Pour the remaining soup mixture over the filled enchiladas. Sprinkle with the cheese.
4. Bake at 350°F. for 25 minutes or until the enchiladas are hot and bubbling.

Powered by

Alterations:  Turns out I pack a lot more into a ziploc than I thought.  I used closer to 3 cups of chopped turkey.   I used 1T of onion powder instead of real onions...because I don't like to cry.   I also used 1 1/2 cups to cheese on top.   Here's how it turned out.

You may notice that the "COURSE" is listed as "new to try" rather than "main course".   When I import my recipes into Plan To Eat, I try to remember to save them all as "New To Try", so that I don't clutter up my whole recipe book with things that I've never made.  I like to keep the main recipes full of my regular tried and true favourites.

Soooo,  How was it?  Will we move this recipe from "New To Try" into "Main Course".  

The verdict:   YES!
Mom rating:     Yummy!    
Dad rating:     A+  Deeeelicious!    
Picky Kid #1 rating:   Mmmm!  Sour Cream!  
Baby doesn't get a rating yet...but soon!