| Moykeet and other fine delicacies Ever wonder what a 2 year old is thinking? I don�t have to wonder much since my 2 year old, Matthew, has a unique way of telling me what he wants over and over again. Take drinks for instance. We still use sippy cups because we hate shampooing our carpeting. And Matthew loves drinks, all day and all night long. Like Linus and his security blanket, Matthew totes his beloved sippy cup filled with many varied drinks. He loves milk and calls it Moykee. He likes Kookee (Koolaid) of any color, regardless of flavor. Though the strangest thing has happened lately with his words. Suddenly, out of nowhere, he�s adding a T to the end of all of his words. I�m now known as Momutt. Milk is now Moykeet, and No has become uh-uhnt. Now, my chubby little T talker has created his own language, bless his genius little mind, and we all now watch moobeets as apposed to movies. But the drinking hasn�t changed. I like to watch his intake though, as all decendents of mine, thanks to my wonderful ancestry, have thunder thighs just waiting in the wings for anyone who cares to have them. No problem. So we all drink 2% moykeet and sugarfree kookeet pretty often. Juice is a favorite as well, but I tend to water it down as it adds oodles of calories that often get uncounted by the mind, but not by the waistline. Gotta watch out for hidden calories in Jucieet. Especially with teenagers. They can gulp down gallons of that stuff and then blame you for shrinking their Mudd jeans on purpose! Wadat � also known as water in other households, is a big deal at our house. The little dispenser of cold water in the refridgerator door is a hit with all of the kids, and it makes a neat shower for random action figures when I�m not there. I�ve seen the evidence, but just haven�t caught anyone in the act yet. I also like to keep a water bottle with me all day, to keep me feeling young, as I�m sure it resembles Matthew�s sippy cup habit. But hey, live like a kid right? Be a rebel. Somebody probably is secretly shrinking my jeans too. Hey! This morning Matthew helped me put on his shoot, translated to shoes for those not paying attention. And off we went to day care in the vant. After today�s workday, I think I�ll make up some dinner of noodoots and hamt. Enjoy your day and your kids. It�s the only way to stay young at heart. Here�s a few kid friendly recipes for the smiling little faces in your own home: Ham & Noodle Bake 2 cups cooked egg noodles 1 cup cubed, cooked, ham (Turkey, Light, Fat Free, Leftovers, etc.) � cup cubed fat free cheddar cheese, or light variety 1 can condensed fat free cream of mushroom soup � cup skim milk Place all in a 9x9� pan, sprayed with fat free cooking spray. Place into a preheated 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes and serve immediately. Mix in a can or bag of your favorite veggies if you like. I put peas and carrots in ours. Honey Mustard Chicken Strips 6 skinless, boneless Chicken breasts (or thighs) salt and pepper to taste � cup honey � cup mustard (the yellow squeeze stuff for sandwiches is fine) � teaspoon dried parsley Preheat your oven to 375. Mix the honey, mustard, and parsley in a small bowl. Salt and pepper your chicken and place in a 9x13� sprayed baking dish. Using a kitchen or new (very clean) paintbrush, paint one side of the chicken with � of the honey-mustard mix. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven, then turn each piece over and paint the other side with the remaining honey-mustard mix. Bake an additional 10-15 minutes. Check for doneness. The juices from the chicken should be clear. Hamburger Hash 1 pound ground beef, the leanest you can buy, or use ground turkey 1 large onion, chopped very small. 1 pound of potatoes sliced thin. Peel first if desired. I don�t. 1 can fat free beef broth Brown the beef and onion in a large skillet. Add potatoes and beef broth. Cover skillet and let cook until the potatoes are fork tender. You can cater this recipe to your family�s likes and dislikes. I add garlic salt, and frozen corn. I�ve been known to add a can of spicy diced tomatoes as well, on occasion. White Chili Trust me here, they will eat it, but some pickier kids might pick out the beans. So much work to avoid being uncool. 1 pound of ground turkey, browned 1 cup of salsa (mild, medium, or hot, depending on the audience) 1 cup or more of frozen corn 2 cans of Great Northern Beans (I like the ones with a saucey gravy already packaged with them) � cup of Jalepeno Fat free cheddar cheese. If you can�t find this, just get the un-jalepeno kind and add your own jalepeno peppers chopped well. Combine all ingredients and simmer low for 30 minutes. Serve with Fresh Steamed Broccoli just so they will have something to make faces about. |