Turkey Pot Pie from Leftovers

This is a simple recipe for Christmas turkey leftovers. The crust can be made from scratch or you can used pre-made frozen crust for a double crust pie.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 1/2 cups prepared turkey gravy
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 (14 ounce) package frozen mixed vegetables, thawed and drained
• 3 cups cooked turkey, cubed
• salt and ground black pepper to taste (optional)
• 1 pastry for a 10-inch double crust pie

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onions, mushrooms, and garlic; cook until tender, but not browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour, sage, and thyme until blended. Pour in the gravy, water, and milk, stirring to blend. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cook 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the turkey and vegetables, and cook until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Line a 10 inch pie plate with the bottom crust. Pour in the turkey mixture. Cover with the top crust. Seal and crimp the edges. Pierce top crust in a few places with a fork. Cover the edges of the pie with strips of aluminum foil.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil strips, and bake until crust is golden, about 20 minutes more. Remove from oven, and rest 10 minutes before serving.

Happy Holidays from Momma Momma

Caramel-Coconut-Pecan Brownies

When I was growing one of my favorite holiday treats was a "Monster Brownie" that we had every Christmas. I remember that they were so sweet and rich that you couldn't eat a whole one. This recipe is very similar to that holiday treat.....Enjoy

Tip:
To easily remove and cut brownies, line the pan with greased and floured heavy-duty aluminum foil, allowing several inches to extend over sides. After baking and cooling, lift the block of brownies from the pan using the foil. Press the foil sides down, and cut.

Ingredients

• 4 (1-ounce) unsweetened chocolate baking squares
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
• 2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate morsels
• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

Preparation

Microwave chocolate squares in a microwave-safe bowl at MEDIUM (50% power) 1 1/2 minutes, stirring at 30-second intervals until melted. Stir until smooth.

Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add melted chocolate, beating just until blended.

Add flour, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in vanilla and chocolate morsels. Spread batter into a greased and floured 13- x 9-inch pan. Sprinkle batter evenly with coconut, 1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate morsels, and chopped pecans. Drizzle evenly with sweetened condensed milk.

Bake at 350° for 50 to 55 minutes or until golden brown and center is set. Cool completely on wire rack. Cut into squares.

Be sure to watch for next's weeks Turkey leftover recipe.

Blue Cheese Mashers

This is a great mash potato or sweet potato alternate for you holiday meal.

Ingredients

• 2-1/2 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
• 2 Tbsp. minced garlic
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1/4 cup dry white wine or reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 4 oz. blue cheese, crumbled
• Sliced green onion (optional)

Directions

1. In a 4-quart Dutch oven cook potatoes with 1/2 teaspoon salt, covered, in enough boiling water to cover for 20 minutes or until tender.

2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan cook onion and garlic in hot butter until onion is tender. Stir in wine. Bring mixture to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 3 to 4 minutes or until reduced to 1/2 cup.

3. Drain potatoes. Mash with a potato masher or beat with an electric mixer on low speed. Add wine mixture, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon back pepper. Gradually beat in whipping cream to make potato mixture light and fluffy. Fold in blue cheese. Top with green onion. Makes 10 (1/3-cup) servings.

Apple Crandberry Crumble

This dish can be served as a side dish or a desert option. It is quick, easy and delicious.

3 c. chopped, unpared apples
2 c. fresh whole cranberries
1/3 c. white sugar
1/3 c. brown sugar

Stir together in casserole.

TOPPING:

1 stick butter
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. flour
1/3 c. chopped pecans
1 c. oatmeal

Melt butter in saucepan with other topping ingredients. Spread on top of previous mixture. Bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.

Turkey Casserole from Leftovers

With all the turkey usually leftover after Thanksgiving, this looked like a great recipe. Besides everyone is usually sick of turkey sandwiches by Friday.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups prepared turkey stuffing
• 2 cups cooked cut up or sliced turkey
• 1 3/4 to 2 cups prepared turkey gravy
• 1/3 cup jellied or whole cranberry sauce, cubed

Preparation:

Butter bottom and sides of 2-quart baking dish. Arrange half of the stuffing in bottom of dish. Add half of the turkey then half of the gravy. Repeat layers. Top with cubes of cranberry sauce. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

This recipe adds a twist to the traditional sweet potato or pumpkin pie that is served this time of year. It calls for you to make you own frosting....cream cheese pre-made frosting can also be used.

Ingredients
2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
3 egg whites
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup low-fat (1.5%) buttermilk
1 package (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese
1 package (8 ounces) nonfat cream cheese
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup apricot jam

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
2. In a large steamer, cook the sweet potatoes for 20 minutes or until very tender. Transfer to a bowl and mash.
3. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until well combined. Beat in the whole eggs and egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the chocolate, vanilla, and mashed sweet potatoes. Alternately fold in the flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
4. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 30 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in the pans on a wire rack, then turn out onto the rack to cool completely.
5. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl with an electric mixer, cream the nonfat and reduced-fat cream cheeses, the confectioners' sugar, and cocoa together.
6. Place one layer on a cake plate. Spread the layer with the apricot jam. Top with the second layer and frost the top and sides with the cream cheese frosting.



Look for next weeks turkey leftover recipe.....

Orzo Pasta with Shrimp and Feta

My husband loves pasta and I not such a fan but this sounds delicious.......I thought my readers would enjoy. I found this recipe at Essence.com .

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup chopped yellow onion
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• ½ teaspoon salt (optional)
• 1 ½ pound peeled and deveined large shrimp
• 12 ounce orzo pasta
• 1 cup feta cheese

PREPARATION

Heat oven to 425°F. In a 4-quart sauce pot over medium heat, cook onion, garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes in 1 tablespoon oil. Stir until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Add wine, and boil until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and salt; reduce heat; and simmer briskly until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Add shrimp, stirring occasionally, until they are just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Set aside. Cook orzo according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup cooking water, and drain the rest. Return orzo to pot, toss with 1 tablespoon oil, and stir in sauce with shrimp and reserved cooking water. Spoon half of pasta into an oiled 13-by-9-inch glass baking dish; sprinkle with ½ cup of feta cheese. Top with remaining pasta and feta, and bake uncovered until cheese is slightly melted and pasta is heated through, about 10 minutes.

Lemon-Garlic Roasted Chicken

With the holidays just around the corner, I thought this would be a great and simple addition to turkey.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 item garlic cloves, smashed
• 1/4 cup lemon juice, divided
• 1 teaspoon salt (optional)
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 8 item medium-size chicken thighs; remove and discard visible fat
• 2 item zucchini, halved crosswise, quartered lengthwise

PREPARATION

Optional Garnishes: Lemon Slices, Wedges or Zest; Rosemary Sprigs

In a reseallable plastic food-storage bag, combine rosemary, oil, garlic, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, salt, pepper and paprika. Add thighs; seal and turn to coat. Marinate 15 minutes at room temperature or longer in refrigerator, turning cicken occadionally. Heat oven to 400ºF. Remove chicken from marinade; arrange skin side up in roasting pan. Roast, basting frequently with remaining lemon juice and pan drippings, until chicken is cooked, about 30 minutes or until juices run clear when cut at bone. Meanwhile, in small saucepan, steam zucchini in lightly salted water until tender, about 8 minutes. Garnish and serve with zucchini.

Guess who's here

Regan Ella was born Wednesday at 7:50 AM. We are all doing fine. Madison loves her little sister and is very protective.....all those get ready for baby books really do work....I will resume regular blogging next week. Thank you for your continued well wishes and prayers

Jack-O-Lantern Brownie

This is the cutest brownie. It will be a hit at any party or can be made as individual brownies for a kids class.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, melted
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Yellow and red food color
• 1 can (16 oz.) canned vanilla frosting
• Garnishes: HERSHEY'S MINI KISSES Brand Milk Chocolates, Twizzlers Nibs Licorice Bits, Twizzlers Pull-n-Peel, HEATH English Toffee Bits, HERSHEY'S assorted baking pieces

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 12-inch round pizza pan. If using a disposable pan, place on baking sheet to bake.

2. Beat melted butter, sugar and vanilla with spoon in large bowl. Beat in eggs. Stir in dry ingredients; beat with spoon until well blended. Spread in pan.

3. Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool completely. Add yellow and red food color to frosting for desired shade of orange. Frost brownie; garnish to resemble a jack-o-lantern. 12 to 16 servings.

Tonight I am full with emotions as I prepare to for the arrival of my second daughter. I go in tomorrow for my pre-op procedures as my c-section is scheduled for Wednesday. I have feelings of excitement as I anticipate her arrival. I wonder who she will look like this time and how my 3 year old will adjust to the new addition, but surprisingly I am not nervous or worried. I have a certain peace....or maybe I am just tired of being pregnant :)

In touring the hospital yesterday, I reflected on the difference between having your first and second child. It is funny how the first time around you question yourself more and look to others for direction. The second time you have a stronger sense of security as this is a road you have traveled before. You know to sleep when the baby sleeps or to get help from others. I will keep everyone posted on my progress....but don't expect a post before the week is out......I'm not that good.

Thanks to all my readers for your continued encouraging words and prays........keep us in mind this week.

Frightfully Fun Cupcakes

Cooking is fun but cooking with your children is really fun.....messy but fun. Check out this adorable cupcake for Halloween. For other Frightfully Fun Cupcakes check out Better Homes and Garden site

Peeking Monster

This creature cupcake is sure to be a monster hit at your Halloween get-together.

To make it, follow these steps:

1. Start with frosted store-bought or homemade cupcakes.
2. Insert sour candy corn in frosting for hair.
3. Cut 1 Necco Wafer in half and place at the top of baking cup for eyes.
4. Use frosting to stick two blue mini M&Ms to Necco Wafer for pupils.

Support Mompreneur-Partylite

Momma Momma is always ready to support other mothers and their various businesses. Many of you may be familiar with Partylite, but my friend just started selling the line and I wanted to give her my support. They have some wonderful holiday pieces for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Check out her site at www.partylite.biz/amooreambiance
Feel free to contact about purchasing products, fundraisers and even income opportunities.

These pieces will add a special touch to any home.......

How to look great on no sleep

As a follow up to my sleepless in Dallas post....I found this great article that gives helpful hints from makeup artist Bobbi Brown on ways to look rested even when you have had little or not sleep.

Her are a few of her suggestions:

1. If your complexion seems flat you can brighten it with a sheer pink gloss and blush.

2. Puffy eyes the problem....turn used (cold and squeezed out) black teabags into puff-reducing compresses....she also recommends Juara Sweet Black Tea Eye Cream that retails for $37.....think I'll try the teabags first.

3. Dark circles she suggest using your fingertips to blend a creamy, flesh toned concealer into undereye circles.....Bobbi Brown has a Face Touch up Stick for $22.

4. Her last suggestion is to dab shimmer at the inner corner of your eyes to look more alert when you have tired eyes....

These are simple suggestions that we can all follow that will make us feel/look rejuvenated even after a bad night of sleep.

NFL Brings Breast Cancer Awareness to the Field

As we kick off breast cancer awareness month, I was amazed to see the NFL getting involved with promoting awareness and research. Watching Monday night football there was everything from pink cleats to pink Gatorade towels and coaches in pink baseball caps. The campaign, "A Crucial Catch", a partnership with the American Cancer Society, is focused on the importance of annual screenings, especially for women who are over the age of 40. The official site includes a list of ways to help fight breast cancer as well as steps to reduce risk.

According to the NFL, "This is an issue that has directly touched the lives of so many in the NFL family, and we are committed to helping make a difference in breast-cancer prevention".

This in one time we can allow our husbands/significant others to watch football and know that they will still be thinking about an issue that relates to us.

Check out NFL.com and click on the pink to get further information about screening and other related issues.

Kallaloo! A Caribbean Tale

I just finished reading this cute book that is a Caribbean version of the traditional Stone Soup story.

In the story there is a talking sea shell that speaks to Granny hungry tummy to help her prepare lunch. With a little help from people in the market place she has a wonderful meal in no time. The cutest part about the book is that there is an actually recipe for Kallaloo, a Caribbean dish, included in the book. My daughter and I are going to try our hand at making it and I thought other moms might enjoy reading the book and creating this dish. Here's a similar recipe I found.

Ingredients:

2 pounds of crab (optional)

2 pounds fresh fish fillets (snapper, yellow-tail)
1 pound fresh spinach
1 pound fresh greens (collards, kale, turnip greens)
12 okra
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 sprig each thyme & parsley
2 teaspoons hot sauce (or more to taste)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons vinegar

Directions:

In a large soup pot, boil fish in 1- to 1 1/2 quarts of water until the fish turns opaque. Clean greens and okra. Finely chop vegetables in a food processor or blender. Remove fish from kettle. Bone fish and dice flesh. Add fish, vegetables and remaining ingredient to fish broth in the soup pot. Boil ingredients rapidly for 30 minutes. Do not "skim" while boiling. The vinegar in the recipe should prevent a slimy film from forming over the top of this soup.

Per serving: 150 calories 4 grams fat 24% fat calories 34 milligrams cholesterol 415 milligrams sodium. This dish offers an excellent source of folate, vitamin A, iron and dietary fiber

This recipe Kallaloo Soup serves 8.

Top Ten Mom Solution For Recession

With the current state of the economy, it is up to the mom's to pull out our bag of tricks to find great bargains for our family. I thought it would be great to list resources that I have found work and that other moms trust. Feel free to add you helpful hints to the list in the comment section........that's what it is all about, moms helping moms.


1. Clip, Clip, Clip....coupons are really worth the time and effort it takes to collect papers and cut them out. I recently read an article in Essence where a woman said she could buy $200 worth of groceries and pay $10 for them after with coupons. This got me motivated to begin to cut away. I recently saved $80 on one grocery bill by combining store sales with coupons.....I am not a true believer. It is well worth the effort to buy several Sunday papers to save. Here are some coupon websites where you can print your own coupons at home: shopathome.com and freegrocerycoupon.com

2. Shop to you drop.....now you have to be careful not to sign up for any company that requires you to pay a fee...those are scams. But with a little research and time you can find companies that will pay you to shop for clothes, restaurants and even groceries. The best part is you get reimbursed for your purchases and you get to keep them.

3. Work at home jobs..... two sites that I can recommend are http://workathomemomrevolution.blogspot.com and girgetpaid.com
These sites are updated frequently with list of work at home positions that are available in various areas. Another site is Tory Johnson's womenforhire.com. This site is packed with everything you need to know about companies that are hiring to starting your own business.

4. Consignment stores/Secondhand stores....these stores are great places to buy and sale clothes for your children as they grow. They have everything from uniforms to babies stroller and you can even find things with tags still on them. A few of my favorite are Once upon a Child and Kid to Kid. They have complete store locations on their websites and even franchise information.

5. Turn your hobby into money....I read a money article that talked about turning hobbies like sewing and cooking into side jobs that can add money to your pocket. If you are an excellent cook you can commit to a few hours a week as a private chef or teach others to cook. Whatever you love to do and are good at there is a market out there for that.......like parties why not plan parties for others...you be surprised how something that comes so easy to you is just the thing someone is looking for.

6. Let the writing bug bite you.... There is money to be made in blogging and freelance writing. Sites like blogspot.com, can help you get started setting up your own blog. There is even a site called Guru.com that connects you with 1,000s of freelance positions at various commissions.

7. Buy a water purifier. Really how much do we spend in bottle water when we could easily buy water purifiers at Target or Walmart. Brita has a great brand and this will add up in dollars in a short time.....I totally understand not wanting to drink tap water. This small change will help your pocket and the environment.

8. Start saving.....we all know that it is harder now than ever to save but just putting $100 a month a way can make a huge difference. This applies to retirement, kids college fund and even vacations. Safety nets are always a good idea.

9. Bring your own lunch...This maybe a simple one for most moms. We pack our kids lunches all the time, but if you add up all the trips to McDonalds you could buy a small car. It is just easier to pack your own lunch (yours, significant others, children, etc). By eating out less you put money back in your pocket and can control healthier eating habits too.

10. This is the most important: Don't forget to treat yourself. I don't care if it is a manicure, a trip to the book store or a trip to Marshalls. A small treat is good. Now I am not saying buy those $300 boots for winter but a splurge within reason is good. Maybe you are movie buff and subscribing to Netflix might be the entertainment you need to take your mind off of money worries from time to time.



Hopefully this top ten is helpful....I would love to hear what you and your family are doing during these economic times.

Top Ten Thinngs You Never Say to a Pregnant Woman

I promise that this is not turning into a blog about pregnancy, but for my first week back I couldn't resist writing this blog....

So here is my top ten list for things you never say to a pregnant woman.....


10. When are you due....tomorrow?

9. Are you sure you are not having twins?

8. So how much weight have you gained so far?

7. Did you plan this? or You're having another one?

6. How many of those have you eaten?

5. You are going to breastfeed....right?

4. You not suppose to eat that....you know it's bad for the baby?

3. Why would you name your baby that?

2. What size bra are you wearing now?

1. "So this is your first? Oh my God, with my first, I had horrible back labor for THIRTY hours, and then I needed a C-section and was in pain for WEEKS and the baby didn't sleep through the night until she was two years old..." or any version of this story...........


Add your favorite inappropriate comments you heard during your pregnancy....let's see how long of a list we can get.

Got Sleep????

At 33 plus weeks it is safe to say that I am past the point of being able to "sleep like a baby." I remember being uncomfortable with my first born but at some point, through trial and error, I found a sleeping position that worked for me. This time around , I don't know if it is the anxiety of adjusting to the joyful demands of two children or not being able to shut my brain down long enough to sleep, but I can't get comfortable. I have tried it all -- sleeping with tons of pillows, sleeping sitting up in the bed and my favorite, sleeping in a chair. No matter what I try the most I get are just a few hours of sleep.....I just don't remember it being like this:)

All I can think about is if I don't go to sleep soon it will be time for Madison, my almost 3 year old, to start her day.

To add insult to injury, when people see you they quickly remind you, "you look so tired." Thanks that really makes me feel better. I remember hearing that your body is getting you read for those night feeding when the baby arrives. So tell me all my readers, especially those with more than one child..... how do you adjust to the lack of sleep and still have energy for your other children and husband? More importantly......what were your sleeping tricks in those last few months.......

Sleepless in Dallas

Mother's Day Recipe

Momma Momma has been off-line for several months and I have greatly missed my interactions with other mothers. FYI I am 4 months pregnant with my second child and it has been kicking my behind. But I wanted to post a special Mother's Day Recipe that would be simple and delicious. Since I crave chocolate all the time......it is a chocolate cake


Super Easy Chocolate Pudding Cake

Ingredients

• 1 (3.5 ounce) package non-instant chocolate pudding mix
• 2 cups milk
• 1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.

2. In a large saucepan combine the non-instant pudding mix with 2 cups milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the pudding is thickened. Remove from heat. Pour the dry cake mix into the saucepan and mix until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan and sprinkle with chocolate chips and walnuts.

3. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. You could frost and decorate with fresh fruit too.


I hope that everyone has a wonderful Mother's Day that is free from Cheerios in your hair and involves long naps.

Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie

This is recipe is a twisted to the traditional Pecan Pie


Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
• 1 9 inch single crust pie (from scratch or frozen)
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large mixing bowl beat eggs until light and fluffy. Add sugar, flour, melted butter or margarine, salt, lemon juice, and corn syrup. Mix thoroughly, then stir in chocolate chips and pecans. Pour mixture into pie shell.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes or until set and golden.
4. Serve with your favorite vanilla bean ice cream.....
   

Fit Mom

I apologize for my lack of blogging lately, but the allergy bug went through our house and we finally recovered..........

I wanted to give my readers an update on my one of the new year resolutions we commented to doing together. Some of you may remember me mentioning wanted to be come more physically fit and I found a gym in my area that allows me to have time for myself and wonderful child care at the same time. I recently joined Life Time Fitness and have loved every minute of it. I am not your typical gym membership kind of gal and am, like most of you, very particular who I leave my daughter with, however this gym is different. It is very family oriented and affordable. In addition to my membership, I am given 2 hours a day of child care for as little as $6 a month. It is not your normal, sit in a room and watch t.v. type of gym child care either. My daughter is able to work on computers, interact with other children, have pretend time in a kitchen and even play basketball and climb in an indoor sliding system. They have swim lesson and a list of other classes for the kids to choose from.

The ratio is 12:1 and depending on the time of day, I have dropped her off when the ratio is more like 6:1. Can you imagine the relief of knowing that she is some where she enjoys and in the hands of certified, background checked adults whom she had bonded with.

I now officially have no excuse for working out.....the gym even has a spa/salon area if I want to get a massage while I'm there.

There are currently 85 locations in 19 states. Check out the site to see if there is one in your area. It is money well spent.

Jennifer Hudson

While she is not a mother....I just had a to take time out today and comment on the awesome job Jennifer Hudson did singing the national anthem at the Super Bowl. In her first public appearance since her recent tragedy, Jennifer stood strong, looked amazing and brought tears to the eyes of many yesterday. If you missed it yesterday, here's the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dc8W9jJSpIs

Check it out....it will give you goosebumps.

7 layer dip

This is a great super party dish!!!! It is quick and easy

• 1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
• 1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
• 1 (16 ounce) jar salsa
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 bunch chopped green onions
• 1 small head iceberg lettuce, shredded
• 1 (6 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1. In a medium bowl, blend the taco seasoning mix and refried beans. Spread the mixture onto a large serving platter.
2. Mix the sour cream and cream cheese in a medium bowl. Spread over the refried beans.
3. Top the layers with salsa. Place a layer of tomato, green bell pepper, green onions and lettuce over the salsa, and top with Cheddar cheese. Garnish with black olives.

Malia and Sasha

Words can not express how I felt yesterday during this historic occasion. However I am sure there are hundreds of blogs that posted about yesterday's events and what took place. I wanted to take time out and point out the wonderful outfits the first daughters wore for this event. Malia and Sasha were each fitted in original J.Crew coats that were elegant and affordable. Everything down to the colors, styles and fabrics were hand picked specifically with these girls in mind. Unfortunately they are not currently available in J.Crew stores, however they do have a wide variety of winter wear at http://www.jcrew.com/index.jsp as part of their crewcut kids collection. I thought it was nice to see them in something that was classic and brightly colored, while at the same time being something I could put my on little girl in (most J.Crew kids coats still run about $100, which can still be a little pricey when you have smaller children who grow every week).

Good job Michelle, she seems to be working hard to keep her girls well grounded with all that is going on around them. She is even bringing her mother to the White House with her for added support.

Ambrosia Fruit Salad

This recipe is easy, easy, easy. All it involves is putting all the ingredients together. You can add more cherries and marshmallows if you like (I usually don't).

• 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 2 1/2 cups shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 (8 ounce) can fruit cocktail, drained
• 1 (8 ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained
• 1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
• 3 cups miniature marshmallows (optional)
  
• 1 (10 ounce) jar maraschino cherries, drained (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl, combine the whipped topping, coconut, chopped nuts, fruit cocktail, pineapple, mandarin oranges, marshmallows and cherries. Mix together well and refrigerate for 30 to 45 minutes.

This is a delicious treat. When I made it for my family I use lite whipped topping and low sugar fruit and it is just as good.

New Year Resolutions- Momma Momma Style

As you can see from my lack of posting, I really relaxed and enjoyed my holiday. I allowed myself time to reflect over the year and what activities I found rewarding and those that I felt took away from my year. When I first started this blog in August, I wanted to provide mothers with an outlet, a place to vent and recharge for their day. That being said, I thought it would be good to create a list of resolutions for my readers and myself to further support our efforts to decrease stress and find mommy time. So here are a few of the goals that I set for the new year and if you want to join me in committing to these this year, simply leave a comment:

1. This year I am committing to letting God do the heavy work. The things that our out of my control as it relates to my husband, my child and household I am turning over.

2. I know we all make that yearly resolution to eat better and exercise more, but this year I am committing to caring for my body in a different way. I am committing to setting aside time monthly for pampering myself. This could mean a spa day, getting my nails done, or whatever I can do to ensure that I stay in tune with my total body (mind, body and soul).

3. I am going to water my life. This simply means to use drinking water as a way to increase my energy, curve my appetite and all the other good stuff it does for me.

4. This year I am committing to monthly date nights with my husband. When I was in L.A. over the break, my husband and I sat down with another couple for dinner and realized that when the children come we often neglect our marriage. However it is important to maintain to continue dating for you marriage and your sanity....we all need adult conversations sometimes. So if you aren't married it could be committing to dating period or even girls night out.

5. I am committing to finding other activities to do with my daughter that we both will enjoy (and that I can share with other moms). Whether it is yoga or swimming classes, we are going to do a better job this year of getting out and enjoying ourselves more.

6. I am setting side time in my weekly schedule to work on accomplishing one mommy goal this year. Your mommy goal could be anything from writing that book you always wanted to write ( a page a day, you'll be finished in no time) or going back school or starting business. Whatever you goal, set aside that time for yourself each week and stick to it.

7. I am removing negative people from my close circle. Have you ever heard that saying that everyone can't be in your front row, some people in you life have to sit in the balcony. This year I am going to do a better job of putting negative people a little further back. Some relationships we can't avoid, co-worker, family, neighbors, but we can control what positions we give these people in our lives.

I think if we each accomplish one of these goals this year, we will truly see the rewards. I'll check back in frequently to see where we all are and report tips to help us meet these goals.