Teriyaki Bowl - Freezer Meal Style

This is part of my freezer meals series... or how we survive the first few weeks after we have a baby!

This is one of those recipes that was adapted in the process... I made two of these freezer bags to start and after the first it was clear that it needed to be changed! So you'll see some pictures that illustrate what not to do! ;) Also I have to admit I did not take a finished product photo (that whole survival for the first few weeks after a baby comes - I forgot to take the pictures...) So this photo comes from the original Teriyaki Bowl post that I made. But it looks similar ;).

 

Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken 

Cranberry Onion Chicken

This is part of my freezer meals series... or what keeps us eating in the few weeks after we have a baby!

I can't remember where I found this chicken recipe (nor did I keep the link with it - I hate it when I do that!), but after searching for the recipe... it looks like the origin is actually from kraft foods... I loved how simple and easy this recipe is. It only has 4 ingredients! How much more simple can a recipe get?!? I also love that it is a slow cooker recipe - not hassle (at least not if you get a slow cooker liner... yep tried them for the first time after having our baby and it makes clean up so much easier. They may not be as environmentally friendly, but they did help keep my sanity for the first few weeks!)

I have to admit that I had some reservation when I made this - I didn't expect it to taste very good... but I was surprised! It actually is really good despite the interesting combination of ingredients.

Another interesting tidbit - this is the first time I've used onion soup mix in cooking. I had a bugger of a time trying to find it in the store (silly me - it was on the soup isle ;).

Cranberry Onion Chicken

Apricot Swirl Cheesecake

About a year ago (actually a year and a month, but who's counting?) I decided to try making an apricot cheesecake. Partly because of some canned apricots that needed to be used up, and what better way to use the apricots than to make a cheesecake? So I searched for a cheesecake recipe that had apricots, and you know what I found? A lot of cheesecake recipes, but either it was a plain cheesecake with an apricot sauce or a cheesecake with chunks of apricots in it. I'm not such a fan of chunks of fruit in my cheesecake... But that's my own preference... 

So what's a girl to do? I made my own version. Tell you what, it was perfection the first time through. However, I only took pictures of the final version not the process. (Sad day.) And I waited to make it again... guess what, I still haven't made it, but I can not keep this from you for another day, it is delicious and while I haven't made it since - it is on my list. I probably won't make it for a while though since my time is consumed keeping a baby fed, diapered, clothed and also keeping up with my 3 year old son! So this is just going to be a recipe post... no step by step tutorial - yet.

The difference 1 hour can make...

Yesterday when my husband came home for lunch this is what I looked like...

I know, aren't they great photos... totally flattering (or not!)

One hour later when I returned home so my dear husband could get back to work. Something was different...

We've been keeping busy...

So besides staring at a cute baby (photos at the end...), and trying to spend some time with my other son, what has been keeping me away from blogging? Well, I'll tell you. Let's start with the fact that the first 4 weeks of our little one's life have been eventful! We've been to the doctor every week since he's been born!

PCOS and Pregnancy

That joyous moment has arrived - the pregnancy test is positive (whether it is the first test you've taken, or the tenth...) If this is your first pregnancy, you likely buy a book about pregnancy that details everything that happens, scour the internet for information or sign up for a weekly email to find out what is happening inside you. Perhaps you do all 3! If you have PCOS, you may also research how PCOS affects pregnancy, or you may have already done that while trying to conceive... 

What you find out is not encouraging... 

PCOS and Infertility

So you've reached that point in your life when you decided to have a baby. You and your significant other try and try and try to have a baby, but to no avail. Month after month the pregnancy test comes back negative... you may or may not have a visit from 'Aunt Flo', because some of you have never had a regular menstrual cycle in your whole life (at least not for more than a few months at a time!) Finally, you decide to go see a doctor. During that first visit or maybe a few visits down the road, you are given a diagnosis of PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome). Honestly, you probably have not even heard of PCOS, or you may know a friend of a friend who has been diagnosed with it, but haven't really given it a second thought.

You get home from your doctor visit and scour the internet for information about what this thing you have really is... The more you learn the more you realize that all these seemingly unrelated symptoms actually relate! You also may learn that you may be able to have a baby after all.