Foodless Friday: Part of our trip and a giveaway!

(Just an FYI for those of you who read my personal blog... this is pretty much the same post! You can skip to the end to see how to enter the giveaway...) The trip to Madison, WI for my husband to defend his thesis was such a whirlwind trip - from planning to returning it was 2 weeks, or just over - yep that includes buying plane tickets (highly suggest NOT buying plane tickets the week of)! We did have some time to watch a show all about airports to help prepare my son for flying (one of the episodes in Mighty Machines, one of his favorite shows!)

I think having him see the airport and watch all about airplanes helped him - he LOVED the flight out (the flight back was a little more rough since we woke him up about 4:30 to catch it - no luck keeping him asleep while getting him in the car!)

 Flight out, this was actually the flight from Chicago to Madison.

 Airport in Madison bright and early Saturday morning on the return trip. He loved looking at the planes, trucks while waiting for our flight!

 "It's an airplane!"

 Flight from Chicago to Salt Lake City.

 Look at those clouds!

 Another shot of the flight from Chicago to Madison.

 Somewhere in the Midwest...

The Rockies! I always love to see how massive these mountains are when flying. Plus on the way back it lets me know we are getting close to home!

My son also enjoyed riding the bus while in Madison. We rode it a few times to and from campus (and downtown.)

 He loved looking out the window at all the cars and trucks we passed by.

 He started riding like a regular bus traveler!

 He'd walk to the back of the bus and sit in the seat like such a grown up!

 Except the pacifier and playing with his ears... funny thing about the pacifier - he'd only been using it for naps until he got an ear infection that cleared up shortly before we left. Since then he ALWAYS wants it!

He really LOVED the bus rides!

We arrived Friday evening and got settled in a friend's apartment (thanks Margaret!) Saturday we ran some errands and such. Sunday we went to church, all took naps and afterward felt much more rested! After dinner we went to the Arboretum. When we lived in Madison, Hubby and I would take trips to the Arboretum to see the birds. We loved taking the less traveled paths and seeing all the different plants and animals that were there. We saw quite a few birds as well.

  I love how they have benches and such by trees.

 I loved this shot even thought it turned out a bit blurry.

 This bench has a great view and it was near here that Hubby and I saw a brown thrasher a few years ago.

 I think this bench would be a perfect place to take couple pictures, especially grandparents!

 This is the view from the bench. I love it as well.

 Hubby was sitting here and I loved the shot, so I made him look to the left to get a profile instead of just the back of his head.

I love how my son is captured by the plant that my husband is showing him!

 This tree intrigued me

 so I took a close up picture of it.

 LOVE this flower, so interesting.

And now for the birds we saw: 

#1

#2

#3 (this one is hard so just a guess of which type is fine)

#4

#4 again

#5 (bottom bird)

#6

 #7

Anybody recognize any of these?

Now for the giveaway:

Image from teachercreated.com

This is a great cookbook for cooking with children. Especially if you haven't yet and want to start.

Each recipe has a suggested book at the top (and they have other suggestions at the end of the recipe as well.) They also give a list of ingredients as well as kitchen gadgets you'll need. It includes over 50 recipes as well as ideas for activities.

To enter this contest leave a comment and let me know which birds you recognize, or if you prefer you can leave a comment about anything...

For an additional entry, you can leave a comment on any post since Monday, then leave another comment on this post to let me know. (You can comment on every post, but only one additional entry.)

Contest open worldwide. Contest will end Thursday (June 23) evening. Winner will be announced next Friday (June 24), please check back to see if you won as I will not require you to enter any contact information. Winner will be selected by random.org.

Baking Soda - the kitchen wonder-ingredient!

Baking soda does so much more than act as a leavening in baking - although that is a great use for it. I'm going to be discussing some more uses for this wonder ingredient today. I am sure there are more uses than I know of, so please feel free to share!

Image from Arm & Hammer's website

In the kitchen:
*Baking soda helps to put out small grease fires (NEVER pour water over them!). Keep your soda away from where the flames would spread (seriously, when I was younger my mom had a grease fire and couldn't get to the baking soda. Not a happy situation.) Do not use in deep fryers as it may cause the oil to splash.

*Baking soda can be used as a cleaning agent. Use it to help scrub counters or pans (avoid it on aluminum though.) If you have a stain on a counter-top (made of Formica), sprinkle baking soda over it and then pour on some white vinegar (yes the volcano combination!). Let sit for 5-10 minutes. Wipe clean. For more set in stains, you may need to repeat. (I've tried this and it works on food coloring, however the red did take a couple of times to get it out.)

Personal Care
*Baking Soda can be used as an exfoliant, simply add to your facial cleanser.

*Baking Soda can also be used as an antacid. One-half teaspoonful in a glass of water every two hours. (I used this when I was pregnant at a friend's house and had forgotten my antacids! Worked great.)

*Baking Soda can also be added to a bath to help ease itching (I remember using it as a child with chicken pox) areas (bites, stings, other irritations.) Simply add 1 cup under the tap while running the bath - be sure the water is warm to cool. Alternatively you can make a baking soda paste and apply to the affected area.

*You can gargle with salt and baking soda to help ease a sore throat (however this tastes disgusting.) Use 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp soda in an 8 oz glass of water.

*Baking Soda can be made into a paste and used as a non-flouride toothpaste. (It is suppose to be helpful in removing bad breath.)

Other:
*Add 1/4 cup to laundry to help remove odors (works great for towels that have sat in a washer overnight or for a few days... not that any of us would do that! ) I typically use expired baking soda for this and it still works great!

How do you use baking soda around your house?

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

My absolute favorite cookie has to be White Chocolate Macadamia Nut cookies... and I realize that is weird since I absolutely adore chocolate (especially dark). So how did a girl who loves dark chocolate come to decide that her favorite cookie doesn't have chocolate in it? I'm not getting into the white chocolate vs. chocolate in this post, just to let you know! I think it comes from hardly ever making these cookies and only having them on special occasions. Believe it or not, I hadn't made my favorite cookie until last year (at least not in my recollections, which is something I think I'd remember)! True story, I'd make cheesecakes, chocolates but never White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies. Is it because I held them up to such a high standard or because I felt that they should be reserved for a special occasion for which they were always store bought? I don't know. All I know now is that I'm definately making them more often in the future! I've only made them twice in the past year, but considering I've been on a diet the last 6 months, that makes sense... I eat WAY too many of these when they are laying around ;). So to answer the original question, I think these are my favorite because they were a rare treat and I enjoyed eating them every time I got one!

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

First you'll need 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened. You can use salted, but unsalted is better for cookies - plus it helps cut down on sodium in you diet. ;)

You'll also need 1/3 cup granulated sugar

and 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed.

Cream the butter and sugar together for 1-2 minutes.

Next, add 1/2 cup malt powder (I used Ovaltine's malt mix.) Seriously, this makes the cookies so darn good. I wouldn't omit unless your local grocer does not carry it!

Beat it in. Now is a great time to snitch the dough - which I realize is only butter, sugar and malt...

You'll also need 2 eggs. Beat well.

Add 1/2 tsp salt,

1 tsp vanilla extract,

and 3/4 tsp baking soda.

toss them all in and beat until just combined.

Next, add 2-1/2 cups flour. Beat until combined, do not over beat.

Next, add 2 cups white chocolate chips. Just a note on white chocolate - most white chips in the stores do not include cocoa butter (the only cocoa they have in them) but use instead some other type of oil. When possible try to get white chocolate chips (instead of vanilla chips, etc.) You'll have to read the ingredients on some to make sure, but unless it has cocoa butter it will not say White Chocolate (or should not!)

Also toss in 1-1/2 cups of Macadamia Nuts. Just a side note on macadamia nuts - toffee and chocolate covered whole roasted macadamia nuts are to die for, but are not good for your waistline. However, if you get a chance to try them, I highly suggest doing so!

Mix the chips and nuts into the cookie dough.

looks delicious!

Place by tablespoonfuls onto a cookie sheet.

These I had frozen into a log and baked later. This is a great way to help me not eat a whole batch in one sitting... not that I would!

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes... or longer/shorter depending on the size of the cookies and your oven.

I pull mine out just before the middle is finished cooking and let them finish on the pan for 1-2 minutes. It makes them soft and gooey, plus they never get overcooked.

However, if you happen to cook them for just a bit too long, once removed from oven, place them on a cooling rack ASAP.

It stops them from being completely overcooked.

Let them cool for a few minutes. Or you can be like me and almost burn your mouth on the cookies right out of the oven.

I can guarantee you these were not the first batch out of the oven!

Excuse me now, I'm going to have to go make a batch of these... actually I'm going to have to run to the store to get chips and malt powder first!

Enjoy!

Two months and a completed degree later...

Almost two months later I'm finally back from my blogging break. Although I will not be posting a menu today as we were traveling last week and ate out more than is good for me ;). However the main purpose of the trip was accomplished: 

 My husband finally finished and submitted his Master's Thesis! He finished after the Spring deadline, so he'll be getting his diploma in August (or rather a few months later in the mail.) We are super excited that after having so many problems he was able to finish it!  Congrats honey!

With that behind us, I'll be back to posting 4-5 times per week. And as promised, I will be having a give away this Friday.

Letters

Sunday I while discussing the sharing of our mutual computer and how the thesis was coming, we decided I could start blogging again... then yesterday hubby got an email from his advising professor about the latest draft and let's just say he'll be burning the midnight oil a few nights to get it finished by the end of the allotted time period (about a month after the end of the semester.)  Thus I offered to extend my blogging break to help support the finishing of the thesis. I will be back toward the middle or end of the month about the middle of June.

However, yesterday while reading through my reader, I found this wonderful post by Joy the Baker. I absolutely loved the idea and decided to copy her idea... I asked first and she was very encouraging that I use the idea. I mean, who doesn't love to get handwritten letters?! or mail in general... okay unless it's junk mail, but I have to admit I do sometimes prefer getting a junk mail envelope as opposed to no mail at all! Am I alone in this? I hope not. Please tell me at least one of you feels the same from time to time. I hope this does not make me pathetic...

We all need each other and I would love to be able to help cheer up someone by sending them a handwritten letter. That's where you come in, I need you! I need people to send letters to that would love to get one.

So here's the deal - if you want a handwritten letter (and recipe, because after all who doesn't love to get handwritten recipes) simply send an email to this email address: crystalismypenpal (at) gmail (dot) com. If you want a specific recipe that I've had on my menu but hasn't gotten posted - just let me know and I'll include that as the recipe.

And no worries about sending me your address through that email. I will only use it for the purpose of sending you a handwritten letter and recipe. I won't publish it online or sell it to wherever addresses are sold to (I don't really know where one sells address at so you have no worries there!) 

Also, when you get the letter, if you could snap a picture of it (preferably with you in the picture) and email me the picture... I'd love to see the pictures, but not something you HAVE to do. So please still send me your address even if you don't want to take a picture.

One last thing - if you want a more personal letter - tell me something about yourself. It can be something as simple as I love birds. Or it could be a whole paragraph filled with anything you'd care to tell me and most likely have me reference in a letter. 

Finally, if you know anyone who would love to get a handwritten letter, please feel free to pass this on to them! 


Bye for now. I can't wait to hear from you all!