Grape Salad

I married into an extremely large family and we all meet once a month in order to keep in touch. I made this 2 months ago and people still talk about it. In fact, I thought that I had made too much, but it was devoured. This will be going into the permanent cookbook.

Salad Ingredients
2 lbs green seedless grapes**
2 lbs red seedless grapes**
8 ounces lowfat sour cream
8 ounces Neufatchel cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, to taste

Topping Ingredients
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed, to taste***
1 cup crushed pecans, to taste (I may have used a little more-I'm nutty like that)

Directions
1 Wash and stem grapes and set aside to dry
2 Mix sour cream, cream cheese, white sugar and vanilla by hand until creamy
3 Stir grapes into mixture, and pour in large serving bowl
4 For topping: Combine brown sugar, and crushed pecans
5 Sprinkle over top of grapes and give it a good stir
6 Chill overnight
7 When you are ready to serve, give the salad a good stir to re-distribute the sauce

**I used a combo of red, green, and black seedless grapes**
***Original recipe called for 1 cup but I only used half and it was great***

Cross posted to Gayle's recipe swap.

Weekend update 3

1) make pasta salad for the family cookout 23May
2) visit the farmer's market 23May
3) play with water outside (various water activities) 23May**
4) play with outdoor bubbles (I make them myself) 24may
5) Go to the art museum for a walk and a picnic
6) Make seed bombs
7) Go to the park 23May
8) Glue cotton balls to a plate and then paint them
9) Paint with shaving cream
10) I spy
11) Paint driveway with sidewalk chalk and/or water 24may
12) feed the ducks
13) make bird feeders
14) make breakfast together
15) get coffee with friends 23MAY

Nothing new knocked off the list but we still had a great day running errands, getting free ice cream, and playing with the newly purchased water guns. Made new jars of jam with the hubby tonight so we should be set for a while. I think we're going to try peaches next month when those are ready.

weekend update 2

Redneck pool party was a success after I convinced Monkeyface to actually get in the water. He loves visiting with his favorite friend and always bugs me to death until he gets to go to her house. I am completely exhausted but still going to help the hubby make strawberry preserves tonight. We'll see how it goes.

1) make pasta salad for the family cookout 23May
2) visit the farmer's market 23May
3) play with water outside (various water activities) 23May**
4) play with outdoor bubbles (I make them myself) 24may
5) Go to the art museum for a walk and a picnic
6) Make seed bombs
7) Go to the park 23May
8) Glue cotton balls to a plate and then paint them
9) Paint with shaving cream
10) I spy
11) Paint driveway with sidewalk chalk and/or water 24may
12) feed the ducks
13) make bird feeders
14) make breakfast together
15) get coffee with friends 23MAY

Progress on the weekend of fun:

1) make pasta salad for the family cookout23May
2) visit the farmer's market23May
3) play with water outside (various water activities)23May**
4) play with outdoor bubbles (I make them myself)
5) Go to the art museum for a walk and a picnic
6) Make seed bombs
7) Go to the park23May
8) Glue cotton balls to a plate and then paint them
9) Paint with shaving cream
10) I spy
11) Paint driveway with sidewalk chalk and/or water
12) feed the ducks
13) make bird feeders
14) make breakfast together
15) get coffee with friends23MAY

**Went to the grandparent's house today and Monkeyface had his cousin turn on the water hose and he proceeded to spray his cousins, the deck, the chairs that weren't supposed to get wet and himself. I count this as a water activity even though we have been invited to a redneck pool party tomorrow.

Things to do this weekend:

So last weekend I was wiped out and after making jelly, I didn't feel like doing much else. I'm not quite sure why b/c the jelly making process was easy. This lead to a lot of TV watching and I'm not down with that. This weekend that is not happening. Here is a list of things that will keep us busy:

1) make pasta salad for the family cookout
2) visit the farmer's market
3) play with water outside (various water activities)
4) play with outdoor bubbles (I make them myself)
5) Go to the art museum for a walk and a picnic
6) Make seed bombs
7) Go to the park
8) Glue cotton balls to a plate and then paint them
9) Paint with shaving cream
10) I spy
11) Paint driveway with sidewalk chalk and/or water
12) feed the ducks
13) make bird feeders
14) make breakfast together
15) get coffee with friends

Now I don't plan to do this all at once or even all in one weekend but at least I have ideas now and TV is not included.

Strawberry jam, yes m'am

That's not all my jam over there but it was still fun making it. My sister in law came over and we made it together and it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I'm totally ready to dive in but I have to wait at least 24 hours.

Easy Pesto Rice

I am a sucker for all things pesto. I live for summers full of basil this and that. I mix it with mayo and make tomato sandwiches, I of course make pesto, and I mix it with pasta. This rice satisfied all that is glorious and holy in my basil lovin' soul. It used up my leftover pesto and made a nice sized pot of rice. I served it with crunchy oven baked pork chops and juicy, ripe tomato slices.

Rice With Pesto or Herb Oil (from "How To Cook Everything")
Serves Four

1 tablespoon canola or other neutral oil
1 1/2 cups basmati or other long-grain rice (I used white long grain rice for this)
2 1/4 cups water
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup pesto or 1 cup fresh herb of your choice: chives, parsley, chervil, or cilantro, 1/4 cup canola or other neutral oil, & 1-2 tablespoons water if needed.

Heat the tablespoon of oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until the rice is coated with oil. Add the water and season with salt and pepper. Turn the heat up a bit and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover and turn the heat to medium-low.

After 15 minutes, turn off the heat under the rice, but leave the cover on. Wait 10 minutes, then stir in the pesto or herb oil. Check the seasoning and serve immediately.

**I originally saw this recipe on The Motherload and am reposting it to Gayle's recipe swap.

I hate you Grey's Anatomy!

OSO Special

I was out on a walk with Monkeyface tonight when he suddenly stops, looks up at the tree and tells me he wants to fly like Oso. I told him he needed spy gadgets and that he should talk to his dad about getting some of those. He agreed that "Yah I need spy gahjuts". I told him that maybe he could even get a special vest like Oso's so that he could fly whenever he wanted. He patted himself and said "Yah I fly now!"
**Oso's vest converts into a helicopter complete with safety helmet, safety goggles, and steering capability. I want one too**

What I've been loving this week

1-I broke down and bought some Nutella. Monkeyface is eating it right now and is loving it.
2-I've been teaching him that monsters aren't scary b/c he's bigger than they are and we can scare them right back.
3-People keep thinking he's 4 even though he's still 2. He is super tall and fearless.
4-Speaking of fearless...this kid is not afraid to try anything new. I'm amazed how willing he is to try something. Sometimes it takes explanation and maybe even doing it myself first, but he always tries
5-I've been spring cleaning of sorts. I've kept a running list all week long of what needs to be done and I've been actually doing it. I do love scratching items of a list. It is extremely satisfying.
6-I am taking it super easy this weekend & just chilling out. Making some cookies with Monkeyface, doing a few light chores, some artwork, and just playing.
7-Why does my kid refuse to wear pants on the weekend? It cracks me up.


Last weekend we ventured out to the Ham & Yam Festival where the guy running the petting zoo sounded like the chicken farmer from Napoleon Dynamite. I kept asking him questions just so I could hear him talk. My kid loved feeding the animals including a baby camel.

They Might Be Giants

Just bought tickets to go see They Might Be Giants with Monkeyface. They are actually putting on a kids show. How exciting is that?

what I'm loving

I love that when Monkeyface tries to raise his eyebrows, he bats his LONG eyelashes
I love that when he tries to wink he closes both eyes
I love that he makes silly faces b/c he wants me to laugh
I love that he washed the pots and pans this morning
I love that he can tell me he needs new batteries for his keyboard

Update-35 before I'm 36

35 before I'm 36-or a way to get around having resolutions
1. Go on a family picnic (done Mar09)
2. Go to the beach
3. Teach Monkeyface to ride a tricycle
4. Pay off $5,000 in debt
5. Lose 60 lbs
6. Print and put Monkeyface's photos in an album
7. Rent a park for Monkeyface's birthday party(done april 09)
8. Go to a movie alone
9. Send 3 friends gifts for no reason
10. Sell clothes on ebay (see debt elimination above)
11. Walk a 5k
12. Get rid of 3 pairs of shoes
13. Buy new sheets (done april09)
14. Buy a new duvet cover (done april09)
15. Save $1,000 in an emergency fund (done 2/12/09)
16. Learn to fold an orgami t-shirt
17. Take Monkeyface to the art museum for an outdoor movie
18. Take Monkeyface to the art museum for a hike
19. Make a sugar body scrub
20. Plan a monthly budget as of Jan 2009
21. This entry is private
22. Walk on the treadmill at my house (done March09)
23. Take Monkeyface out on a walk while he rides his tricycle
24. Read Obama's book-the audacity of hope
25. Read book 4 of twilight series
26. Read 5 random books
27. Potty train Monkeyface
28. Move picnic table down to back yard
29. Have a yard sale OR donate all items to charity
30. Plant something in my yard
31. Grow an herb garden
32. This entry is private
33. Wear a dress(done April 25, 2009)
34. Own a pair of black boots
35. Go to the spa