making pesto

basil is about the easiest thing to grow. i've done it the last two years with amazing results. i pretty much purchase the smallest basil plant i can find in the spring, plant it in some good soil, water and watch it grow. basil loves to procreate too...like little rabbits! i had basil babies all over my yard and ended up with way more basil than i could ever use in a tomato basil soup recipe (that will come later). so, this year i decided to make and freeze my own pesto. i've always been a little astounded at how expensive pesto is to buy in the store. you can make your own easily and it freezes beautifully. i now have tons of pesto in my freezer to thaw out and use for recipes all winter long. if you have extra basil, do this now. i'll post several fun pesto recipes after the holidays...

here's what you'll need to get started:

pick your basil: it's getting close to the first frost in some areas or it may have already frosted in your area. pick you basil plants. after washing them well, pull off all the leaves individually and wash thoroughly. i found little critters clinging to some of my leaves even after i'd washed the leaves a couple of times. i'm not one of those people who get excited about extra protein.

buy some products in bulk: i headed to costco and purchased big yet relatively inexpensive bags of grated parmesan, pine nuts, and extra virgin olive oil. you'll need all of those ingredients on hand.

get a food processor or borrow a friend's: this process is very easy with a food processor. if you don't have one, they are a great purchase and you can find a less expensive brand for under $50.00. you may want to add one to your Christmas list. if you don't have one and have no way to get one, check with your girlfriends. someone is bound to have one they don't use very often that you can borrow for a day.

homemade pesto recipe

2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup pine nuts

3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced (i used the pre-minced garlic in a jar and used about 2 t.)

1-2 t. lemon juice (eyeball it)

salt and freshly ground pepper

place all of the ingredients in a food processor. turn the processor on high to get things mixed well. stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor and turn processor on again until a smooth paste forms.

you can use this pesto immediately for any dish or you can freeze it. the lemon juice in the pesto will help to keep the pesto its fresh green color during the freezing process.

to freeze: use a regular sized muffin tin. spray each space with a non-stick cooking spray. fill each space with fresh made pesto. cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer on a flat surface. once completely frozen, pop out the little pesto "muffins" and transfer them to a freezer ziplock bag. these will last up to six months.

to use: put one or two pesto cubes in a microwave safe bowl. microwave until thawed (about 30 seconds) and use in your favorite recipe.

if you are too late to try this next year...think about planting for spring. even if you don't have a green thumb, basil can make you feel tremendously successful..and who doesn't enjoy that?

enjoy!

take a moment and envision hunger (guest post by ruthi solari from super food drive)

as we enter the holiday season where food drives and donating to those less fortunate is more prevalent, please take a moment to read this inspiring and insightful post by ruthi solari at superfood drive. i know that it has caused me, for one, to re-think what i define as "helping" those less fortunate than me is. i hope that it will give you an "ah-ha" moment too.

the opposite of hunger is not "full." the opposite of hunger is "healthy food."

take a moment and close your eyes. try to remember some of the main items that were in your grocery bag the last time you shopped for a week of feeding your family. what did you buy to put in your children’s lunches? what did you bring home for family dinner? how about breakfast?

now clear that image from your mind and take a moment to envision this: you are a single mom with three children to feed. your utilities bill has gone up and you have to save money where you can, so you head to the local food pantry for some food assistance. you wait in line and receive your bag of food for the week. inside the bag, you have canned beef chili, a few packages of top ramen, boxed macaroni and cheese, some jiffy peanut butter and a few more odds and ends. you are invited to a grab a “produce bag” on the way out, which contains 5 onions and 6 potatoes.

if this is the food that you had to use to feed yourself and your family for the coming week, how do you feel? do you feel different than you did thinking about the food you hand-selected to feed your family? many mothers don’t have a choice about what items to feed their children.

feeding america reports that 1 in 6 americans go to a local food pantry for food assistance. nearly 14 million of these are children and over 3 million are children ages 5 and under! we all know that proper nutrition is vital to the grown and development of children. this is why superfood drive seeks to transform local food drives, national food banks and global humanitarian aid into being providers of nutrient dense non-perishables; food that promotes health and well-being.

SuperFood Driveis a 501(c)3 non-profit organization committed to fighting hunger and obesity in america by getting healthier food into food banks nation-wide. it is the small changes that make a significant difference in the health of the food bank recipient. we encourage the donation of black beans instead of refried in lard, fruit canned in its own juice instead of high fructose corn syrup, and whole grain cereal and snack options.

what can you do to help give the gift of health? here are a few ideas:

1. over the holidays, hundreds of organizations host food drives (banks, schools, grocery stores, places of worship and community centers). be a healthy food advocate and turn your local food drive into a Super Food Drive by encouraging the donation of nutrient densenon-perishables. click here for shopping lists and educational materials to help promote.

2. we have an awesome service-learning program called SuperKids for SuperFoods. this program encourages middle and high school students to fight hunger with healthy food by hosting their very own Super Food Drive. we have educational materials and a tool kit for any parent or teacher to take leadership and help today’s youth understand the importance of eating healthy food for themselves and americans in need. click here for more info about SuperKids for SuperFoods

3. donate healthy food the next time you give to a food drive! check out our list of “most needed SuperFoods” and use this list to both stock your own pantry and give to those in need.

4. sign up for our newsletter, “like”our facebook page and follow us on twitter (@SuperFoodDrive). join our efforts to give the gift of health!

To learn more, visit us at www.SuperFoodDrive.org

ruthi solari, founder and executive director

mmmmm mondays: leftover halloween candy bar meltaways

looking for something to do with all of the leftover halloween candy you will have? with all of the candy that your kiddos collected? this is the perfect recipe for you. it is not only easy, but delicious. enjoy!

ingredients:
14 ounces refrigerated cookie dough (chocolate chip (shown), sugar cookies, etc.--pick one)
13 (18 g) fun size candy bars
1/2 cup crushed golden grahams cereal
1/2 cup pecans, (or favorite nuts) chopped (optional)

directions:

heat oven to 375°
break up cookie dough into ungreased 9 x 13" baking pan.
press in bottom to form crust.
bake at 375° for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown.
remove partially baked crust from oven.
arrange candy evenly over crust.
return to oven -- bake an additional 3-4 minutes or until candy softens.
meanwhile in small bowl, mix cereal and pecans.
remove pan from oven, with spatula or knife, quickly spread candy evenly over crust.
sprinkle evenly with cereal mixture pressing in slightly.
cool 30 minutes or completely cooled.
cut into bars.


**do you have any other recipe favorites that involve leftover halloween candy? please share with us in our comments! **

friday fun finds: i am a blogger

i love you, blogs and coffee--$25

keep calm and blog on--$9.99

i am a big deal--$22

will blog for food--$15

i love you blogs and tea--$9.50

keep calm and tweet on--$8.49

blog--$15

coming out of the closet

we spent the past weekend surrounded by an amazing group of women (and one lone man) at bloggy boot camp in atlanta. aside from having a fabulous time, we learned a lot. no, really. a ton. (if you are a blogger, don't hesitate and go!) one of the things we learned is that our readers probably would love to see who we are. for various reasons, we have chosen to go through this blogging journey with anonymity......but here it goes; we are coming out of the closet and showing our faces to the big, scary world. we are chach and nellie. nice to meet you. 

chach (left) and nellie (right)

chach:
i'm heather (aka chach). i am a 30-something old southern california mommy to two little boys (one and three) and a crazy, sweet and spunky weimaraner.

what you should know about me: i exercise so i can eat. i love to eat.
i think peanut butter and chocolate is the most perfect duo. i think a
girl should eat dessert, and never order a salad on a date. i like a
family-friendly decor with fun surprises found in pops of color or
something re-purposed in a new way. i don't like to cook, but i do
love the feeling that putting a meal on the table for my family gives
me. i am perfectly imperfect and am learning to embrace my flaws and imperfections for what makes me who i am. i strive to be happy and content every day and try to be the best mom, friend, daughter and person that i can be.

i believe in pedicures. i believe in green, the color not the lifestyle (although, more power to the people living the lifestyle. i admire you. truly. it's just not for me. don't judge.) i believe in slurpees, a great glass of red wine shared with a good friend and true, honest conversation. i believe in resolving conflict whenever possible and in keeping the peace. i believe in miracles, in a really good cheeseburger, giving back more than i take and in the quality of
a good education. i love travel and long to see every little corner of this big, amazing world & to give my children the gift of perspective. i try to look for the good in every situation. i believe that taking time for me makes me a better daughter, friend and mommy....and i whole-heatedly believe in saying "i love you" enough that the people i cherish will not have any doubts that i do.

nellie:

i'm nellie, a 30-something woman with four amazing kids and the coolest husband ever. my four kids and one on the way (boy-8, girl-5, boy-4, boy-2, and boy-in utero) keep me insanely busy and test my patience daily and i wouldn't have it any other way.

what you should know about me: i sing...all the time, everywhere, i sing. i'm one of those annoying shoppers that sings through Target, can't seem to help myself. i love good food. i love to cook it and love to eat it. cooking has become my creative outlet and like it or hate it, my kids eat it. i'm not a short order cook. i actually enjoy going to the gym, partially because there is free childcare and partially because it means i can purchase a chai tea latte from Starbucks on my way home guilt-free. i have a kid friendly, child-proofed home that still manages to be grown-up enough for me to enjoy. i have come to accept that at this stage in my life, i will never have all the rooms completely clean at one time. i'm okay with that.

i love learning new things. i love to garden and i'm trying to love eating the vegetables i'm growing. i love projects. i think pedicures and hair cuts are necessities. i love to travel and live in new places. i can't wait to open the world up to my kids. i believe in laughing really loud. i believe in consistent discipline. i believe that everyone should learn a foreign language. i believe in big hugs and kisses. i believe i was made just they way that i am for a reason. i love long phone conversations with great friends, tomato-basil soup, good books and seeing how much i saved at the end of each shopping transaction. i try to remember that in this season with small kids, the days are long but the years are short. i believe in enjoying my kids and my husband. i believe these years are going to fly by and i don't want to miss a minute of it.

preparing for armageddon

i recently went away for the weekend to attend an amazing blogging conference, bloggy boot camp. while i have tons i could share from the conference itself, i find i am drawn to the experience of actually getting out the door for such a weekend with the hubby in charge...and the fun involved in returning after three days.

when my husband leaves for a business trip, he literally packs ten minutes from departure time. he tells everyone goodbye and heads out...not a care in the world. when preparing to leave for the weekend, i'm pretty sure we would have been prepared for any sort of natural or supernatural disaster and the fam would have survived. i spent hours schlepping through the grocery store, buying non-perishables that my husband could cook. our pantry was stocked with cans of soup, pancake mix, cereal, macaroni-n-cheese and other five minute prep/fail proof foods. the cats were stocked with food, there were diapers a plenty and the laundry bins were miraculously empty. i decided to prepare for success in the hopes that these times away can become more of a regular occurrence. little was i prepared for how easy he would have it.

for some reason, when my husband is left alone with the kids, lovely people feel sympathy and offer to help him out. too much work to take your son to a birthday party? no problem, we'll just pick him up on our way. need to lay down for a rest with your youngest? no problem...just send the older kids over to play for a while. what? you have to cook meals on your own for three days? why don't we bring by a lasagna? are you kidding me? when i'm on my own, the best i usually do is to coordinate pizza with another mom who is on her own. what is it about a man staying home that encourages such outpourings of help?

still, i managed to come home to more loads of laundry, pretty much the entire sandbox on my kitchen floor and a few ruined shirts thanks to a painting expedition gone wrong. i'm not sure i get it but i'm going to be grateful for what i was given...three days of hot meals, sitting for more than five minutes at a time, and an escape from the work that seems to endlessly surround me. i'll be thankful for the small things...and maybe prepare a little less the next trip. something about the idea of seeing my husband trying to make it through the grocery store with four kids brings a twisted smile to my face.

what about you? how do you prepare for a moment away?

travel with toddlers--step 2: packing for onboard the plane (guest blogger: beth from cloud surfing kids)

travel with toddlers--step 2: packing for onboard the plane (guest blogger: beth from cloud surfing with kids)

expect to actively entertain your toddler during the flight. toddlers have short attention spans and need near-constant engagement to stay happy. if you're lucky your child will sleep for part of the trip. i wasn't lucky, "e" very rarely slept. (well, i was lucky because she was always very good. but she refused to sleep.) as i advised with packing for infants, packing minimally is not really the best thing. pack everything you might need but keep it as small and light as possible. try to keep everything easily accessible so you don't have to search for things when your child is getting impatient.

dvd player, headphones, and blanket = happy toddler...for at least 10 minutes.

most airlines' inflight policies state that when using devices with audio (dvd players, ipod touch) you are required to use headsets or turn off the volume. please remember that not everyone wants to listen to toddler shows. get headsets for your toddler. if he refuses to wear them let him watch the shows with no volume. when he's interested enough in hearing it he will wear the headsets. when "e" first started wearing the headsets she would wear them for about 10 minutes at a time. then on to the next activity!

what to pack in the backpack:

toddler change of clothes; adult change of clothes; 6-10 OVERNIGHT diapers; diaper wipes; changing pad; antibacterial wipes; tissues; quart-size ziploc bag with: play-doh, fever reducing medicine, prescription meds (if needed), hand sanitizer; orajel swabs; thermometer; water wow doodle book; crayola color wonder book and markers; stickers; small stuffed animal; littlest pet shop toys; blanket; adult sweater; toddler sweater; 4-6 plastic grocery bags (for trash, etc.); ipod touch or dvd player; headphones for toddler; ipod and ear buds for me; power adapter or back up battery; charger for phone;

(not pictured: purse or billfold--don't forget them!)

overnight diapers are a must. sometimes you are unable to change a diaper when you would like to due to turbulence and the seat belt sign. whenever I was unable to change E's diaper in the last hour of the flight her diaper leaked on descent. it must be the change in air pressure. an overnight diaper usually solves the leaking problem.

two milk boxes; two juice boxes; cookies; luna or balance Bars; lollipops; fruit strips; fruit snacks; M&M's; squeezable applesauce; grammy sammy; peanut butter and jelly sandwiches; cheese sticks; plate; toddler utensils; bib; antibacterial wipes; diaper wipes

the trade off for the convenience of bringing your own milk/juice boxes from home is having to separate those at security and step aside for additional screening on them. i felt it was usually worth it. otherwise bring a sippy cup to fill with beverages you purchase in the airport. many airlines do not cater milk on their flights that depart after 10am so plan to provide your own.

if you follow these lists you should have practically everything you need. i usually bring even more food and small toys but probably only end up using half of them. it's always better to pack more than you need than to be in need of something. again, just keep items small so you can manage your bags and your potentially squirmy toddler.

our guest blogger, beth is a flight attendant for a major airline and mom to a

curious explorer, "e".  "e" earned elite status at the airline at 20 months. in her blog, "cloud surfing kids", beth gives helpful tips and insight based on her experiences.

in case you missed her first two post in this series on traveling with infants, you can find them here and here. also, don't miss her other post on traveling with toddlers!

follow beth on twitter at @CloudSurfingMom

mmmmm, mondays: pumpkin pie pancakes

i can't take the credit for this one. this amazing recipe comes from a great friend of mine. she's a fabulous mother of five who still takes time to cook pancakes from scratch. can you say superhero?

try these anytime this fall and you will be in love.

pumpkin pie pancakes

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

2 large eggs

1/4 cup oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

combine flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, salt and sugar. wisk in buttermilk, pumpkin, eggs, oil and vanilla. pour batter in 1/3 cup fulls. enjoy!

friday fun finds: the tooth fairy

there is something magical in the idea of the tooth fairy and the excitement in your child's eyes with the anticipation of what the tooth fairy will bring while he/she sleeps. here are some of my favorite pillows and ideas. enjoy!

tooth fairy pillow with chart--$25

tooth fairy pillow--$6

printable tooth fairy letter kit--$8.50

personalized tooth fairy pillow in any color felt--$15

felt tooth fairy pillows--$4

tiny tooth fairy thank you note--$14

cheeky monkey-tooth fairy pillow--$15

tooth fairy purple fleece owl pocket pillow--$10

tooth fairy box--$4.50

the tooth fairy's official envelopes--$4

20,000 feet, music, friendship, atlanta and a bloggy boot camp

as you read this nellie and i are probably in route to atlanta, georgia. why, you ask? well....aside from the fact that we can't wait to have a girlfriends get-away (sans the hubbys and kiddos).....AND the fact that we haven't seen each other in over *two* years (insane).......we are going to our very first blogging conference--bloggy boot camp! we are giddy with excitement for oh, so many reasons and will be updating you with tales of our adventures when we return. 


as i make the journey from california to georgia at 20,000 feet these will be the tunes i will be singing along to (better hope you are not sitting next to me). welcome to my crazy head via music. enjoy!


long time traveller by the wailin' jennys
tonight tonight by hot chelle rae
lollipop by mika
marry you (glee cast version)

tighten up by the black keys brothers

fix you (the voice performance) by  javier colon

the lazy song by bruno mars

love song by sara bareilles
stereo hearts (feat. adam levine) by gym class heroes

i do by  colbie caillat

grace kelly by mika
loser like me (glee cast version)

moves like jagger [feat. christina aguilera] by maroon 5

marry me by train

say by john mayer

stay the night by james blunt

stuck like glue by sugarland

home by edward sharpe & the magnetic zeros