• Ok, well, first of all, don’t screw up the crust like I did. The recipe calls for 2 cups of “sandwich cookie crumbs” 1/4 cup of crushed peanuts and 2 TBS of butter. I used about 2.5 cups of chocolate graham cracker crumbs and ½ stick of melted butter and the crust was still ridiculously dry and crumbly. Fool around with it until you get it to the right consistency. You’re smart people. (I did not add the peanuts to the crust, nor did I garnish with peanuts, because that is not my thing.)
• When it says chill for 4-6 hours, they mean it. We ate some of this after dinner on Sunday after it had chilled for maybe, 3 hours. We were both kind of like, “meh…it’s ok”. But on Monday, after it had been in the fridge all night, it was good.
• Don’t send a huge slab of it over to your BIL’s house so that it is out of your sight. You will regret it and contemplate driving over and stealing it from his fridge.
• Buy some extra heavy cream. You can use it in your coffee later. Yum.
____________________________________________________
2 cups sandwich cookie crumbs
2 TBS melted butter
½ cup sugar
½ cup crushed peanuts, divided
2 cups heavy cream, divided
2 cups peanut butter
2 8oz bricks cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
2 TBS Vanilla Extract
6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
Crust:
1. Mix cookie crumbs, butter, sugar and ¼ cup of peanuts and press in to 10-inch spring form pan. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes and let cool.
Filling
1. Whip 1 3/4 cups heavy cream in chilled bowl until thick and set aside
2. Mix peanut butter and cream cheese until well blended. Add vanilla extract and powdered sugar in batches.
3. Fold cream in to peanut butter mixture until well blended
4. spoon and spread in to crust and chill 2-3 hours
Topping
1. Bring remaining ¼ cup heavy cream and ¼ cup sugar to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until melted and well blended.
2. spoon over top of dessert and garnish with remaining peanuts
3. chill for at least 4 hours.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Send in the Clowns
I’m tired today. The kind of tired where you feel like your feet are stuck in mucky mud all day and you just can’t get moving. It’s the unmistakable tired of “I’m getting sick”, which makes sense because all 3 kids have some hacking nonsense going on. The joy……
Our weekend was eventful in a non-eventful kind of way. Hub switched the bedrooms around and we bought Lucy a new bed, so that Liv can (finally) move in to the crib. It’s a Tinkerbell bed complete with canopy, and it is so purple and delicious, that I could just die. I always wanted a bed with a canopy when I was a little girl, so somehow, she is fulfilling my childhood dreams.
And speaking of utterly delicious, I made a peanut butter mousse pie on Sunday that save for my crappy crappy crust, was a-m-a-z-i-n-g. OMFG. Hub printed it out from one of those screens at the grocery store and brought it home, so proud of his discovery. He even bought the spring form pan it required. We didn’t let it chill long enough on Sunday, but yesterday, after a full day of fridge time---it was divine. I’m really regretting sending a huge slab of it off to MIL’s house.
I was off yesterday, so Hub and I celebrated Valentines Day with lunch and a movie and then Starbucks while the kids went to school. We picked them all up and went to Tae Kwon Do together for the first time since I went back to work. It was a really nice day.
I’m leaving work soon, and Hub and I will pass each other briefly before he goes off to work. The big kids have been horrible at bedtime recently when Hub isn’t home. They’re just not interested in listening to me, or staying in bed. Then the second that I even start to get upset, they start crying that they miss daddy. Which escalates in to hysterical sobs. Yesterday, Lucy went so far as to say “When will we be a family again, Mama??” through her hysteria. I had to stifle laughter at first, and probed her as to why she thought we weren’t a family. Because I hollered at her, and don’t love her, and Daddy isn’t home. SO apparently, I have to give them free reign at bedtime, otherwise, I do not love them. We are making a chart tonight to track good bedtimes. I think I could deal with Bud, but Lucy is just so extreme……
In other news, the baby is saying “Eddie”. At first, I thought it was a fluke. But she sees him and clear as day says “Ed-Dee”. My mother didn’t believe me either, and today Liv saw Bud’s picture on my mom’s shelf. Clear as day—“Ed-Dee”.
Smart girl. She also claps. She is available for parties.
Our weekend was eventful in a non-eventful kind of way. Hub switched the bedrooms around and we bought Lucy a new bed, so that Liv can (finally) move in to the crib. It’s a Tinkerbell bed complete with canopy, and it is so purple and delicious, that I could just die. I always wanted a bed with a canopy when I was a little girl, so somehow, she is fulfilling my childhood dreams.
And speaking of utterly delicious, I made a peanut butter mousse pie on Sunday that save for my crappy crappy crust, was a-m-a-z-i-n-g. OMFG. Hub printed it out from one of those screens at the grocery store and brought it home, so proud of his discovery. He even bought the spring form pan it required. We didn’t let it chill long enough on Sunday, but yesterday, after a full day of fridge time---it was divine. I’m really regretting sending a huge slab of it off to MIL’s house.
I was off yesterday, so Hub and I celebrated Valentines Day with lunch and a movie and then Starbucks while the kids went to school. We picked them all up and went to Tae Kwon Do together for the first time since I went back to work. It was a really nice day.
I’m leaving work soon, and Hub and I will pass each other briefly before he goes off to work. The big kids have been horrible at bedtime recently when Hub isn’t home. They’re just not interested in listening to me, or staying in bed. Then the second that I even start to get upset, they start crying that they miss daddy. Which escalates in to hysterical sobs. Yesterday, Lucy went so far as to say “When will we be a family again, Mama??” through her hysteria. I had to stifle laughter at first, and probed her as to why she thought we weren’t a family. Because I hollered at her, and don’t love her, and Daddy isn’t home. SO apparently, I have to give them free reign at bedtime, otherwise, I do not love them. We are making a chart tonight to track good bedtimes. I think I could deal with Bud, but Lucy is just so extreme……
In other news, the baby is saying “Eddie”. At first, I thought it was a fluke. But she sees him and clear as day says “Ed-Dee”. My mother didn’t believe me either, and today Liv saw Bud’s picture on my mom’s shelf. Clear as day—“Ed-Dee”.
Smart girl. She also claps. She is available for parties.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Observations; Random Tidbits
• Just because we have one lonely sixty degree day in the middle of February, does not give you the right to break out the capris. It will be 35 degrees tomorrow. You are wasting your time. And also—you look kind of dumb.
• It drives me nuts when people say Feb-U-ary. I know this is probably the common pronunciation, but I can not get past it.
• There was this guy at work though, who at Christmas time used to tell customers to “Have a happy holidays.” That was probably the all time most annoying. How can you have A days???? (Happy New Years falls in here too.)
• Lucy changes her clothes 6 times a day sometimes. And I let her. Really, who is it hurting?
• I think I mentioned my mother watching the kids 2 days a week now. My mother made a big deal about having an exersaucer for Liv, and Hub and I said, really, why bother buying one, because she’ll only use it for a few more months. My parents went out and bought one with a ridiculous amount of bells and whistles even though we told them not to. Well, the baby is terrified of the thing. I can’t help but to laugh. TeeHee. I’m sure she’ll get used to it.
• Speaking of the baby, she is a fiend for anything we are eating. She had bites of sloppy joes and veggies from Hub’s beef stew last night. I would have keeled over before considering giving the big kids table food when they were her age. She is growing up way too fast.
• It drives me nuts when people say Feb-U-ary. I know this is probably the common pronunciation, but I can not get past it.
• There was this guy at work though, who at Christmas time used to tell customers to “Have a happy holidays.” That was probably the all time most annoying. How can you have A days???? (Happy New Years falls in here too.)
• Lucy changes her clothes 6 times a day sometimes. And I let her. Really, who is it hurting?
• I think I mentioned my mother watching the kids 2 days a week now. My mother made a big deal about having an exersaucer for Liv, and Hub and I said, really, why bother buying one, because she’ll only use it for a few more months. My parents went out and bought one with a ridiculous amount of bells and whistles even though we told them not to. Well, the baby is terrified of the thing. I can’t help but to laugh. TeeHee. I’m sure she’ll get used to it.
• Speaking of the baby, she is a fiend for anything we are eating. She had bites of sloppy joes and veggies from Hub’s beef stew last night. I would have keeled over before considering giving the big kids table food when they were her age. She is growing up way too fast.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Friday Free For All--25
Well, If Tess can reinstate Fun Fact Friday, I can also reinstate my Friday Free For All, at least in limited form since my blogging has been sporadic at best lately. I’m going to further copy her though by giving you my own 25 Random Things list. And, this will be a different list than what is on Facebook……So if you are my friend there, you get a 2 for one. LUCKY YOU!!!
1. I am thinking of selling off all of my baby stuff.
2. I don’t necessarily think that I want another baby.
3. I think the idea of another baby is more appealing than actually having and caring for another baby.
4. And you know, doing all the baby stuff again.
5. I was thinking of Craig’s List but I don’t like the idea of meeting in a dark alley or some shit to exchange my goods for cash.
6. Plus, if I change my mind later, I can buy new stuff.
7. I found the Bumbo to be completely unusable and stupid.
8. It kind of terrifies me that I feel like I don’t want any more kids, especially because the desire was strongly there, even right after Liv was born.
9. I feel minorly bad too, because Bud really wants a brother.
10. Secretly, I don’t mind that Lucy finds her way in to our bed on most nights.
11. We’re thinking about getting a puppy.
12. I am not a dog person. Seriously. At all. Hate them.
13. I think this has a lot to do with having to get rid of many pets when I was a kid on account of moving etc.
14. Plus, I hate wet dog smell.
15. I feel uncomfortable drinking socially because of my mother, which is a shame because I really do enjoy a good glass of wine. I’m afraid of enjoying it too much though.
16. I am in a rut in re: my appearance. I am not happy with my body right now and I don’t care to dress it in anything other than jeans.
17. For whatever reason though, I can’t stay motivated to eat well or exercise.
18. I don’t know what is wrong with me. Depressed? Lazy? Who knows?
19. I am a huge procrastinator.
20. I hate it when people my age dress like teenagers.
21. I think I hate it more that I am old enough to say “people my age”
22. I am starting to feel the effects of not taking a vacation last year. And no, my maternity leave doesn’t count. I need to go somewhere.
23. I get bent out of shape when hub implies that the kids are any sort of nuisance.
24. It’s totally ok if I imply it though.
25. I think that maybe I’d like to be a Midwife or a Doula
1. I am thinking of selling off all of my baby stuff.
2. I don’t necessarily think that I want another baby.
3. I think the idea of another baby is more appealing than actually having and caring for another baby.
4. And you know, doing all the baby stuff again.
5. I was thinking of Craig’s List but I don’t like the idea of meeting in a dark alley or some shit to exchange my goods for cash.
6. Plus, if I change my mind later, I can buy new stuff.
7. I found the Bumbo to be completely unusable and stupid.
8. It kind of terrifies me that I feel like I don’t want any more kids, especially because the desire was strongly there, even right after Liv was born.
9. I feel minorly bad too, because Bud really wants a brother.
10. Secretly, I don’t mind that Lucy finds her way in to our bed on most nights.
11. We’re thinking about getting a puppy.
12. I am not a dog person. Seriously. At all. Hate them.
13. I think this has a lot to do with having to get rid of many pets when I was a kid on account of moving etc.
14. Plus, I hate wet dog smell.
15. I feel uncomfortable drinking socially because of my mother, which is a shame because I really do enjoy a good glass of wine. I’m afraid of enjoying it too much though.
16. I am in a rut in re: my appearance. I am not happy with my body right now and I don’t care to dress it in anything other than jeans.
17. For whatever reason though, I can’t stay motivated to eat well or exercise.
18. I don’t know what is wrong with me. Depressed? Lazy? Who knows?
19. I am a huge procrastinator.
20. I hate it when people my age dress like teenagers.
21. I think I hate it more that I am old enough to say “people my age”
22. I am starting to feel the effects of not taking a vacation last year. And no, my maternity leave doesn’t count. I need to go somewhere.
23. I get bent out of shape when hub implies that the kids are any sort of nuisance.
24. It’s totally ok if I imply it though.
25. I think that maybe I’d like to be a Midwife or a Doula
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Allergies & Childcare & The Economy OH MY!
Wow, there is a lot going on. Seriously, a lot. Which most definitely calls for a bullet pointed post.
• We had Liv in to the doctor for her 6-month visit last week and Hub mentioned that she could not shake the stomach bug. The dr. recommended temporarily switching her to a soy formula. We did, and it made an immediate difference. What it also did though, was cause her to stop fussing through her feedings, caused her to completely stop spitting up (thereby immediately eliminating her need for Zantac), and caused her to effectively burp and pass gas instead of building it up and being uncomfortable after a feeding. We’ve also noticed a marked improvement in the red blotchiness on her cheeks. So……milk allergy? I’m starting to think that she never actually had acid reflux as the dr. assumed, but has been sensitive to the milk all along. Case in point, we had about enough of the gentile formula left for 2 bottles, and hub just mixed it in with what was left of the soy……fussy baby all day yesterday. It has been less than a week, and we have a completely different baby. I can’t even believe it. I was fine with believing she had acid reflux……but then this formula—everything just clicked. I had a severe milk allergy as a child, one that I mostly grew out of (I would say I have a minor intolerance now) and it was probably only a matter of time before I passed it on to one of my kids. I’m just glad it’s not as bad as it could be, though I imagine that if we hadn’t caught it when we did, there could have been trouble. So……from here we become vigilant. Checking labels. Being careful what we introduce in to her diet. And see what happens.
• We have decided to take the kids out of preschool/daycare one more day per week; they will be there 2 days now as opposed to 3. Though I’m overly sick of statements that begin with “because of the economy…” this does have something to do with it. Hub is losing a little bit of business, and we did just buy that truck, so we need to take some precautions before we get hard up. Hub has also had some issues working at home since Liv has been born, you know, since she requires constant attention, so having all of the kids home 3 days a week poses a bit of a problem.
• My mother though, has recently quit her job. My mother had some health issues and other things going on over the past year and has made a good turn in her life. She is though, home by herself all week. She’s going to help us out and watch the kids 2 days a week. She’ll likely only have 2 kids at a time—the baby plus one big kid, but Hub can manage one kid. He can even take one kid out on jobs with him. It’s going to be a big help to us, but I think it’s going to be an even bigger help to my mom. She lives pretty close to where I work too, so it won’t be much different than dropping them off at daycare. I think it will be good.
And ok, this turned out longer than I thought it would and doesn’t contain nearly as much information, but I need to get back to work. More to come soon!
• We had Liv in to the doctor for her 6-month visit last week and Hub mentioned that she could not shake the stomach bug. The dr. recommended temporarily switching her to a soy formula. We did, and it made an immediate difference. What it also did though, was cause her to stop fussing through her feedings, caused her to completely stop spitting up (thereby immediately eliminating her need for Zantac), and caused her to effectively burp and pass gas instead of building it up and being uncomfortable after a feeding. We’ve also noticed a marked improvement in the red blotchiness on her cheeks. So……milk allergy? I’m starting to think that she never actually had acid reflux as the dr. assumed, but has been sensitive to the milk all along. Case in point, we had about enough of the gentile formula left for 2 bottles, and hub just mixed it in with what was left of the soy……fussy baby all day yesterday. It has been less than a week, and we have a completely different baby. I can’t even believe it. I was fine with believing she had acid reflux……but then this formula—everything just clicked. I had a severe milk allergy as a child, one that I mostly grew out of (I would say I have a minor intolerance now) and it was probably only a matter of time before I passed it on to one of my kids. I’m just glad it’s not as bad as it could be, though I imagine that if we hadn’t caught it when we did, there could have been trouble. So……from here we become vigilant. Checking labels. Being careful what we introduce in to her diet. And see what happens.
• We have decided to take the kids out of preschool/daycare one more day per week; they will be there 2 days now as opposed to 3. Though I’m overly sick of statements that begin with “because of the economy…” this does have something to do with it. Hub is losing a little bit of business, and we did just buy that truck, so we need to take some precautions before we get hard up. Hub has also had some issues working at home since Liv has been born, you know, since she requires constant attention, so having all of the kids home 3 days a week poses a bit of a problem.
• My mother though, has recently quit her job. My mother had some health issues and other things going on over the past year and has made a good turn in her life. She is though, home by herself all week. She’s going to help us out and watch the kids 2 days a week. She’ll likely only have 2 kids at a time—the baby plus one big kid, but Hub can manage one kid. He can even take one kid out on jobs with him. It’s going to be a big help to us, but I think it’s going to be an even bigger help to my mom. She lives pretty close to where I work too, so it won’t be much different than dropping them off at daycare. I think it will be good.
And ok, this turned out longer than I thought it would and doesn’t contain nearly as much information, but I need to get back to work. More to come soon!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)