Baking in no time...

Maybe it's the pregnancy that makes me want to bake more.
Maybe it's something about motherhood that makes me want to bake more.
But I get these moments where I want to make Chocolate Chip cookies or banana nut bread.

What has stopped me before?
Baking takes a lot of time.
Baking makes a huge mess.
So quite often I don't bake even when I have the hankering to.

I was in the baking section of the grocery store, looking at the cake boxes, and I thought... why can't I mix dry ingredients before hand while baking?  If I plan on making a mess of the kitchen while baking... I might as well prep a lot of recipes to save sometime in the future.  Let's go full throttle!!

So if I get the craving to bake... I think of at least 3 recipes I will want to bake relatively soon and I make 3 prepared baking bags for them.

Here's how I do it:

I make a list with the names of the recipes on the top and I list the ingredients to the left column.  Then I enter in how many cups/tablespoons/teaspoons it calls for, so all the ingredients are organized.

Not the most beautiful picture... but you get it. ;)

Then I read through the recipe and see which ingredients should be bunched together.  ie. if I recipe calls for creaming butter with sugar first before adding other ingredients... sugar will be in a different bag than the other ingredients.  

The other tip... I always put brown sugar in it's own bag.  It's a moist sugar, so I want to keep it moist and not have it affect the other ingredients.

So then I get my gallon, quart, and sandwich bags (From Costco) and I divide the ingredients into the size bag I think it needs.  If it's less than 3 cups of ingredients, I'll probably put it in a quart bag.  If it has more, I'll probably put it in a gallon bag.  I use the sandwich bags for small amounts of ingredients which will be placed in bigger bags.

Label the bags you are using and line them up.  Then work down the ingredients and divide them up.

Putting the bags in a large cup will help when scooping ingredients.

Measuring over a bowl will also help make sure additional ingredients don't end up where they shouldn't.

And voila... you'll be the next Betty Crocker in no time!

Reasons why I like having these bags on hand.

• Have you ever run out of ingredients when trying to bake??  That's the worse!  Especially when you've planned on baking for an event and you are out of flour....

The last time I made these bags I ran out of brown sugar and chocolate chips for chocolate chip cookies.  I wrote on the bag which ingredients were missing and put them on the shopping list.  The next time I decided to bake.... I went through my bags and added the missing ingredients.  Super easy.

• I made a mistake and I can't fix it.  My husband teases me because I tend to run through recipes too fast. I miss the sugar in muffins.  Then I'm mad at myself when it doesn't taste right and I apologize to anyone and everyone who eats them.

The last time I made these bags, I realized I put 1 tablespoon of salt instead of 1 teaspoon in my toddler muffins.  I made a note of it on the bag.  Those aren't bags I'll use when I go to a potluck.  I will try them out, and then throw them out if they taste weird.

• These bags are great for cooking with toddlers.  I love cooking with my son and these bags make it a little less stressful.

 

 And for the big grand-daddy reason why I love making these bags....

• MAKING A BAG TAKES 1/2 THE TIME TO PREPARE AND IS 1/3 THE MESS IN THE KITCHEN.

 I can enjoy my joy of baking more often without blowing up my kitchen.

This is my kitchen after making homemade blueberry muffins this morning....

I have one bowl, my mixer, a couple spoons, 

and the muffin tin.  Not too shabby...

These are my secrets to baking more often.  They help with timing and cleaning, but maybe not your waistline.  

Bake away my friends... bake away...

Meal Train Meals for Pregnant Women

I belong to a Mommy Group of wonderful women.  I joined the First Time Moms when I was pregnant with my first baby.  Now, two years later, 6 of us are pregnant again, and I know that number will keep getting higher.

One of the greatest thing anyone could do for a new mother is set up a meal train.  I remember being so physically drained after child birth and so overwhelmed with having a newborn I didn't have the energy or time to get to the grocery store.  I would have loved a meal train and I know those mothers that have had it tell me how amazingly helpful it was.

So what to make??  Here's some ideas.  Now, my disclaimer is: you don't have to do all of these things, anything you do will be more than appreciated.  Don't get overwhelmed.  Do what's easy and manageable.  Also, make sure what you give is in a disposable Tupperware.  It's easier on her if she doesn't remember who's dishes belongs to who.


Main Dish

• Any casserole - Casseroles are great because they are a one dish meal and they feed a lot of people.  Give half to your family and take half on the train.  Ie. Tuna Casserole, Chicken Tetrazzini.

•  Italian dishes - ie. Lasagna, Mac and Cheese, Chicken Alfredo, Pesto Pasta, Ravioli, Tortellini, Shrimp Scampi, Bolognese, Spaghetti and Meatballs.  Again, Italian dishes are either already large recipes or easy to double.  Feed your family and theirs. My favorite meal was heating a bunch of frozen meatballs in marinara and eating it on a french roll... meatball subs are hearty and the best!

• Pizza - Another Italian Dish.  Easy to make two when already making one.  Don't have time to make one?  Pick up a pizza.

• Soup - Soups are hearty.  Make some soup or pick one up at the grocery store (no cans... come on...) Pick up some french bread or sourdough and good to go!  Soups usually also feed a lot of people!!  See a theme?  Don't forget Chili... also a viable option.

• Sausages on a roll.  A hot dog may be rejected, but who would reject a sausage on a roll?

• Slow Cooker recipes.  I have failed at every slow cooker recipe I've ever made... but if you have one you like.. go for it!

• Mexican - Enchiladas, Tamales, Tacos, Fajittas.   

 I know a lot of these meals aren't the healthiest and Atkins would probably smack you himself, but a woman who just gave birth is trying to survive... not watch her waistline.

 
Side Dishes and etc.

The problem with not getting to the grocery store is... you never have fresh fruit or vegetables.

• Easiest side dish to do is a salad.  Pick up a ready made bag.

• Include some fruit with your meal train meal.  Who doesn't love fruit?  Bananas, Apples, Oranges, and Grapes are all fruit that last a long time.  So if they don't eat it within the next two days, they should still be ok.

• Veggies are a little trickier than fruit.  You don't know if they'd actually eat it?  But baby carrots last forever and with some hummus... a great snack! 

Desserts

Be a doll and a get a recovering women some chocolate.

• Get cookie dough and make some cookies.  The great thing about cookie dough is you can make a couple cookies and freeze the rest.  Giving 2 dozen cookies to a new mother is a little excessive.

• The store usually has a slice a cake, a cupcake, a brownie or something that is easy to pick up. Again, a new mother doesn't need 20 brownie bites.

• Easiest??  Buy her favorite candy bar!  Easy enough!  Who doesn't love Snickers?? 

Gifts

• A bottle of wine - Congrats mama!  You can drink again!!

• Flowers - What women doesn't appreciate flowers??  My mom tends to buy me potted plants... not really my thing.  But I understand, some may not want to worry a new mother about a vase.  Orchids have been my favorite go to... they last forever and they only need an ice cube twice a week.  Or... buy a bouquet... I'm sure the new mama has a vase.

• Coffee or tea.  She's gonna need it!  Or a gift card to Starbucks or Coffee Bean.  Better yet??  Bring her some Starbucks or Coffee Bean!  Teas... Green Tea or an energy booster tea or a Camomile or sleepy-time tea.  A new mother's schedule is so out of whack they can't sleep when they want and they can't stay awake when they want.  Some teas could help.  There are also some specialized teas for motherhood.  A box of "mother's milk" tea is an awesome suggestion because breastfeeding is a huge concern of all new mothers and that tea really helps.

• A small baby gift.  A cute little onesie, booties, stuffed toy, pacifier.  Something small.

• Can I mention chocolate again?

So there you go!  If you are visiting a new mother to see her new little bundle of joy... it would be really nice if you came bearing something.  A new mother appreciates it more than you'd realize.

Have a friend who is giving birth soon?  Create her a meal train.  You set the dates people bring the food and it says the family's food preferences.  Share it with your friends and family by e-mail or on a social media site like Facebook so they can sign up to participate.  A meal train can be created at: http://www.mealtrain.com/

Kale..

Made kale chips tonight hoping it would be a good way to get kale in our diet.  I was excited to see Alex reaching for it.. Only for him to crumble it in his hands to watch the dogs go crazy for it.  Alex reached for it and said, "Kale!" I asked, "Are you going to eat it?"  He responded... "No."  #atleastheishonest. 😡  #itried

Clock!

Alex:  Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!

Zach:  Clock!

Alex: Cock! Cock! Cock!

Zach:  Well... That's kinda better...

It would be great if we could keep our 23 month old from cussing...

Making memories...

Alex helping me with lasagna. 😄  This picture is moments before I lifted the finish lasagna over his head and spilled béchamel all over him.  Good new is... The sauce was cold, the house is clean, and Alex has already had his bath for today... #makingmemories

Have you ever..

Have you ever... Spent 45 min making dinner while you were hungry, burnt the side dish, 10 min later burnt the entree, then dropped it on the floor?  The good news is the guacamole was not burned in the making of tonight's dinner.  #imgoingtobed

Fudge!

My husband opens a piece of mail.

"Fudge!" - Zach

"Fuck!" - My 23 month old son

My husband looks at me.

"I didn't do it."

Yeah.. Thomas...

"Alex, did you nap?"  

With puppy eyes.. "Yeah".  

"You promise?"  

With puppy eyes... "Yeah... Thomas".

Posted on Facebook..

I use to worry about posting about my child on Facebook.  I know... I take pictures of every step he takes and posts about the funny things he says.  I know my friends and family appreciate it and others may not... But Alex makes me happy.  I'm supportive of your dog and cat pictures because I understand they are your world.  I would never talk badly about it because I use to do it with my dogs.  But to anyone who has an issue with my posts... You might as well unfriend me now.  Here's a hint... I'm just gonna have more kids.  If you think I'm obnoxious now... Just you wait....  

That is all...

When your words are used against you..

40 min into nap time.. Alex isn't asleep.  I hear him jumping around in his crib, so I go in.  He looked guilty (for jumping) and said, "I poopy!"  "Should I change you?"  "Yes!"  I put Alex on the changing table and he says, "Stinky!"  "I'm a stinky butt!"

When your words are used against you.. Lol.

My turn!!

Zach was working in the backyard moving bricks... from behind him he heard, "My turn!"  Alex pushed him out of the way and tried to lift a brick.  Such an ambitious little man.

Alex's Great-Grandfather

Today is the Fourth of July.  Zach's father was in town, so we headed down to see him and Zach's grandfather in Newport Beach.  Zach's Grandfather will be 92 August 8 and he hasn't been doing too well.  He sat in the living room as we all sat outside and played on the beach.  Alex went in to go meet him and they were instant friends.  When Alex came outside, Zach's Aunt barbara went to shut the door (because Zach Grandfather likes the door shut) but requested it stay open so Alex can come back inside to play when he wanted to.  When I heard that, I knew it was important for Alex to come back inside to spend time with his Great-Grandfather.  I think his Great-Grandfather got teary eyed when we were leaving and told us to come back soon.  I was so impressed how outgoing Alex was.  He wasn't afraid of an old man.  Alex pointed out the pictures and kept talking about the star cracker he was eating.  So proud if my little man.

Here's a picture of last Thanksgiving.  Four generations of Griffiths.

It's the little things..

For right now... I can exchange a tangerine for an iPad, I can end a tantrum by chasing him, and get him to stop crying by squeezing him and making him laugh.  For right now... I know how to keep my son happy.  I can't say too much about tomorrow or when he's a teenager... But right now I make him happy.  #itsthelittlevictories