Crawling at 8 months

As of Saturday my little boy has finally started crawling! He did the army crawl for maybe 5 days and then decided enough was enough and figured out the hands & knees crawling. Go Wesley!

Roasted Tomato Soup with Grilled cheese croutons

Ok here it is. The amazing Roasted Tomato Soup Recipe.

Original Recipe from Family Fun

Ingredients

• 6 cups (3 pints) cherry tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1 cup milk

I made a few changes though. **I didn't use whipping cream like the original recipe called for. I used half n half but milk is a much better choice. Use what you have. **I also only had 1pint of cherry tomatoes, so I used 6 regular sized tomatoes instead and cut them into good sized chunks. **Added minced garlic instead of fresh and added a bit more pepper.

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400°. On a baking sheet, combine the cherry tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and the salt and pepper. Toss the ingredients to coat evenly and spread them in a single layer. Roast the tomatoes until they are shriveled with brown spots, about 35 to 45 minutes.
   
2. In a large pot, heat the butter and the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and sauté until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes with their juice, the broth, the thyme, and the roasted tomatoes, including any liquid on the baking sheet. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 40 minutes.
   
3. Using a food processor or blender, puree the soup until it's smooth. Return it to the pot and stir in the cream. Without letting the soup boil, warm it over medium heat, stirring often, until steaming. Add salt and pepper, if necessary.
   
4. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with Grilled-Cheese Croutons. Makes about 10 cups. 
   
    

Grilled Cheese Croutons

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme

• 6 thin slices of bread
• 3 ounces Cheddar, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. In a small bowl, combine the butter and thyme. Spread one side of each bread slice with the butter mixture. Place 3 slices in the pan, buttered side down. Top with the cheese, then with the remaining 3 bread slices, buttered side up. Cook, turning once, until toasted on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes per side.
   
2. Remove the sandwiches from the pan. Let them cool slightly, then cut them into 1-inch squares. Makes about 60 croutons.

If you make this let me know what you think!!

Kickin' Wyoming Turkey Chili

I made this amazing chili tonight. I got the idea originally from here, but I wanted to add my own twist to things. First of all we LOVE chili so I always make extra for later.

Kickin' Wyoming Turkey Chili

Ingredients:

• 1lb ground turkey
• 8oz of tomato paste
• 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce
• 12oz can beer
• 1 14.5 oz can water 
• 1 cup salsa
• 14.5oz can black beans
• 14.5oz can light kidney beans
• 28oz can diced tomatoes
• half an onion chopped
• 2 tbsp minced garlic 
• 1 green bell pepper chopped
• 4 stalks celery chopped
• 2 fresh jalapenos chopped
• 1 tsp EVOO 
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp pepper
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp cayenne
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground mustard
• bunch of shakes of hot sauce (i used the stuff I gave out as my wedding favors)
  
• 1 tsp brown sugar

Directions:

1.  In a large pan brown ground turkey. Season with a little pepper and chili powder.
2. Add onion, garlic, celery, jalapenos, and bell pepper. Cook until soft or atleast almost soft.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until well mixed.
4. Heat to boiling, then reduce heat and let simmer for 30-45min. Leave lid cracked a bit. 

Serve with sour cream and shredded cheese. Yum.

Serves 8 or more.

When I use spices I really don't like to measure. I add what I think is good but you can put as much or as little in as you want. I add the sugar because it helps with the tomato tartness. I love spicy but its not so much that I can't taste the greatness. I also only used the jalapeno seeds from 1 pepper not both.

**also the beer makes the chili extra tasty!!**

If you make this recipe, please let me know how you like it and any improvements that you made!

Any other awesome chili recipes?

A little bit of everything

I am finally obsessed with blogging. Actually I don't blog that much, and I wish I had more time to blog. But of course that will come when I'm finished with school...maybe..

I am subscribed to 138 blogs..and its still growing! LOL. I spend literally hours reading, getting craft ideas, find new sources of inspiration, etc. Its wonderful! I also need to network outside of cyberspace. I'm not very good at that.

But I have been thinking about Xmas ideas and how to give on a low budget..this is why these blogs are so important because they are showing me tricks on amazing gifts without spending a lot. Plus I love to make things even though buying something is easier, it doesn't mean as much. And with wesley I can use his little hands and feet for numerous projects! Hopefully I can start working on things soon!

Aside from me Wesley really surprises me everyday with new things he is learning. He loves to push doors closed, especially the office door. He is trying to pull himself up by the coffee table or atleast grab things on there. He still doesn't crawl but he will soon I just know it.

Some of the things he loves:

• Eating - anything mommy and daddy eat, Mum Mums, cheerios, bananas, any fruit or vegetable, yogurt melts.
• Dancing - rocking back and forth on hands & knees, while sitting, jumping up and down in bouncer or on anyones lap.
• Bathtime - splashing water, eating ducky
• Swinging - at the park
• Playing with doors and heater vents

Doesn't like:

• Bedtime: when mommy puts him to bed and leaves the room.
• Diaper changes (for the most part): would rather be moving around and doing something else
• Meat: doesn't eat the baby meats unless I trick him and mix it with a vegetable.
• Being told no: especially when biting mommy

• He gets impatient during meal times. Can't serve him fast enough! LOL. He will goof around and thrust himself backwards as hard as possible when he is in his high chair. I have to hold him to get him to stop. When I tell him to stop he laughs. When I'm even more serious he laughs more. He gags himself because he will rock back and forth without swallowing his food first.

• He is hesitant around other people. I need to get him out more.

• He has only had 1 temp since he was born and it was due to vaccinations and teething combined. He regurgitated in his sleep after his H1N1 shot, but otherwise he has not been sick at all and I am so thankful he is healthy! Yay for breastfed only babies.

Better go to sleep so I can be rested for tomorrow. I need to get homework done for my art class and start the 3rd and final section of political science.

I wanted to list a few of my favorite sites:

• Katherine Marie Photography Blog (she is an amazing crafter and photographer!)
  
• Not Martha (love!)_
• Deviant Art (i love art. so i love to look at everyone elses art)
  
• Wholesome Baby Food (so handy for diy babyfood)
  
• Family Fun (i love their craft and gift ideas.)

Oh and wesleys halloween costume! He was the cat in the hat. Next year I am making it! No more store bought costumes for me.