Hot Cocoa & Marshmallows...

Ok so it's officially cold in KS now! (39 on my computer at the moment and expecting snow this week!) During the colder months our family tends to go through hot cocoa mix a lot -- as in a cup or two every night (x5 or 6!). So hubby and I were looking at buying it today when at the store and I decided I'm sure I can find a recipe online with ingredients I can pronounce! (every one at the store had hydrogenated something...) Now some of you may not consider this healthy at all but I figure at least I know what it is so it's got to be better than the others! Plus I'm sure if you REALLY wanted to you could make it sans sugar and add stevia to your taste and with dutch process cocoa etc (which would of course change the price). I've made homemade mallows before and am including that recipe for you too. (De Etta if you have one that's better please let me know. Oh by the way our local cocoa conniseur (aka Jessica) has prononuced it fine. There are several out there that include non-dairy creamer which I didn't want so just look through them!.... one caveat is that this is still not as good as the kind made with sugar, milk and cocoa on the stove but it is just as good as the powdered stuff.

Cocoa

This recipe is off the Food Channel and I found it just by entering hot cocoa mix recipe into my search engine! (those in parenthesis are the measurements I used which = 4 times)

3/4 cup powdered milk (7 C)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (1 Tb)
3/4 cup sugar (6C)
1/2 cup cocoa powder (4C)
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (2 packages of mint chocolate chips -- opt)

This came out to $10.00 for 115 oz (7lbs of mix/1 gallon jar) - which is 18c/cup (2oz/cup-1/4cup)

without the chocolate chips it would be $6.00- 9.5c/cup

to give you an idea our local store brand was $3.00/30 oz -- $20c cup

and Swiss Miss at our store was $5.00/28 oz -- which is 32c cup

So it is cheaper and better for you to make your own, with the organic ingredients it would probably cost more but still be better in the long run!

Here's the marshmallows:

(I have made these before and they are yummy, make a BIG batch - one is more than enough for a cup of cocoa! Again some may not find these truly healthy but they are still better than store bought unless you can find/have your own marshmallow plant! This recipe is from Mary Janes Ideabook*Cookbook*Lifebook but you can find them on the Food Channel site as well)

9 packets of Chill Over Powder (I used regular gelatin and like 8 packs)

1 1/4 C Water 2 1/2 C Sugar 1 C light corn syrup

1/2 tsp salt 2 Tb Vanilla 2 egg whites

1/4 tsp cream of tarter

In a small saucepan dissolve gelatin in 3/4 C of cold water. (sprinkle over water and whisk). Place over medium heat, stirring constantly for 3 minutes (DO NOT go longer!) . Set aside -- will be thick paste.

In a 3 qt saucepan blen together 1/2 C water with sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to slow boil Continue to cook unstirred until candy thermometer reaches 240 F -- don't over cook or they'll be tough. Remove from heat, whisk in gelatin paste until dissolved and stir in vanilla.

In large mixer beat egg whites until frothy and add cream of tarter. Continue beating until soft peaks form. On low speed add sugar mixture in steady stream. After all the syrup is added, turn mixer to high and beat for 15 minutes (yes that's righ 15!)

Spread into a 9X13 pan that's been heavily dusted with powdered sugar. Dust top. Let dry overnight - or for 8 hours. Loosen mixture from pan by lifting around edges with knife (I ran mine under hot water). Turn out onto powdered sugar dusted cutting board. Dust bottom with powdered sugar again, cut into squares with a knife dipped in powdered sugar. Dust edges completely so they don't stick together. (It's not as much powdered sugar as it seems).... great with smores or cocoa!

Enjoy!

Basket Buddies

I miss mine!

Susan Miller was our speaker at Fall Worship & Study in 04 and she made the statement that "a basket buddy is someone who will climb in the basket with you when you're a basket case!"....

Life?

Ok so some friends have told me "that's just life" about a status I had on facebook

Stating that "I just wonder why everything has to happen at the same time: reintegration, retirement, dating issues, college stuff for the girls, kiddos leaving the nest (soon!), perimenopause, etc..." (didn't throw in our finances, extended family issues,etc). Maybe their right but it sure seems like everyone else gets to space those things out a little or only have two or three instead of ALL of them at the same time! I mean come on Lord....

However: feeling overwhelmed, saying "I thank God for Tim being home but this transistion sucks!", "Lord I know you're good and in all this but I'm not seeing it", "retirement is scary and a hard transition for civilians much less military" -- is not SIN! It's reality, and while it may not be tragic or life ending it is life changing and not easy! Saying that's life is NOT helpful.... saying I'm right there with ya, be praying for you, make a list of praises and challenges, how can I help/come alongside? or something along those lines IS.

and by the way I'm sorry but I still want to know what God was thinking by making hormone changes, kids leaving home, & husbands talking about retirement happen all at the same time?!!

Favorite Vacation..

Ok so I'm a couple days late but here's some of our vacation memories! Bear in mind though that many of our "Vacations" take place the same time as a PCS move to another place!

I don't know if I have one that's a favorite though --

Hubby and I went to Paris in 03 for 4 days sans kiddos, lots of coffee, french food, walking everywhere!, sightseeing, chocolate, wine and hot sticky nights (Aug with no air conditioning!)

Our Cross Country Trip in 2004 would be one as well... we picked up our new van in VA (AAFES) and drove to NY to the I Love Lucy Museum for dd, then over to Ohio to see fil, on to Chicago (American Girl Place for both dd's-- payment for babysitting while Mom was the FRG leader during deployment!), down Illinois to see friends, Thanksgiving at Cracker Barrel, Red River Army Depot in Texarkana, N. Arkansas to the Cook Homeplace, St. Louis, Precious Moments Chapel, GW Carver monument, friends in OK, mil in Waco, my family in AZ and to Fort Irwin CA!

Then this move which was fun from CA to KS as we took Route 66 all the way and stopped at great little out of the way diners (Kingman has awesome rootbeer!), sang songs from Cars, etc.

We visited Gila Gliff Dwellings with my Mom and Dad and reserved a B&B near the dwellings based on what we saw online! Well on the way there my Mom started having a panic attack and wasn't dealing with the twisty windy roads (ear issues) so we finally got there and she was all nervous and anxious. However the B&B was an old schoolhouse but was run by a bunch of hippies and while it was fine accomadations wasn't EXACTLY what we were thinking! A bit shabby round the edges and very much a communal breakfast with liberal ideas floating around! Needless to say Dad was ready to GO almost as soon as he got up! :) Did manage to get Mom a glass of wine and a dip in the natural hot tub (small) then visited the dwelling the next day and on to Silver City.

So many great memories along the way as well --- unexpected hospital visits in NM, traveling with two dogs and a rabbit, the Grand Canyon (where hubby and I met), White Sands (once a stopover every summer on the way to Ark, now our families general stop on the way to AZ), flights overseas, whirlwind tour of DC and Arlington when it was FREEZING cold, Noah freaking out because he realized he was stepping on live critters at Cabrillo Ntl Monument during a extreme minus tide, ....

Just a few of our adventures!

Mean Mom....

yep that's me! I so want one of these shirts...

http://www.meanmom.com/ then clickon our products

http://www.meanmomuniversity.com/index.html


and I added this blog to my site as well.

http://themeanestmom.blogspot.com/2008/01/about.html

Gotta laugh!

FOR TODAY: November 10th, 2009

• Outside my window... grey and chilly looking but it's supposed to be 60 today, wish the leaves would've stayed on the trees longer!
• I am thinking... that I need to finish this and move on, that our rat terrier is spoiled.
• I am thankful for... Coffee from my hubby this morning (he's on leave)
• From the learning rooms... HAVE to get the school records caught up and College transcripts for the girls done (AAAH!)
• From the kitchen... hmmm, cereal for breakfast - chicken chili for lunch, need to make a grocery and menu list and make bread.
• I am wearing... jammies (blush) - In & Out AZ tee and flannel pants with eldest dd's slippers!
• I am creating... this post at the moment! :)
• I am going... to call Julie today and schedule Jessica's senior photos!
• I am reading... Be Still and know that I am God by Amy & Judge Reinhold which Shellie Kelly gave me at PWOC Conference this week, Inkheart and In Every Pew there's a broken heart. Learning, about Lecto Divina always have more than one book going.
• I am hoping... to get those transcripts done today! or at least most of it..
• I am hearing.... my mantel clock chime, dogs toenails on our wood floor, son taking out the trash, and computer chill pad at the moment.
• Around the house... lots to catch up on after conference!
• One of my favorite things... morning snuggles with my 9 yo
• A few plans for the rest of the week: visiting Lebanon KS so Noah can say he too has been to the center of the contiguous United States, grocery shopping, Cowboy Joe party tonight for kiddos, AWANA, babysitting gigs for the girls, scrapbooking??



• Here is picture for thought I am sharing...
  

Thanks Mandy for the link!

Simple Woman's Daybook Info:http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Prov 31:27...

"She looks well to how things go in her household, and the bread of idleness (gossip, discontent, and self-pity) she will not eat."... Amplified Bible.

This verse has been coming back to me repeatedly of late. What exactly does looking well to the way things are in your household mean? Well it doesn't necessarily mean that it looks like your house - remember it says HER household - we all have different schedules, jobs,etc to manage.
Hubby's schedule and needs as a military man probably look very different from those of a pastor, or someone with a set schedule everyday, or for those who don't have a husband, etc. That's not bad, it just is.

What about the kiddos? How many you have/ages/gender and tastes will determine differences in this area as well.

I think looking well to your household means being on top of things, keeping things running smoothly and doing so cheerfully and yet it is more than that -- oh there's the budgeting,etc but i mean the spiritual side as well. Praying for said husband and children if you have them, meeting physical, spiritual and emotional needs and NOT comparing myself to Mary Jane down the road or a friend who has other needs. To often as women and particularly Christian women we tend ot think if we aren't quiet, always happy, never moody, and don't do things exactly the same as others then we are failing. The Church sometimes reinforces this idea with books on how to be the perfect Christian woman, others who say things like "if you..." or give ideas and scripture as if they were God, well meaning though they may be. Where's the grace for each other? To be sure we need to be Titus 2 women who teach and help younger women, but not in a way that makes them feel inadequate or that they somehow don't measure up.

What does the Lord require of you? That will look different for each of us, and in each season! Using store brought bread for a season if that's what you need will not kill your family, nor will eating out occasionally (notice I said occasionally :)) to use two random examples.

Ask the Lord to show you what looking well to your home's ways means for YOU

Homemaking...

Ok so it's not Friday, but I haven't posted in a bit:

Today -

managed to get a least some school done with the kiddos, making yogurt and keifer, laundry, ironing delegated, etc! Yea... first day in a bit we've been able to stay home and do stuff without places to go! We have AWANA tonight but that doesn't cut into the middle of the day so much... and it's SUNNY! yea!!!

Why do I bother?

Doesn't seem to make a diff to anyone anyhow. Everytime I think son is making progress he pulls stupid stunts, no replies on anything, really feel somedays it wouldn't matter if I dropped off the face of the earth nobody would notice...... I'm really tired of being the one to keep relationships going, etc...etc...etc....