My grade school friend, Jennifer Treiber, was the daughter of our school cafeteria cook. You know how most people complain about school food? Well, I cannot relate to such nonsense. Our school cafeteria had the best food. Poor Boy sandwiches that I have never had anything compare to. Chicken Supreme that was too good to be wasted on the grade school palate. Cinnamon rolls that were so ooey and gooey they would practically melt in your mouth.

I would often go over to Jennifer’s house to play and would end up staying for dinner. When I was there, her mom would always make us homemade chicken strips and french fries. It was her special meal that she would make when I was there because she knew how much I loved them. I had never had chicken strips and fries that tasted so out of this world delicious!

Birthday’s were a pretty big deal in our house growing up. My mom, who was also a fantastic cook, would always let us choose what we wanted for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I would choose things like Funnel Cakes for breakfast, and my mom would happily oblige.  Chocolate cake for lunch? Sure… coming right up. One year, whatever year it is when you become a major brat, my mom asked me what I wanted for my birthday dinner. When I told her that I wanted homemade chicken strips and french fries she delivered. When she placed my wish meal out on the table, I took one look at the chicken and fries and balked… “I don’t want your chicken strips and fries. I want it to be like the kind Mrs Treiber makes!” Being the age of bratiness, I didn’t take one single bite. Can you imagine how much my mom probably wanted to smack my smug little face? I am sure she was so proud of making exactly what she thought I wanted, and here I go and repay her by being a complete jerk.

I am sure I hurt my moms feelings (sorry mom!), but even after that show of ungratefulness my mom called Mrs Treiber to find out what her secret was. The fries were normal homemade fries, deep fried and salted to perfection. The chicken strips? Schwans. Yep… the chicken strips that I raved and raved about and stabbed my poor mom in the heart about were frozen, deep fried, Schwans chicken strips!

I cannot make homemade french fries of any kind without thinking of Jennifer, her mom and that birthday dinner. I can tell you that tonight, when I sat the fries out on the dinner table, my four year old took one look and said “I thought you said we were having french fries with dinner… I want fries like McDonalds, Mom!”

And what is it they say about paybacks? I have a feeling, I’m about to find out!

Zesty Oven Baked Fries, from Recipezaar

A little bit of housekeeping…

When I was much younger, 6th or 7th grade,  I spent the night at my friend Ginny McReynolds house. It was a warm night and as we got into her bed I pulled the light blankets up over me, and then did as I often did and maneuvered myself so my feet stuck out at the end.

“You can’t do that!!!”, she screamed. “You need to keep your feet inside the covers. If some bad guy comes in to get us, you are making it too easy for him. He can just grab your feet and pull you out. If you at least have your feet tucked in, it will be harder for him to get you.”

Terrified, I pulled my feet in under the covers. I don’t think I slept at all that night… worrying about the “bad guy” who was going to come and untangle me out of the covers.

Would you believe that this many years later, every night when I get into bed, I think of Ginny McReynolds. Every single night, I go to put my feet out of the covers and every single night, I slip them back in… not wanting to give the “bad guy” an easier way to “get me”. Yes, I am nearing 35 years old and am still fearful of this random “bad guy”. Ginny’s advice from that many years ago has stuck with me.

What, do you say, does this have to do with those yummy muffins photographed above? Well, I’ll tie that in loosely right here. When I was pregnant with my first child, I had horrid morning sickness. Morning, noon and night sickness is more like it. One day, a co-worker of mine brought in some chunky apple breakfast bars. They were kind of like muffin texture, but in bar form. They were delicious. I ate and ate and ate those chunky apple breakfast bars. Then, within minutes of devouring the delicious bars, my child decided that he wanted to have nothing to do with those bars and decided to send them right back up. Sparing the details, that was the only day that I ended up going home from work my entire pregnancy. I was sooooo sick. Since then, that memory of the apple bars and my unruly tummy has been stuck in my brain. I could eat apple pie still, but any kind of other apple cake type thing turned my stomach upside down.

I have since decided that this is nonsense. Why should the memory of that one situation keep me away from something I loved so much? In order to show myself who is boss, I decided to start off slowly with some Apple Pie muffins. I didn’t want to go straight into the apple bars.. that would have been too crazy, but muffins I can handle, and did handle! These muffins with the small diced up apples, the lovely crispy topping, and the cinnamon flavor are amazing. My gag reflex didn’t even ignite once. Now, doesn’t that make you want one of these? Seriously, they are yummy!

Glad I took the chance on these. Now… if I can only just do something about that “bad guy” grabbing my feet in the middle of the night.

Apple Pie Muffins (adapted from Recipezaar)

45 min | 20 min prep

SERVES 18

My family loves fish. Well, I am not sure if that is exactly true. My family loves fish that does not taste like fish. If the fish has a fish flavor, the fish is not loved. However, if I can spice up and drown out the fishy flavor of the fish, then the fish is gobbled up. So, my family likes fish as long as it tastes nothing like fish. Make sense?

Last week I saw a tip that said “To capture the flavor of your fresh caught fish, soak it in milk”. So, is this to actually keep the fresh fish flavor of the fish then? For those people who actually want their fish to taste like fish? I guess for those of you who live near the coast and have access to fish fresh from the sea, then fish tasting like fish is actually not a bad thing? Here in Kansas, we can get fresh from the pond catfish, but trust me… you don’t want it tasting fishy. Deep fry and season the hell out of that sucker so it tastes nothing like the pond it came from!

Anyway, we have non-fishy tasting fish at least a couple of times in our house. Cod, because of the ease to make and the ability to simply get rid of the fishy fish flavor, is a favorite. If you like your fish to not be fishy then give this non-fishy flavored fish recipe a try. You won’t even know you are eating fish, which makes me wonder.. why not just eat chicken?

Lemon Baked Cod (from Recipezaar)

35 min | 10 min prep

SERVES 4

Spending a vacation in a South Texas retirement community brings on some interesting observations from a 34 and younger point of view.

• Just because older people have bigger ears, does not mean they can hear better (keenly observed by my 4 year old).
• For older men, shorts and knee-high socks seems to be the hottest trend of the season. Black socks with white tennis shoes? Even hotter!
• Speeding through the retirement community, on a golf cart, at a careless speed of 15 miles per hour can bring people out of their homes to check out what all the raucous is about.
• It would be a rare occasion that you would find a 20 year old male with a small dog named Pudding, Fifi or Muffin. Apparently, in this retirement community, the smaller the dog and the foofier the name, the better.
• Putting little kids in front of the retirees immediately elicits ohhhh’s and ahhhh’s from their mouths and requires an immediate pat on the head to be given to the little ones. “Enjoy them while they are young… it goes by so fast”, is wistfully mentioned at some point during the conversation.
• These people are so happy. Yes, there are the old biddies who have nothing better to do than complain, but for the most part living surrounded by palm trees and not having to go to work every day seems to bring out the best in people!

We are enjoying our vacation despite hurricane Dolly interfering. We had one great day at the beach… every thing about it was perfect. The rest of our week will most likely be spent indoors and inland as the skies are dark, the wind is high, and the rain is pouring down.

In the meantime, I have a beer can chicken recipe to share with you that has absolutely nothing to do with this post. Enjoy!

Beer Can Chicken

1¾ hours | 5 min prep

SERVES 4

• 1 (4 lb) whole chicken
• 1 (16 ounce) can beer (tall boy)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons dry rub seasonings (your favorite)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

I’m going to start this post off with a self-slap to my face, a shake, and a loud, “Kristen…get a hold of yourself!!!”. I need to pull it together, and I need to do so quickly. I have been an emotional wreck this week thinking about my middle daughter, Kelly, starting Kindergarten. I know this is normal for moms… heck, I went through it on a slightly less erratic level last year when Jacob started kindergarten. However, the kicker is… I have an entire year before Kelly starts kindergarten, and I am a wreck NOW.

This crazy irrational emotional business started last week when I was filling in the 2008-2009 school calendar for Jacob’s 1st grade year. I started in August, and before I knew it I was already writing “LAST DAY OF SCHOOL” in the month of May. It took me no time at all to zip through the year and get all of the school related functions written in. I feel like with the way time is flying, it is going to be exactly that speedy of a year, and then my darling girl will be setting free to start Kindergarten.

I was emotional when Jacob started Kindergarten. I had apprehension and sadness about my baby leaving the nest. The emotions I am feeling with Kelly are ten times more intense. I honestly believe it is because she is my middle one and because of that has been sandwiched in the middle of these two other kids for most of her life. In relation to that, she has been more independent than my other two and has needed me less. I feel like my time with her has especially zoomed by because honestly, she gets the least of it. She demands the least of it and therefore is the one who is always just content to take what she gets and appreciate it.

I swear, Kelly wakes up some mornings and I look at her and think, “Oh my goodness… when did she get so big? When did she become a little girl instead of my baby? Where did the time go to?”

For the next year, I’ve decided that what I must do is to avoid the issue. Anytime the word Kindergarten comes up, I am just going to have to pretend I didn’t hear it and not even think about it. Otherwise, if I let it build up for the entire year, I will be that mom on the front lawn of the grade school, who is in complete hysterics, being carted off to the mental hospital.

Sometimes, issue avoidance is the best way to go, don’t you think? Just like this lovely coffee cake I made this week. Take a look at the recipe and notice the amount of sugar and butter. Yep - a little overboard isn’t it? Add to that the cream cheese factor, and your arteries will probably begin to clog up just thinking about it.

That is why my motto is going to be… Just Don’t Think About It. If you think too long and hard about the amount of fat and calories in this coffee cake, you will talk yourself out of eating it. Missing a piece of this tasty coffee cake just would not be worth all the fuss over calories and fat.

Just Don’t Think About It… that is what I will be doing this year so I don’t miss out on life now with Kelly. I will not dwell on the future, but will appreciate and cherish the now. I hope you sit down with a piece of coffee cake and do the same.

Buttery Cream Cheese Coffee Cake, from Recipezaar

1¼ hours | 25 min prep

SERVES 12

CAKE

• 1 cup butter (no substitutes)
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

FILLING

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

TOPPING

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup butter (semi-soft)

I have a horrible fountain drink addiction. I used to never drink soda/pop/cola/coke of any kind. Once I had my first child, a trigger went off inside of me and I had a sudden caffeine crazed addiction of the fountain drink variety.

I have tried off and on over the years, without a whole lot of success, to break this habit. I will do good for a few weeks and then will break down and fall down the slippery slope, yet again.

My mom once told me that the easiest way to break a habit is to replace it with another habit. With that brilliant piece of advice in mind, I have now found something that I really believe will be a sufficient fountain drink habit breaker.

Care to join me?

Mudslide (from Recipezaar)

5 min | 5 min prep

SERVES 1

• 1 1/2 ounces vodka
• 1 1/2 ounces Baileys Irish Cream
• 1 1/2 ounces Kahlua
• 8 ice cubes
• 1 1/2 ounces cream
• 1 scoop vanilla ice cream
• 2 scoops chocolate ice cream

• Frozen Lemonade Cocktail, from Sweetnicks
• Frozen Blackberry Margaritas, from Patty’s Pantry NYC
• Pina Colada Slush, from Divine Domesticity
• Raspberry Champagne Cocktail, from Posie’s Place

I am a big, fat crybaby. I’ll just get that out in the open right now. I can be at a wedding of people I don’t even know well and the music will start, and I am bawling. Someone can tell me a story about something sad that happened, and without even hearing all of it, I’m bawling. Put a bunch of graduating high school seniors in front of me, and tears are streaming down my face simply because I picture my kids there in just a few years. I  apparently was given one of those over sensitive crying triggers.

One thing that brings me to tears without fail is someone singing The National Anthem. The flag is waving, the song is pouring out from someones soul, and I am instantly in tears. I get overwhelmed with emotion… a sense of thankfulness and compassion washes over me. I cannot help but think that the life of freedom we have today is in part due to all of the people who gave (and are still giving) the ultimate sacrifice in order to protect our country. Men and women leave the comfort of their homes and families behind to make my world a better place to be in. That is a dedication I will never understand but that I appreciate from the bottom of my gratitude filled heart.

If you live in the United States, please have a safe and happy Independence Day. If you see someone who is in the military, a Veteran who has served our country… or if you even see the family members of one of these brave soldiers… please stop and give them a rightful thank you. It is because of them that we can fly our flags high and be thankful that we live in the U.S.A.

Berry Stuffed French Toast with Vanilla Yogurt Sauce, from Recipezaar

15 min | 15 min prep

SERVES 4

• 2 cups fresh mixed berries, about 1/2 lb (blueberries, sliced strawberries, raspberries or blackberries)
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (6 ounce) container low-fat vanilla yogurt
• 10 ounces French bread (1 small loaf)
• 1 egg
• 1 egg white
• 1/3 cup low-fat milk
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• nonstick cooking spray

Do you ever hear of a business idea and think, “That is just genius… why didn’t I think of that?” I do that all the time. In fact, I often have these brilliant ideas and then do nothing with them only to have someone come along later and make millions off of the idea.

I have a new business idea that popped into my head this weekend, and I am going to run with it, finally. I wrote out a plan of sorts today and just need to figure out the next steps. However, figuring out what those nexts steps are is the hardest part. But, this time, I am going through with it. I know I can do this and I have confidence in the idea. I just need to feel the fear of failing and do it anyway. If any of you have any know how in this and know of any resources to use to get started, I would welcome the advice!

Speaking of “Why didn’t I think of that?”, how about this recipe for a ham and cheese rolled omelet? I think it is absolutely genius and it was so easy to make. Mix it up, pop it in the oven, and after a few finishing touches you have a yummy and impressive breakfast on the table. Genius, I tell you… absolutely genius!

Baked Ham and Cheese Omelet Roll, from Recipezaar

30 min | 10 min prep

SERVES 4 -6

• 6 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup cooked ham, chopped or
• 9 slices of any deli ham
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

I try not to let too many things get to me… really I don’t, but sometimes people just push a button one too many times and I get annoyed enough to say something.

I will probably get reamed for this, and that is fine, but if I see one more person flaming someone else about their choice to use convenience foods in their cooking, I am going to lose it. Why does it matter what someone uses when they are cooking for their OWN family in their OWN kitchen? Why do some people take that so personally?? Really? In my opinion, everyone has to start somewhere in the kitchen, and if people aspire to go beyond the Bisquick and Cream of Mushroom Soup, then that is their perogotive. The point is, they are cooking. They are trying to learn a new skill and are attempting to create meals at home for their family to enjoy. If it takes a short-cut for them to be able to do that, then fantastic. At least they are doing that and are forgoing the trip through the drive through. By spending time in the kitchen they are gaining the confidence to step out of that “box mixed mentality” and will someday, if they desire, move beyond. If not? Who cares??

OK - I feel better now… thanks for letting me vent.

For those of you who do want to go beyond the box cake mix to something that is seriously just as easy, put this recipe in your repertoire. Requiring no eggs or milk, this is one of those easy pantry cakes that tastes fantastic. You will be hard pressed to find a cake out there that is as moist and delicious.

One Pan Fudge Cake (from Recipezaar)

I know I often complain about being stuck in the Midwest and I long for being a living part of the pages of Coastal Living, but I will say this… we live in a great neighborhood. This weekend has been full of food, friends and fun. Friday night we went to a block party across the subdivision and enjoyed the company of neighbors as we all ate, conversed and watched our kids play. Same thing on Saturday night… an evening of great conversation, yummy food, and fun times.

Sunday, I volunteered at something called the Jiggle Jam, which was a great kids event at the Crown Center in Kansas City, MO. I worked at the beverage tent, of all things, while my husband got to drag the kids all over the event by himself in the heat of the day. Needless to say by the time my four hour shift was over, my husband was very ready to head home and was completely “Jiggle Jammed” out. We got home, changed into our swimsuits and headed up to our subdivision pool for a quick dip to cool off. While there, we ran into our good friends/neighbors and decided to invite them over for drinks on the deck that night.

I made up a big pitcher of Mojitos, a batch of guacamole, and they came over around 7pm for a relaxing evening of catching up and enjoying the gorgeous summertime air. As we were sitting there, another one of our neighbors walked by and I invited them to come on over when they were through with their walk.

We had a lovely evening, ending when the storms started to roll through around 11pm. Weekends like this is what makes me think I never want to leave my house, my neighborhood, the Midwest, etc. Friendships, camaraderie, good neighbors.. you can’t find this just anywhere. I feel very blessed to have it right here in my own backyard.

Mojitos by the Pitcher (from Recipezaar)