Brown Sugar Glaze Meatloaf

I love myself a good challenge. I love them so much that I create them on a daily basis, like: accomplish these 6 things before dinner, clip my 2 month old son's toenails even though he's ticklish, create a card that looks store bought, and in this case, create a meatloaf that even kids will enjoy.

This recipe is what I came up with, with the help of Allrecipes.com, my favorite recipe bank. I'm convinced that I beat the challenge, but let me know what you think.

Brown Sugar Glaze Meatloaf

I never knew how important nice plates would be when taking food pictures. Next challenge: buy some pretty plates.

Ingredients:

Meatloaf:

• 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3/4 cups breadcrumbs or finely crushed Saltine crackers 

Glaze:

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Optional: 1 1/2 slices of bread on the bottom of the sprayed loaf pan to absorb excess grease, bacon on top

Makes: 1 5x9 loaf of meatloaf

Directions:

   1.  In a medium mixing bowl, mix all of the meatloaf ingredients. 

   2.  Lightly grease a 5x9 inch loaf pan. Pack the meatloaf into the pan.

   3.  In a small bowl, mix all of the glaze ingredients. Spread over the top of the meatloaf.

   4.  Bake at 350 degrees for an hour or until the juices are clear. 

   5.  Enjoy! I preferred the meatloaf all mixed up so that the glaze was in every bite, but it definitely looks better in slices. Either way it's good!

This recipe was made using a compilation of reviews on the Brown Sugar Meatloaf page of Allrecipes.com. 

MM: You Never Know

Mormon Message: You Never Know

There's a chance that you'll hear this from me about every Mormon Message, but this video warms my heart. I struggle to think of a better way to put it.

Throughout the whole start I feel irritation with how much pressure the mom is putting on herself. Doesn't she know that she's overbooked?! Then I realize that there's no Dad in this picture - anywhere, and that she is doing everything on her own.

Right about the time that I realize this, her son ends the night with a prayer and says, "we thank thee that we could get all the things done that you needed us to do today" and my perspective again changes. I remember how many times I've broken down, feeling inadequate, and my husband reminded me that next year I won't even remember doing/not doing most things on that day's list. I remember how easy I have it now and that life will get much harder.

Then comes the voice of the prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley and the slideshow like display of the impact she was able to have during that one, hectic Thursday. I just know this was a Thursday. It always seems to be the hardest day. Her son won the science fair, thanks to her taking the time to help him on an already chaotic morning.  Her friend was able to go to her doctor appointment and have the time to grieve hard news before reuniting with her daughter. And one unmentioned success: her son understood that prayers are an important part of the bedroom routine and was willing to say one.

"You never know how much good you do." In this mom's case, those words ring true and if for her, why not for me? I know that I can't or don't always express my gratitude to others for what they do for me and I imagine that the same thing could be said by all of us.

This video gives me hope that I've been a lasting, positive influence for someone out there and makes me want to do more. Maybe I'll take a meal to someone this week, or visit the local veteran's home with Sawyer (older people love babies, right?).

The beautiful thing is that the options are endless.

How to Switch a Pacifier Clip from Fitting Rings to Fitting Soothies

Hallelujah for pacifiers!

Baby Sawyer loves his pacifier and we love him loving his pacifier as it means we aren't always holding a soggy fist (which is what goes in his mouth when there isn't a pacifier).  Sucking on things puts him to sleep fast and helps him to be pretty much fuss-free during the day. I know that each baby is different and that not all babies accept a pacifier, but we are so glad that Sawyer took the hospital provided Soothie pacifiers one a day after being born (risky, we know, but we surveyed the nurses at our hospital and none had ever seen nipple confusion resulting from anything but a bottle since it releases milk and a pacifier does not). Here's what WebMD thinks about it's use: link. Please note: pacifier is a derivative of the word pacify. They're legit.

Lately, we've been having trouble keeping track of his pacifiers. Sometimes he spits them out while we carry him and they of course launch to the most difficult spot to reach under our bed, collecting various hairs and dust along the way. Our solution? A pacifier clip! I ordered ours from Amazon last week and have been getting antsy waiting for its arrival. Needless to say, I was pretty disappointed when I looked at the package and saw ''fits all pacifiers with rings."

Notice any incompatibilities?

Since I ordered them online and had already waited a week, I decided to flip my crafty girl switch and figure out a way to make it work. And it did! This was a proud moment for me. Since I know that I cannot be the only person out there who struggles with reading labels before purchasing items, I hope that my discovery help someone else too.

Switching a Pacifier Clip from Only Fitting Pacifiers with Rings, to Fitting Those Without

Materials:

• A tiny segment of cord (it should be thin enough to go through the pacifier hole twice) 
• Scissors
• Pacifier clip
• Pacifier

Directions:

     1. Cut the plastic ring clasp and remove it from the pacifier clip

     2.  Take the cord and thread it through the fabric loop at the end of the clip (where the ring clasp just came off) then tie it into a knot that holds when either side is tugged. Cut off any extra. 

     

   3. Slide the tied cord through one of the pacifier holds like you would thread a needle. Depending on the thickness of your cord, you may want to double it. 

    4. Stretch the cord and slide the pacifier clip through, starting at the opposite end. 

That's it. Your pacifier clip has now been transformed from the bottom example to the top. 

Take a moment and let me know if this worked for you!

*Note: I also tried this with a thicker nonelastic cord and it feels much sturdier. Here's a picture of the end result:

Zucchini Chocolate Cake

I live on a farm, have I ever told you that? It's not a moo-moo farm, but a U-pick farm that grows pretty much any fruit and vegetable that I could ever want. This post was inspired by a freakishly long zucchini, fresh from the garden that was starting to bad. Waste not I say! I've discovered that zucchini can be added to pretty much anything to make it more moist without altering the flavor. In this recipe, it makes for a deliciously moist chocolate cake that everyone is surprised to hear contains a healthy zucchini. 

Zucchini Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 3 cups grated zucchini (1 foot-long zucchini) 
• optional: 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or 3/4 cup chocolate chips, whipped topping or frosting

Healthier alternative: Replace half of the oil with applesauce and half of the all-purpose flour with wheat flour. 

Directions:

     1.  In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
     2.  Mix in the eggs and oil, then add the zucchini and any nuts or chocolate chips. If you have never worked with a zucchini before, here is what I did: I sliced it down the middle longways, removed the seeds, then grated it with the peel still on. I used a small hole on my grater so that the peel would not be noticeable. It was quick and easy.

     3.  Pour into a greased 9x13 baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
     4. Allow cake to cool completely before adding frosting.

*This recipe was compiled using the Allrecipes Chocolate Zucchini Cake III Recipe and the corresponding user reviews. 

Basil Pesto Ravioli

I aspire to cook like my mother-in-law. She can create a brilliant meal out of anything. For example, this ravioli which was a big hit for our family and took only 2 ingredients. I prefer this sauce to the standard meat sauce.

Basil Pesto Ravioli

Ingredients: 

Please note: Dave the goldfish is NOT a part of the recipe.  

• 1 package of ravioli 
• 1 jar of basil pesto

Directions: 

1. Cook the ravioli according to package directions
2. Drain the ravioli, then add the sauce. This can be done to all the ravioli at once or after dishing it into servings. I added about 2 tablespoons per serving. 
3. Consume with delight

Key Lime Pie

Mexico. When I take a bite of this pie, that's where my imagination takes me. I hear the mariachi band playing, the maracas shaking, and the colorful, ruffled skirts swaying to the beat. If you, like me, want a tropical vacation without being able to take a week away from a life, this pie may just be for you.

Key Lime Pie

I used canned whipped cream so you'll just have to imagine a fluffy little cloud in the middle

Ingredients

• 4 large egg yolks - if you are unsure how to separate the yolk and white, enjoy this tutorial
• 5 limes
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 pie crust - I made my own found here
• optional: whipped cream, 

Directions

1. Grate and juice the limes. You will need 4 tsp of lime zest and 1/2 cup of lime juice.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the lime zest and egg yolks until green. Whisk in the condensed milk until smooth, then whisk in the lime juice.
3. Cover the mixture and set aside to thicken for about 30 min.
4. Bake the pie crust if it is not precooked then pour in the filling while the crust is still warm. 
5. Bake pie at 325 degrees until the center is firm, but slightly jiggly (such a fun word to say), about 15 minutes. Allow to solidify in the fridge if you're the patient type, or if you're like me, devour immediately. 

This recipe comes from the cookbook Cook's Illustrated Cookbook.

The Baby Diaries: Hospital Stay

I had a baby.

I rocked pregnancy. I rocked labor. And now I had a newborn baby to care for. 

When I was pregnant, it seemed that everyone had a piece of advice. Most of it was unsolicited so I just smiled and nodded. It fell mainly along these lines: "Don't expect to sleep at night...or during the day...really, just don't plan to sleep," "He will cry inconsolably for hours and hours and hours," "Each outfit will only get a few hours of wear before the poo and spit-up make an appearance...and that goes for your own outfits too," etc. Sure I was told that he'd be really cute and I'd love holding him, but that was rarely the focus of conversation. I was starting to wonder if having a baby could really be worth it. 

I'm tired, but not in the way I expected. I'm tired of people solely depicting the hardships of being a new mom. I'm angry, but not for the reason I expected. I'm angry that people don't talk much about the sweet moments of parenthood. They mention the funny: I knew having a kid would grant me funny stories, but I didn't know about the sweet. Maybe it's because many of the sweet moments have an almost sacred feel, but I wish I'd known that they'd happen so frequently. My goal is to share ALL of motherhood: the sweet, the exhausting, and the things I learn along the way. 

Maybe you know/knew exactly what to expect with your first baby and think that I'm overdoing it. If so, you likely had plenty of experiences with babies before your own. That is not my story. I'm the youngest child of 5 and I'm the first to have a baby. I babysat some, but had no idea what to do with babies so I didn't enjoy it. This post is for people with a more similar background to me, or anyone really, who wants to know what makes being a mom worth it. 

Sawyer is already 2 months old, but I want to start at the beginning. Thankfully, this is possible since I write in my journal every day. I write his age, his milestones, our routines, and my feelings. I haven't missed a day since we got back from the hospital (I am unabashedly tooting my own horn at that) and while Sawyer is currently only 2 months old, I've already referenced it several times. 

Things you should know before reading The Baby Diaries: 

1. My entries will be blunt as I think it is ridiculous that our culture leads us to be embarrassed over our bodies doing what they were created to do. I'll make a point not to be overly graphic, but there are a lot of things that I wish people would have told me that happen during childbirth or with a baby that they held back due to embarrassment. 

2. This is MY story. Yours will be different, but you likely have some similarities. For example, becoming a mom has been a very spiritual experience for me, but that may not be the case for everyone. 
3. There will be some things I won't share, particularly if it involves someone else, like my husband. Some of these experiences are very personal and I think justice can still be done for you, dear reader, in simply knowing that there are things that I, a very open writer, see as too dear to display to the public. 

Here we go.