Menu Monday: Homemade Cheesecake Ice Cream

I made some cheesecake for Cherry Cheesecake bombs and I had some filling leftover.  I decided to make this AMAZING ice cream. I decided to use a buttermilk base and it was perfect - the tang from the buttermilk with the cheesecake bites- PERFECT. I'm really enjoying being "back" in the kitchen lately and experimenting and coming up with fun things to try. 

1 1/4 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla paste/1vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla

7 egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar, I used Vanilla Bean Specialty Sugar - you can use a cup, I just don't prefer things overly sweet

2 cups buttermilk

Maraschino cherries roughly chopped(with some juice reserved)

Vanilla bean cheesecake chunks  (I'll post that recipe soon also)

Graham cracker pieces- I gave the girls the option of graham crackers or oreos. They chose graham- I'm glad

Freeze the cherries and cheesecake in a single layer.

Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and set aside.

In a heavy bottom sauce pan stir the vanilla into the heavy cream. Bring it to a simmer.

Temper the cream and yolk mixture. I can't stress this enough. Be patient unless you want scrambled eggs. To temper add a little bit of cream to the yolk mixture and stir it. Add a little more and repeat to bring the yolks up to temperature and then add all the yolk mixture to the cream.

I put some cherry juice into the buttermilk. Stir it up and add it to the cream mixture. Transfer to a container and cool in the refrigerator.

Follow the instructions for your ice cream/gellato maker. Right before it's done stir in the yummy goodness that's in the freezer along with the graham crackers. Transfer it all to a container and finish freezing it.

Can it get any easier?

Post provided by the Please Give Peas a Chance Blog.

Sunday Momics: Making Baby Food!

Illustration by Rainey Niklawski from RichmondMommies.com, A3 for The Mommies Network

If you enjoy drawing or designing mom-centered comics of your own, consider contributing to our weekly "Momics" column! Send us an email at blogs@themommiesnetwork.org

Menu Monday: Rainbow Cake

Mondays can be great or one of those Mondays. For me today was one of those Mondays. My daughter decided to show everyone in BlockBuster what kind of demon crawled up in her by screaming and throwing her bag of M&Ms every where. She didn't stop screaming til we got to the car.


So I knew today was a good day to do some cake therapy. A good cake can take care of any problems. As soon as my daughter took her nap I hit the kitchen to make Rainbow Cake.

Rainbow Cake in Jar

1 box white cake mix made according to package instructions
Neon food coloring in pink, yellow, green, turquoise, and purple
3 one-pint canning jars
1 can vanilla frosting
Rainbow sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Thoroughly wash and dry the inside of each canning jar. Spray the inside of each jar thoroughly with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. Take your one box white cake mix and make according to package instructions. To be honest I messed up and didn't use egg whites in my cake. Still came out yummy.

Scoop about 1/2 cups of cake batter into five small bowls. It doesn’t have to be perfect, don’t panic if you get a little more of less of one color than another.  Tint each bowl of cake batter with the food coloring until very vibrant.

Note: I used more then 1/2 cups of cake batter in each bowl. I was cake hungry. If I do this recipe again I would only use 1/2 cup of cake batter for each bowl and make cupcakes with the extra batter. 

Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the purple batter into the bottom of each jar.  Spoon equal amounts of turquoise batter, then green, yellow, and pink. Note: I was not very clean with how I scooped the batter into the jars. I think next time I would use a funnel so the  different colors don't mix on the side of the jar. 

Place the jars in a shallow baking dish, add about 1/4″ in water in the baking dish. Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes.

Note: The cake will mushroom over the top. I used extra batter which caused the volcano effect. 

Remove jars and allow to cool completely before scooping a small portion from the top of your cake and adding a hefty dollop of vanilla buttercream to the top. Sprinkle & serve, or cover with a lid and store in the fridge. In the end you will have a unique dessert for your loved ones. This dessert didn't come out as clean as I had hoped, but it reminds me of those sand bottles you make at carnivals and festivals. The important thing is that I had a blast and it made my day end on a happy note. 

Post originally submitted to the CentralPiedmontMommies Blog on June 20, 2011

Sunday Momics: Unsolicited Advice!

Illustration by Rainey Niklawski from RichmondMommies.com, A3 for The Mommies Network

If you enjoy drawing or designing mom-centered comics of your own, consider contributing to our weekly "Momics" column! Send us an email at blogs@themommiesnetwork.org

Frugal Living: Tips for Making Extra Money

In this economy, we can all use some extra money to help pay the bills. The cost of basic necessities continues to rise, while companies are asking us to take pay cuts and are scaling back our benefits. So, how can we add to our incomes? Here are some things that you can do for your family:

• Yearly yard sales – Once a year we participate in a large yard sale with several other families. We look through our DVDs, CDs, books, children’s toys, kitchen appliances, the attic, the garage and all the closets for things we no longer use. We advertise on Craig’s list, in the local paper, on our local mommies’ network site and post signs. We have the yard sale in a high traffic area and make sure the public knows it is a multi-family yard sale. Depending on what you have to sell, you can walk away with several hundred dollars for just a few hours of work. At the end of the yard sale, look through what is left and decide what to do with the remains. Options include: swap amongst the friends there, donate to a local charity, take back home for another yard sale, or put it aside for a consignment sale.
  
• Take in work on the side – You may have a full-time job, but chances are you can also do some of that same work for yourself on the side. Are you a teacher? Tutor kids in their homes or yours, at the library or work part-time for a tutoring center. Are you an accountant or an attorney? Open up a consulting practice and take on clients on the evenings and weekends. Tell clients that you will come to them during off-peak hours.
  
• Turn a hobby into cash – Think about the things that you do for fun and brainstorm how you can turn that fun hobby into cash. Do you like to bake? Print out business cards at home or using an inexpensive online service to get your name out. Take your baked goods to meetings, school events, play dates and let people taste and see your wares for free. Get them hooked! Then offer to make cookies, cupcakes or other goodies for families that do not have the time or the inclination to bake. Are you an organizational diva? Do you like to knit or crochet? Are you a party planner extraordinaire? Does your husband collect baseball cards? Offer to help the packrats in your area, knit items and place them on etsy.com for sale, become THE party planner for your playgroup set, and sell those baseball cards at your local flea market.
  
• Direct sales – Many direct sales companies exist today. Think Mary Kay, Avon, Thirty-One Gifts, Tastefully Simple, Tupperware, Pampered Chef, Premier Designs. These companies offer women an excellent outlet for their creativity and people skills. Best of all you can set your own schedule and be your own boss. The key to success here is to pick a company and a product that you are passionate about. You will have a difficult time selling something that you do not believe in or can stand behind 100%. The biggest down-side to this option – it usually requires an initial out of pocket investment. Go to http://www.internetbasedmoms.com/direct-sales/ for a list of companies by category.
  
• Consignment sales – A consignment sale is a huge swap meet, usually geared towards children’s items. In our area, we have several sales that run twice a year. Gather all your baby equipment, toys, clothing, books, CDs, DVDs, arts and crafts supplies, bedding, car accessories, diaper bags, furniture and even maternity clothes. Rule of thumb is to price your items for 1/3 or less for what you paid for it retail. Most consignment sales require a small fee and will pay you 60% of your total sales. Generally, consignors can retrieve unsold items at the end of the sale or request that unsold items be donated to charity. Be sure to read the fine print in your consignment agreement as rules may vary.

Postpartum Anxiety: A Personal Account

So many people talk about postpartum depression these days, and yet the awareness we all hope for is not even remotely close to existing. So how can I begin to imagine that same awareness for those of us who experience postpartum anxiety? Or can I?

Towards the end of my pregnancy I found myself awake at night, thinking and thinking. And thinking some more.

What is going to happen with this baby? Will s/he be okay? Will *I* be okay? Will childbirth go okay? What if my water breaks and my husband isn't home? (It did, but he was home soon after.) Is it going to be like in the movies? (It wasn't.) I think I have to pee again. Do I really have to pee again? So soon? Ugh. I wonder if something is wrong that is making me have to pee or think I have to pee like 900x a night. Is it normal? Is it possible something is the matter with the baby?


Damn, how is he asleep? How can he just lay there and sleep that way? So easily? Damn him. Closed his eyes and rolled over and that's that. It's his baby, too. He's going to have to take care of it. It. Everyone thinks he's a he. But I don't know. Should I know? Shouldn't I know by now, instinctual-ly or something like that? Don't most expectant mothers have dreams that tell them what their babies are going to be and aren't they almost always right? Why haven't I had that dream yet? Well, I guess I should know - I mean I'm NOT asleep. How can I be dreaming up the gender of the baby if I can't even close my eyes and fall ... I think I really do have to pee now. Sigh.

And so it went. Night after night until I suddenly realized I couldn't take much more of it. I wasn't sleeping. And if I did fall asleep and eventually woke up to go to the bathroom I could not fall back to sleep. It would take hours of my mind racing before I was finally able to shut it down. If only for a little while. I was exhausted.

I was a stay-at-home not yet mom, and I was so tired I could barely function. And I was having a healthy pregnancy. A really healthy pregnancy, with no issues at all. What was my problem? I didn't know - but I knew enough to decide that it was time to find out. I called my doctor.

Now, mind you, this was a few months before baby arrived. I was able to monitor my anxiety and manage things with a small dose of prescription medication. It was the right thing at that time for me. After baby was born I was on alert. Would I be exceptionally moody? Uptight? Angry? Overly-hormonal? A friend of mine who had suffered from pretty intense PPD after her second child called regularly. 'You're doing alright?' she would ask.

And my answer was always a resounding 'Yes,' as I felt I was doing alright. In comparison to what I experienced talking to her nightly into the wee hours of the morning during her postpartum experience, I was doing amazingly well. And I loved my baby. I never wanted to put her down. I rarely wanted to step away from her, but did enjoy the R&R provided by having family in town, as I knew that would soon end.

And then family left and headed home. My husband went back to work regularly. And my baby and I? We were home. Alone. Together. With our pets. And that was pretty much it. Holy crap! What now?

My anxiety didn't skyrocket as one would expect. It wasn't a level of heightened anxiousness automatically for me. But man, as soon as she hit that 3 month-mark of colic, reflux or whatever else that was combined, I hit that wall. And as she grew and started rolling and moving some on her own, I started climbing it. The wall - that is. Get her crawling and I was all about upping my meds. The anxieties increased. The nights of not falling asleep multiplied, as I was already a new mom. I was breastfeeding. And I was awake nearly ALL. The. TIME.

I used to joke about my experience being PPD-lite. Meaning I didn't have the mood swings and such that many a PPD mom will reflect on. I even coined the term PPA in my mommies' PPD support group, thinking I was the first to think of it. Ha. What did I know? I was a new mom, ya know?

Obviously I made it through those early days. I found a way to hang in there, to survive. There was so much going on, but having people to talk to - to count on - to listen, that's what made it pass so smoothly. And to remind myself of how strong I was, that helped make it all okay. But the interesting thing to me about postpartum anxiety is that it never really, truly seems to go away. Because - after all - you are ALWAYS postpartum after your child is born. At least that is my perspective, four years+ into motherhood. And so the story continues ... stay tuned.

Post submitted by Andrea from TriangleMommies.comOriginally posted on her Blog, Good Girl Gone Redneck on July 23, 2011

Lunches to Go: Keeping it Interesting!

Hi ho, hi ho, it’s back to work I go!

That’s right, I recently returned to the work force after being a stay at home mom for the past six years. And you know what I learned? (Well besides the fact that moms on the clock deserve a lot of props!) Eating out every day is expensive!!

I was coming up with every excuse not to pack my lunch each morning. It took too much time…that extra fifteen minutes of sleep would really help later in the day. We didn’t have the right food in the house. I couldn’t bear the thought of another turkey sandwich. I don't want those leftovers. I was running late. I was out of sandwich baggies. I didn’t have the right “lunchbox.” (Yes, I actually used that one.)

And then I sat down and calculated how much I was spending each week: $25-35. Just on lunch for one person! And I only work four days a week. That means I would average $120 a month on my work lunches…more than I budget for an entire week’s worth of groceries and household items for my family of four. Surely, there must be another way.

So I decided to put myself to the test. I sat down and made a list of all the things I could pack in my brand new reusable lunch bag. (Yes, I actually bought a new one.) They are all things I can either make up ahead of time or put together quickly in the morning. I realized that not only did I spend literally a fraction of the cost, the lunches were enjoyable and I felt so much better eating real food instead of restaurant/fast food stuff every day. I’m sure I saved some calories too. Bonus!

Just in case there are others struggling with this dilemma, I wanted to share the little method I came up with. Not because I think it’s ingenious or anything, but because I know every penny saved in this economy is helpful. And sometimes it’s a heck of a lot easier to start when someone gives you a jumping off point to get you going.

First, I divided my list into three categories; breads, fillings, and sides. Next, I quickly jotted down my favorites for each one. Now all I have to do is choose one or two items from each category and add that to my weekly shopping list. Yours might be a bit different than mine, depending on what you like. But having a variety of your favorites will help your bagged lunch seem anything but boring!

Breads:
-Multi-grain (I love the kind with little seeds or oatmeal on top)
-Whole wheat
-Bagels (plain, whole wheat, everything, etc)
-Pita
-Wraps
-Sandwich thins
-Hard rolls
-Croissants

Filling:
-Tuna salad
-Deli meat
-Tomato slices with mayo
-Egg salad
-Chicken salad
-Veggies with hummus
-Bacon, lettuce, tomato
-Grilled chicken
-Peanut butter and banana
-Peanut butter and jelly
-Peanut butter and honey

Sides:
-Small salad
-Cup of soup
-Fruit
-Cucumber slices
-Baby carrots
-Pretzels
-Frozen grapes
-Yogurt
-Cottage cheese
-A pickle
-String cheese
-Crackers
-Cheddar cheese cubes
-Grape tomatoes
-Granola bars

You get the idea! Really, the list could go on and on. But separating it like this made it so simple!! I had everything I needed each morning, it was faster to assemble than I expected, and it provided me with enough variety that I haven't felt bored at all.

Got some of your own yummy ideas for “brown baggers” like me?? I’d love to hear them!!

Post submitted by Heather from UnionCountyMommies.com

Menu Monday: Easy BBQ Chicken

I usually struggle each week to come up with a weekly menu plan for my family. I am not a great cook and my family are picky eaters. Most days I am so tired by the time dinner rolls around that I just want something simple to cook for my family. I came across this BBQ Chicken recipe cooked on the stove. Which I thought was great because I love BBQ Chicken, but my husband is the grill master and I hate bugging him when he gets home from work to cook.

Ingredients

	1/2 cupFlour
	2 poundsBoneless, skinless chicken breasts; or thighs
	1/2 cupButter; one stick
	16 ouncesKraft Thick and Spicy Barbecue sauce; Brown sugar flavored is our favorite
	1 cupWater

Heat the butter in a large sauce pan on medium high heat.

Coat the chicken with flour. I marinated our chicken over night in Fat Free Italian dressing.

Brown the chicken quickly on both sides in the butter until just golden brown. Side Note: I think I browned my chicken to much. Also when placing your chicken in the butter be careful the butter will splash and it does hurt. Only a few choice words were said while browning.

While the chicken is browning, mix and heat the barbecue sauce and water in a smaller saucepan. I used Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue Sauce in this recipe.

When the sauce is warm and the chicken is browned, add the sauce to the chicken, stirring gently to coat the chicken in the sauce. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about an hour or until the chicken is tender.

After cooking you will have yummy BBQ Chicken for your family. Just make your favorite side dish and serve. I will say that this recipe was great, but doesn't substitute my love for the real BBQ Chicken.


Post originally submitted to CentralPiedmontMommies Blog on 6/14/11

Last Chance!

The Mommies Network National Auction closes Saturday, August 13, at 10 p.m. EST! There are but a few hours left to place your bids. With more than 600 items, ranging from boutique clothing to autographed books to tickets to Dollywood, there is sure to be something for every taste and budget.

Click on a link below to see what's what in each category!
Amusement Parks, Activities, and Travel
Beauty 
Books, Music, and Games
Children's Clothing
Classes and Lessons
Crafts, Collectibles, and Toys
Decor and Home Items
Dining
Fashion and Jewelry
Health and Fitness
Infant Items
Infant/Child Gear
Maternity and Breastfeeding
Miscellaneous
Party Time
Photography Packages

By bidding on an item, you are helping mommies all over the country! Twenty-five percent of the proceeds from The Mommies Network National Auction will benefit Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep. The remaining portion of the proceeds will go to furthering our mission:

To provide a safe, secure, FREE place for mothers to find support and encouragement from other mothers and to empower them to be better women, parents, and community leaders.

Menu Monday: Shrimp Fried Rice

There was leftover shrimp and rice in the fridge at the IL's house so fried rice seemed like something easy and fast to make. No real recipe just make sure you use cold rice. I also got some help from Pixie girl with recycling.

Cold cooked Jasmine rice
Cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp
Soy sauce
Oyster sauce
White pepper
1 clove garlic crushed
Olive oil
Snow peas
2 eggs- beaten
Green onion for garnish

Heat the oil in a wok and add the garlic. Cook until fragrant. Toss in the snow peas and cook until crisp tender. Remove from wok. Heat a little more oil in the wok and scramble the eggs, add the rice, soy sauce, oyster sauce, white pepper and toss. Add the snow peas and shrimp, heat through.

Don't worry, she's strapped in and we were right there. Ooohing and ahhing over her cuteness.














Post provided by the Please Give Peas a Chance Blog.

The National Auction has Arrived!

It is said that it takes a village to raise a child, but it also takes a community to support a mother and to provide her with the resources, encouragement, and opportunities necessary for her to be her best. With more than 90 local chapters and a national site that reaches all moms, The Mommies Network provides that community.

We are a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide a safe, secure, FREE place for mothers to find support and encouragement from other mothers and to empower them to be better women, parents, and community leaders. Our philosophy is that no one should have to pay a fee to make a friend, so we offer free membership to any mother within the community who wishes to join. Members gain camaraderie and support through an online forum that is available 24 hours a day, as well as local events where mothers can meet and develop friendships that last a lifetime.

This August, The Mommies Network is hosting our second annual National Auction and will donate 25 percent of the funds raised to Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, a national network of volunteer photographers who "introduce remembrance photography to parents suffering the loss of a baby with the free gift of professional portraiture … [to] serve as an important step in the family's healing process by honoring their child's legacy." The remaining 75 percent of funds raised will be used to further the mission of TMN to provide support to moms across the country.

We believe that by working together, mothers can change the world — one family, one neighborhood, one community at a time. The Mommies Network is a connecting force, helping us each to make a difference in our own lives, in our families, and in the places we call home.

How to Cope With "Stay at Home Burnout"

Being an at home parent may be the best job you'll ever get, but it's HARD. You're on call 24/7, and when you go on vacation, you still have the same responsibilities. And if you have a home business or work at home job, life can be even more challenging.

The first step to coping with burnout is preventing it in the first place. Don't overfill your schedule with activities for the kids or yourself. Take a little time for yourself every day. You don't need to be alone, but you do need to relax a little. Whether this may be during the kids' naps or when they're in school, even taking just a few minutes for you can really help. Then you can take advantage of the time to get things done with a clear head.

Make sure your expectations and those of your family are realistic. If you're running a home business or have a work at home job, you can't be expected to keep as perfect a house as a mother who does not. Pick a day to do the laundry, the vacuuming and other housework that doesn't need to be done on a daily basis and leave it until then - unless the urgent need arises, of course.

When you get angry, don't consider yourself an imperfect or bad parent. We all get angry sometimes. What is more important is how you react to the anger.

Make sure you get enough sleep. The more tired you are, the more stress you are going to feel, and the harder it will be to cope with it. If necessary, take a nap at the same time as the kids do, so they're not getting into trouble for lack of supervision.

Plan fun activities once in a while to relieve stress. Depending on your needs and the needs of your family, this can be alone or with the entire family. Go to the beach, a park, zoo, mall, wherever it is you can relax and just have fun.

Consider planning or even cooking meals and snacks in advance. It's easy to give your children healthy snacks if you have sliced vegetables and/or fruits ready to go in the fridge. A few minutes' work early in the week can save you time. Meals may also be prepared in advance and frozen for those nights when you're simply too tired to cook. Plan your meals for leftovers that will freeze well, and say goodbye to expensive frozen dinners from the grocery store.

If writing out your schedule helps you, then keep a written schedule. If it makes you feel overwhelmed, then don't. Just because your best friend says it keeps her on schedule to have a calendar with everything she needs to do on it doesn't mean the same will work for you.

Finally, don't let other parents make you feel you owe them favors just because you're at home and “have time. You're doing a full time job taking care of your family, not just loafing. Your schedule may be just as full as theirs, if not more so.

Originally posted on StatesvilleMommies.blogspot.com

The National Auction is Coming! Want a Sneak Peek?