Friday, October 26, 2007




What do you do with the pumpkins that you carved after Halloween. Don't throw them away! Try cooking them. Fresh pumpkin makes the best pies, breads, soups, and pumpkin rolls. It's sooo easy! Just cook them like you would any other squash. Wash it, cut it open with a sharp knife, and remove the seeds. Don't forget to save the seeds. They taste yummy cooked too. Cut up the pumpkin into smaller size pieces and place in cake pan with a little water. Cover with tin foil and bake 325' for 1 1/2 hours or until it pierces easily with a fork. After it's cool, you can just scrape out the flesh and let it rest in a colander to allow some of the water out. So easy! Try the fresh pumpkin next time in your favorite pumpkin recipe instead of canned pumpkin.

Here's my favorite Pumpkin Bread recipe (all 4 of my kids eat it up):

5 eggs
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
15 ounces fresh pumpkin (I just estimate from looking at a can)
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 packages cook and serve vanilla pudding
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

Beat the eggs. Add oil and pumpkin. Beat until smooth. Combine the
remaining ingredients in a separate bowl and gradually beat into pumpkin mixture.
Pour into 2 greased loaf pan. Bake at 325' for 75-80 minutes.

This is sooo yummy my whole family loves it! To make it extra fattening spread butter on your slice. Don't forget how health pumpkin is for you!

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Hi everyone! I'm mommy to 4 great kids. I have a daughter 13, son 11, son 7, and daughter 3. Each one has such different personalities! I love their differences. I now understand why people would always tell me, "Just wait till they become teenagers!" I found out why.

I like sharing what works for me and hearing ideas from other parents about their favorite tips.

The current discussion in our house is Myspace! I hate it! Don't get me wrong. I completely understand why kids want it and would probably want it too if I was a teenager today. My daughter wants one and I finally gave in. Did you ever go on your kids myspace? I had a heart attack! Hers was fine but other kids post the most terrible things. After much pleading, daughter promised she would have only 4 friends, she would not look at her friends' friends' sites, I will look at it whenever I want, and if her friends post anything obsene it's done. I actually like what one of her friend's mother did about it. She has her own myspace and he is her #1 friend. She is also his #1 friend. She can look at his anytime she wants to. What kid would post something inappropriate with his mother's picture looking down at him from his #1 spot? My husband thinks I'm crazy for letting her. We'll see what happens!