Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Friday, October 26, 2007

Let them eat cake!

Late one evening while breastfeeding I saw a cooking show on late night TV that really caught my attention. The gourmet chef made a very special birthdays cake. Looking down at my suckling six week old, I just knew I had to try to make this cake!

I waited 46 weeks for DJ and Anderson's birthdays to come and I copied the cake that chef made...I knew it would be the hit of the party. And it was..... it brought new meaning to two key phrases: "Eat your veggies" and the famous, "Let them eat cake!".

Here is the finished product. YUMMY!



Here is the recipe:

(You can use your own family meatloaf recipe or my veggie-stuffed favorite)

1 pound ground hamburger
1 package firm tofu (or more hamburger)
1/4 cup chopped up red and green peppers
1/4 cup chopped up broccoli
1 chopped up onion
1 clove of garlic crushed
1 diced zucchini
2 shredded carrots
2 eggs
1 cup crushed up crackers
1/4 cup diced cheddar cheese
1/4 cup ketchup

Mix all ingredients into a big bowl.

Divide mixture into two sprayed cake pans and cook till meatloaf is done. Let cool.

Make up a HUGE amount of mashed potatoes - or as they are called in our house: SMASHED POTATOES. You will need enough to use as icing for your cake and decorate.

I put some in a baggie with a bit of food colouring and used that to pipe on decorations. The gourmet chef went to extremes cutting carrots and radishes into flowers.

Assemble your meatloaf layers as your would any cake...icing the outside and between the layers. Even cut, it looks like a real cake!

Decorate and serve....and eat your veggies and your cake at the same time!!!!

Who said kids will not eat veggies? These cakes were devoured!

(PS - now on meatloaf night, I make little cupcake meatloaf and use smashed potato icing! Another hit!)

People still talk about the Meatloaf cakes...2 years later!

This is my entry in today's blog blast, which is sponsored by Harper Collins, the publisher of Jessica Seinfeld's Deceptively Delicious, and hosted by the Parent Bloggers Network, where you'll find lots of other entries to read. Or, why not write your own entry? One lucky winner will receive a $250 Williams Sonoma gift card. Thanks to Slouching Mom for the link.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Stay in School Speech

Is it ever too early to start giving the "Stay in School" speech? I do not think so...especially after walking DJ to the bus stop yesterday.

Here is the conversation I had with my son, the Junior-Kindergarten Attendee:

DJ: WOW mom, I like all the leaves. They are pretty colours. Why do they change colours in the Fall?

ME: Well, the tree knows that winter is coming and some leaves do not like the cold, so when the summer sun is not helping them stay green, they start to change colour and then they fall to the ground.

DJ: Oh. Cool. So, leaves fall so we know it is fall. What is that man doing?

ME: He is fixing his ditch drainage pipe. Maybe some dirt got into it and he needs to clear it out.

DJ: Oh. Cool. Look at the plane in the sky mom. How does it stay up there?

ME: The pilot knows how strong the engine needs to be and the right angle for the wings and the plane stays up with aerodynamics - or something like that.

DJ: Oh. Cool. Boy mom you are really smart.

ME: Thanks DJ. You will get very smart too the longer you go to school. It is important to keep in school and learn all kinds of cool stuff.

DJ: Mom, I think kindergarten is enough for me. If I ever need to know anything, I can just ask my smart mommy.

hmmmmmmm....do I have him fooled or what!

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Sunday, October 21, 2007

My First Meme - 7 Random Facts About Me

Way back on October 15 my friend Andrea tagged me for a meme. I was pretty frigg'n thrilled, as it is the first time this has happened...but alas, life got in the way (French mid-term, sewing Halloween costumes, etc.) and I took a short hiatus from posting...but I am back and here is the meme.

7 Random Facts About Me

1) I asked my husband out on our first date. After a rainy, cold soccer match I went up to him and said, "If you want to get to know me off the soccer pitch, I'd be game for that!" Immediately after our first date my good friend S-L and I drove to Perth for a soccer tournament, during the drive I informed S-L that I think I will marry David...and I was right.

2) I LOVE licorice and when I open a new bag, I have a quirky way of eating it. You MUST eat one of each colour before just grabbing some, or before repeating a colour. It is a rule...even my husband now follows it!

3) Up to grade 11, I wanted to be a nun. Yep, believe it or not, that is a fact!

4) In 1999 I took an adventure trip to Africa - I had hoped it would be the proverbial "life changing experience".... AND IT WAS - BIG TIME!

5) I love INTERACTIVE FOOD. Anything I can pick at and get messy eating...ribs, chicken wings, shelled sunflower seeds, crab...the more interactive the better!

6) In grade 12 I basically delivered a baby! I was working at a convenience store and a pregnant lady came in and her water broke and she went into labour - I had to call 911 and close down the store...the baby was born in the store. I was thrilled to hear the proud parents named the little girl "Caitlyn Laura"... and happy the name was not "Caitlyn Qwiki Mini Mart".

7) I absolutely ADORE my husband. He is amazing and the fact is, I am super lucky to have him in my life. And on the same note, I ADORE my 3 wonderful kids. I would do anything for David, DJ, Anderson and Madigan - they are my life, my loves and my dreams come true.

Ok....now I get to tag people....here goes!

I would like to learn 7 random facts about the following really cool blogging friends I have recently "met":

Kelly at Donmillsdiva
Slouching mom at Slouching past 40
Danigirl at Postcards from the Mothership
Mrs. Schmitty at It's A Schmitty Life
Liz at Mom 101

Friday, October 5, 2007

The Mom

Need I add more? I do not think so. This Mom has nailed it!

My Excuses

It has been brought to my attention that I have not posted an entry since last Saturday...here are my excuses:

French Test
Soccer Tournament
First Indoor Soccer Match
Volunteer Day at Preschool
Warm, Sunny Fall afternoons
Kaleidoscope of Fall colours outside my window
Free Swim Sessions
French Presentation
French Presentation
French Presentation
Halloween Costume Planning
Material Shopping for Halloween Costumes
New Baby Coming Gift Planning for 3 Friends
Hot Games of Candy Land and Colour Jumping
A New Swing Set in our Side Yard
Laundry
Apple Picking
Play Group
New TV Shows ---- Must sees include: Pushing Daisys, Grey's Anatomy,
Private Practice, Bionic Woman,
Dirty Sexy Money
Breast Feeding 2-6 Times in the Night
Preparing for the Nepean Giant Garage Sale
Scrapbooking
Gardening
Long Walks
Cribbage Battles
Snuggling

Hope to have more time next week - I miss my daily fix!