Potty Training

In all honesty, potty training Paisley has been 100 times easier than it was with Marshall. It could be the fact that I was not eight months pregnant trying to squat down in a tiny little bathroom for "hours on end", or it could be the fact that she is a girl...and apparently girls potty train faster than boys, OR it could just be that she is that awesome!! :)

Back in February Paisley was showing interest in the Potty, not only did I think she was a little young, but I honestly did not have the time! We (the kids and I) worked every morning at the Gym, and I did not think it was fair to her to only 'potty train' half the day...as I could not give my whole undivided attention to her while at the Gym. So we had the portable potty out and available, and she would use it before bed, and baths.

At the start of July I was working much less, and it worked out that I had 6 days off in a row...I thought "it's now or never" so we went for it! And you know what?! By the end of the first day, she was rocking it! She told us every single time she had to pee!! I could not of been happier! Mentally I was in it for the long haul!! She was doing so well that I didn't even think she would need a chart!

As much as the #1's were making it into the potty, the #2's were not. Which I understood, I didn't expect it to happen over night. But after four weeks of cleaning up poopie panties, I was spent. Each time we would transfer the log to the toilet, explain that this is where we poop, NOT in our precious princess panties. Each time she would say "Poop, potty, no panties"....but would continue to poop in them.

Although I tried to pay attention as to what time of day she would release the torpedo, she started going at different times every day...I think she caught on to what I was trying to do!

SO finally I made a Potty Chart!! It seems to be working VERY well! We've only had it two days...but those two days she's made it to the potty! Better yet, today she TOLD me she had to go!! (day one was luck, Marshall had just finished and I told her that it was her turn, stuck her on and she went!!)

...In fact I think I owe this success not to the potty chart, but to Marshall. We had been explaining for a while now that Daddy poops on the potty, Mommy poops on the potty, Marshall poops on the potty AND Paisley can too! So yesterday, I took her into the bathroom with Marshall and "made her watch"...I think the light bulb came on!! :)

Here are a few pics of my little girl in her big girl panties...I believe she was trying to take her shirt off...but just couldn't figure it out. 

Oh and if anyone knows how to add a link or something for an excel and/or a pdf document, let me know...I was trying to figure it out so I could add the potty chart if any of you Mom's venturing into this stage wanted to take a peak at it....maybe I will just have to take a picture of it! :)

Do you know the Muffin Man?

I don't know the Muffin Man, but I'll tell you, I sure felt like him last weekend. Ever since I saw the muffin tins that make the cute little muffins, I have wanted one. I don't have my own set yet, but boy am I putting these borrowed ones to good use :)

The first batch of muffins I made were Cinnamon Raisin, Oh.My.Word, they are ever Delicious! The kids really enjoyed them, in fact, Paisley somehow snuck THREE of them, and I didn't even realize until I was taking them out of the tins!! What a silly girl!

Here is the recipe:
Cinnamon Raisin Muffins
Ingredients

3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg (or all spice)
1/2 cup golden raisins
3/4 cup granulated sugar
57g (half a stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
170g plain yogurt
1/4 cup applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Method:

1) Preheat oven to 180C or 350F degrees. Line a muffin pan with paper liners and set aside. Mix together 1/2 cup brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and raisins in a small bowl and set aside.

2) Place granulated sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, yogurt, applesauce, and vanilla to bowl. Mix until well combined, about 2 more minutes. Slowly add flour to bowl, mixing well as you go. Add baking soda, baking powder, and salt to batter and continue mixing until combined.

3) Set the batter aside. Pour brown sugar raisin mixture on top of batter and lightly fold into batter using a spatula or wooden spoon. You should only fold this 3 or 4 times - you don't want to incorporate it into the batter too much.

4) Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling each one about 2/3 full. Sprinkle each muffin evenly with the remaining 1/4 cup of brown sugar.

5) Bake for 15-18 minutes, checking for doneness after 15 minutes. Muffins are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 2-3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.

The next ones I made are Pumpkin. This recipe comes from my Sister In Law. I don't normally like Pumpkin...anything, but I tried these muffins that she made last year and they were surprisingly good! (And I only say Surprisingly...just because I wasn't expecting anything from it, as in the past I have not liked anything made with Pumpkin)


Pumpkin Muffins
2 cups flour
1t baking soda
1t baking powder
1t coarse salt
1t ground cinnamon
1t ground ginger
1/4 t nutmeg
1/4t ground all spice
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
4 large eggs lightly beaten
1 can 15 ounces pumpkin puree

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside.
In medium bowl,whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt , cinnamon , ginger, nutmeg , and all spice; set aside.
2)In a large bowl, whisk together , brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Add dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree.
3) Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway. Bake until tops spring back when touched and a cake tester inserted int the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 min , rotating pans once if needed. Transfer to wire rack; let cool!

Next I made some Apple Oatmeal Muffins. These were pretty good, they weren't my favorite, but we still ate them. Next time I think I might add a little more cinnamin, or even apples. I just needed a little more flavor.

Apple Oatmeal Muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 cups apple, peeled and shredded
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup quick oats
• 2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup fat-free milk
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup plain fat-free yogurt
• 2 egg whites

Preparation:

Spoon flour into measuring cups and level with a knife. Place flour in a large mixing bowl and add oats, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Stir with a whisk. Combine milk, oil, vanilla, yogurt and egg whites, stirring until well blended. Add wet ingredients to flour bowl and stir until just moist. Blot shredded apple on kitchen paper to get rid of excess moisture, then add apple to mixture and stir.
Spoon batter into a lined 12-cup muffin tin. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

And Last, but NOT least, I attempted to make some 'two-bite brownies'. Now I new that the tins were small and that I shouldn't add too much batter, and I thought I was doing good....but I guess I still added too much! I used the recipe that I posted a little while ago, on a post titlted 'calling all chocolate lovers'

Now the reason why I said I attempted to make 2 bite brownies was because I had put too much batter in the tins and they rose up and over...so getting them out of the tins in one piece was a little tricky....but they still tasted the same!! 

I think in all I baked over 250 muffins/brownies...it was a good baking weekend!

Delicious Orange Chicken

OH.MY! Was this EVER Delicious! I love finding new recipes to try, and it's even better when they are a hit! Although it took a little bit of prep, it was SO worth it! Pair it up with some Rice and Broccoli and you've got one great dinner!!

I found this gem on 'The Noshery' blog (go and check her post out, because she has some mouth watering pictures to go along with the recipe.

Here is my mouth watering picture :)

Here is the Recipe and Instructions:

Chicken

• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-1/2” cubes
• 1 ½ cups corn starch
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs **I just used regular bread crumbs**
• 2 eggs, beaten
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• Oil (for frying)

Orange Sauce

• 1 ½ cups water
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 2 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon orange zest, grated
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon ginger root, minced
• ½ teaspoon garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons green onion, chopped
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes **even with only 1/4 tsp this adds quite the kick, so if you don't like the spice, don't add so much :) **
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons water

Combine corn starch, salt, and pepper.  Prepare a bowl with beaten eggs, another with panko bread crumbs and another with corn starch. Dip chicken in egg mixture, dredge in cornstarch, then again in the eggs and finally in the panko bread crumbs, set aside.  Heat pan with vegetable oil to 375 degrees, fry chicken in batches until completely cooked.
In a large saucepan combine 1 ½ cups water, orange juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Blend well over medium heat for a few minutes. Stir in brown sugar, orange zest, ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil.
Combine 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water and mix thoroughly. Slowly stir cornstarch mixture into sauce until it thickens. Pour sauce over breaded chicken, and if desired garnish with green onions.

Now I know what you are thinking, "where is my pad of paper and pen, I need to make a grocery list"...so GO, GO, GO!!
Enjoy!!! :)