Ma What's For Dinner?

We’re still busy working away filming our television pilot so my girl, Shell, one of my favorite blogger on this planet, has graciously agreed to entertain you all in my absence.  Shell came all the way over from her own super busy blog Things I Cant Say to hang out with me today.  It’s kind of big deal.  I liken it to sitting at the popular kids table in the cafeteria.  I’m all aflutter.  I hope milk doesn’t come out of my nose…I think I might have to change my outfit.

I am convinced that Alex and I live parallel lives. Our boys, experiences that we’ve had, even our personalities.

But, she is the more gifted in the kitchen. Me, I steal her recipes and she lets me pass them off as my own.

So, when she asked me to guest post over here, I felt a little intimidated, though always willing to help my twin out.

She told me not to worry, that I didn’t have to try to fill her shoes…which is good, since I can’t!

But, I did start thinking of summer treats and memories from my childhood.

You see, we didn’t have any sugar growing up. None. Like, not even plain Cheerios because there was one gram of sugar per serving.

But, we still wanted treats, just like any other kids. We saw other kids with popsicles and we wanted some, too.

So, Mom made her own.

Either we had fruit juice ones- as simple as it sounds- pour 100% fruit juice into popsicle molds or for a treat, we had orange cream ones.

Not the ones that you are thinking of, with the orange outside and the ice cream in the middle- but these are a healthy alternative.

You’re not exactly going to fool your kids into thinking that these are the same as those yummy treats….but you might luck out and have them like them anyway!

Combine 16oz yogurt (plain or vanilla- though my mom made her own) and 6oz of frozen orange juice concentrate. Stir well, pour into Popsicle molds, freeze, and there ya go!

What do you think, Ma/my twin? Are you going to try this?

What are your healthy treats for summer?

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So today we have guest post part deux…and you’re in for a treat.  A sweet ice cream treat with the fabulous and wonderful Anne at Annie Bakes.

She is adorable and I love her.  She’s always cooking up something fantastic for her along with her hubs and two sons.  I realize that I’m not being fair to all the wonderful mothers of daughters out there, wait’ll you see tomorrow’s guest post, but for now you’ll have to excuse the son-love.  If you’re new here, welcome, welcome, I apologize for being a poor host and dashing off.  The kids and I are off to shoot a television pilot based on our blog and cookbook and so the beautiful Anne will be here in my stead.  She’s a doll, I know you’ll all love her…

I am so thrilled that Alex asked me to be the Featured Blogger here at Ma, What’s For Dinner?  And since I’m spending the day, I thought I would bring dessert, cuz who doesn’t like dessert?!?  This recipe is super easy to whip up–in fact it wasn’t really a recipe, but just a few of my favorite ingredients thrown together.

But the best part is the toasted, salted pecans!!  We used to have a Dairy Queen and I LOVED their turtle sundaes and always asked for half of the chocolate and caramel, but double the pecans!  Mmmm, but now, sadly, we no longer have a Dairy Queen so I am left to my own devices when it comes to salted pecans.  If you’re a little weirded out by salt in your dessert, have no fear, that’s what makes the chocolate come alive!  It’s just like french fries and a chocolate shake…

Turtle Ice Cream Sandwiches

INGREDIENTS:

8-10 ice cream sandwiches

1- 8 ounce container lite cool-whip-thawed

caramel ice cream topping

chocolate ice cream topping

1/2 cup chopped pecans

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

DIRECTIONS:

In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the pecans and toast, but do not burn for about 5 minutes.  Sprinkle with the Kosher salt and let cool completely.  Meanwhile, spray an 8 x 8 baking dish with a little cooking spray and line with Saran Wrap (this will allow you to pull the dessert out neatly to cut it when it is frozen).  Layer the bottom with ice cream sandwiches and cut some to fit if you need to.  Layer with cool-whip, drizzle with the caramel and chocolate and sprinkle on half the pecans.  Add another layer of ice cream sandwiches, and layer with cool whip.  Freeze for at least one hour.  Remove the dessert from the pan using the Saran wrap and cut into pieces.  On a dessert plate, drizzle chocolate sauce, set the dessert in the middle, then drizzle with caramel and top with the pecans.

I hope you all enjoyed this recipe!  Even though I’m spending the day here, I still welcome you to check out my blog www.anniebakes.net.

And Alex–Good luck, and I hope I didn’t make too much of a mess in your kitchen, I promise to clean up before you get home!  Anne

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Today is my very first guest blogger. I’m so thrilled to bring you a super cool and exciting Mommy/Foodie Blogger by the name of Julie over at Mommie Cooks. And why now, are you wondering, do I have a guest blogger? Well I’m just bursting to tell you. We have some very exciting news around here at Ma, What’s For Dinner. The boys and I are off to shoot a television pilot inspired by our blog and cookbook! So cross your fingers that we’ll be popping up on TV screens near you soon. In the meantime I’ve lined up a series of gals that should keep you more than satisfied. I hope you enjoy them, I know you will, I adore them.

First up…

She’s the best. Great recipes, awesome photography, and three adorable little boys. So without further delay, heeeeeeeeeeeere’s Julie….

When Alex asked me if I wanted to guest blog over at her site, I was thrilled to have the opportunity! You see, I sort of view Alex as my “foodie” sister. We have so many things in common; we both have three boys, we both love to cook and eat, our boys even share a birthday! She’s a great blogging buddy with an incredible site to boot and I’m so thrilled to have met her and gotten to know her better over the past couple of months. Thanks so much Alex for letting me spend a day on your blog!

With the start of summer officially here, I thought it might be fun to blog a bit about my memories of summer growing up in the Midwest. Do you have any favorite memories of summer from your childhood? It might be strawberry picking with your brothers and sisters, or playing at the pool with your friends. Perhaps the annual vacation to the beach, or maybe it’s just playing outside with the neighborhood kids well into the evening hours.

One of my favorite memories from my childhood was the neighborhood ice cream man. I can remember playing outside with the neighbor kids, usually some form of kick the can or freeze tag, when the familiar tune of the ice cream man would start singing through the streets. All the kids would immediately stop whatever game we were playing, run to our respective homes, and proceed to frantically beg for “just a dollar, PLEeeASE” to get our hands on some of that ice cold goodness.

Once our parents relented, and they almost always did, we’d go running back to the street, chasing after the truck with the sweet tune, already formulating the exact piece of ice cream we planned to buy. Such sweet memories. Here’s a picture of my my brother, a couple neighborhood kids and myself after successfully chasing the ice cream man down. My brother and I are the two in the middle.

I love that, in the neighborhood I live in, the ice cream man still comes today. My kids get to hear that same sweet tune I heard as a kid. The neighborhood still runs to their parents for a dollar and the lines still form to get some of that ice cold goodness. The choices may be a little different today than they were when I was a kid, but the memory is still the same and I’m glad that my children are able to experience a little bit of the same happy memory that I had as a child. What are your childhood memories of summer?

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Hey everyone, I know it’s a late post today.  I’m sure you’re all waiting to hear what’s for dinner tonight.  I’m a little distracted today.  I just got word that my Grandma Etta is in the hospital.  She’s been taken to the ICU and is battling pneumonia.  Here’s a picture of her with my kids from last month.

She’s pretty amazing.  93 years old, still lives alone, goes to the country club for lunch and a game of bridge, proud mom to 3 kids, grandma to 6 and great grandma of 6.  Anyway, I’m sort of not feeling like whipping up some delectable dinner tonight so I’m just hoping you’ll let me slide and instead to grab some strength from all of you.  Please pray for GG Etta, that’s what my boys call her, GG for Great Grandma, and keep her in your thoughts.  I’ll keep you posted.

Lots of yummy love,

Alex aka Ma, What’s for Dinner

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I’m so fired up…

I’m so angry…

And to be honest, I don’t get all that angry very often.

But I am.  I am angry.  I am livid.  I am disappointed in the people who we elect to make our laws and keep us safe.

Why you ask?  BECAUSE THESE TWO BEAUTIFUL GIRLS ARE DEAD!

They didn’t have to be.  They should be alive today.  Chelsea King should be deciding where she was going to attend college after receiving 11 acceptances just weeks after her death.  Amber Dubois should be planning an upcoming weekend with her friends.  But instead, they’ll never get to do that.  They’ll never get to fall in love, their families will never be able to rejoice with them as they graduate, or get their first job, get married or start a family.  Because this  jerk individual  

took it upon himself to prey on young women, MULTIPLE young women I might add, and end their life to satisfy some sickness embedded deep within him.  And what is this sickness?  Where did it come from?  Well many psychologists would say it comes from some trauma in his own life.  Possibly some sexual trauma that he experienced himself, perhaps he was molested as well?  Does anyone see the problem here?  Does anyone see the cycle?  The problem is that sex offenders, people who commit crimes against our children are allowed out of jail to commit these crimes over and over again.  In fact, this idiot was let out after his own psychiatrist, Dr. Matthew Carroll, told a parole board that Gardner was a “continued danger to underage girls in the community” and an “extremely poor candidate” for treatment. Gardner was released after serving 5 years of a 6 year sentence, though he was eligible for an 11 year sentence, for attacking a 13 year old neighbor in 2000.

What could have saved these young girls?  What could save our own children?  What I believe we need is a One Strike Law.  A federal One Strike Law.  One that says that any sexual crime committed against a child and you go to jail for life, no chance for parole.  The fact that John Gardner was not put away for life long ago is beyond me.  Now many will argue that this type of crime is not common, statistically.  There are only a handful of cases, Polly Klaas, Elizabeth Smart, Jacee Dugard, and that up to 90 percent of sex offenders are related to or know their victims. I agree, and that is why I’m saying that ANYONE who hurts a child should go away.

Let’s think about it.  How can you hurt a child?  What would have to be wrong with you to hurt a defenseless child?  Now I’m not talking about a 17 or 18 year old that hooks up with his 15 or 16 year old girlfriend.  I’m talking about an adult, and adult who the child trusts, an adult who is supposed to know better, hurting, touching and scarring a child for life.  Because that is what continues this cycle.  That is what creates the next generation of sex offenders and chemical dependence.  I’m talking about the middle school teacher, the JV basketball coach, the priest, the baby sitter, the uncle, the day care teacher.  I don’t care who you are or what you think you can get away with.  If you harm a child you should go to jail, there is no excuse and there should be no exception.

So what can we do?  What can I do?  Well first, write to your representatives in Congress.  How do you find your representatives?  Click here Find your Rep. What can I do next?  Find out more about the One Strike Law and help the Live Secure team rally our government at One Strike Law.  What else should we do?  Leave me a comment with your name and email address here and I’m going to try and contact Oprah.  Oh yeah, I said it, OPRAH, because she can help us keep our children and young women safe.  Finally, protect yourself, protect your family.  This is the best site I have found so far on how to find sexual predators and offenders in your area Family Watch Dog.

Now as a disclaimer, I have not been the victim of one of these horrible crimes.  I can’t imagine the pain that it sets off for the rest of your life.  This is just something that keeps me up at night.  All I can do is imagine someone harming my children, one of my sons, my neices, my nephews, my friends’ children.  I would do anything to keep them safe, shelter them from pain, stop the cycle, before it can continue.

I am doing my first link up to Shell at Things I can’t Say’s Pour Your Heart Out.  This is the most I’ve ever spewed on you dear readers so thanks for letting me vent.  And you thought you were getting some BBQ recipes didn’t you???

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