Pistachio Chicken and Pudding Cups

PISTACHIO CHICKEN

We tried this new recipe last night. It was super easy and delicious!

*chicken breasts pounded thin

*1 cup chopped pistachios

*1/2 cup bread crumbs

*2 T. dijon mustard

*2 T. olive oil

*2 T. honey

*salt and pepper to taste

Combine nuts and bread crumbs and spread on a plate. Combine all other ingredients in a bowl. Dip chicken in bowl and cover with honey mixture. Then dredge in nut mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

PUDDING CUPS

You can custom make this dessert to suit anyone's tastes! Feel free to substitute ice cream for the pudding (just assemble and then freeze until ready to serve).

*12 mini (3-inch rounds or so) Graham Cracker prepared pie crust shells (or feel free to make your own)

*1 large package of pudding, made according to directions

*toppings of your choice

Fill half of Graham cracker cup with pudding. Add toppings (sliced strawberries, chopped Heath bar, etc.). Fill to the top of the cup with more pudding. Sprinkle toppings on top or place one slice or chunk of the topping to hint at what's inside! Chill and serve.

Keeping Up With the News Outside of Your Mommy World

Days filled with catering to the needs of young children can keep us so busy that it's hard to stay current on news regarding those in our immediate vicinity, much less those in far away places across the U.S. and around the world. I've been struck again recently, however, with how important it is for us to be aware of local, national and global news. It's important to keep up for several reasons. For one, the Bible calls us to pray for our leaders, nation and world. We'll best be equipped to do this when we are made aware of the specific needs out there. On a more personal level, we need to realize that what's happening out there, will most certainly - in some way, shape or form - affect what is going on in our own homes as well as those of our children and future grandchildren.

If you're interested in reacquainting yourself with the news of the day, or are in the hunt for different news sources, here are a couple of our family's favorites.

1. NBC Nightly News - there are several nightly news broadcasts available, but we like Brian Williams and in 30 minutes (less with DVR), we're caught up on the day's big events.

2. The Briefing - this 10-15 minute "briefing" is well-known pastor, author and theologian Albert Mohler's review of some of the day's headlines from a Christian perspective. While you will not be getting a recap of every top story of the day, he will provide great insight and thought-provoking questions for Christians (and hopefully others) to ponder pertaining those he addresses. You can access this on-line at AlbertMohler.com.

3. WORLD magazine - a Christian magazine with news articles on various happenings around the world. You can get many of the articles on-line at worldmag.com.

The Kissing Hand

If you have a child who does not like for you to be out of his/her sight for any amount of time, and they're old enough to comprehend what you're reading, then I highly recommend The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn. This is a precious children's story about Chester Raccoon's hesitation to leave the comfort of his home and his mother's constant presence for the first day of school. To assuage his fears, Mrs. Raccoon gives Chester a kiss on the palm of his hand that he can "carry" with him throughout the day. Whenever he needs a reminder of his mother's love, he can put his hand up to his cheek and recall her words, "Mommy loves you. Mommy loves you."

This book is also a great gift for grandparents or other relatives and friends who live far away from your little ones, but want to remind them that, near or far, they're always loved!

It's Just a Material Thing

I just finished glueing a ceramic bowl back together. It doesn't look perfect - not even close - but I'm convinced that if I put it high enough on a shelf, no one will notice the cracks that run through it like a family tree. Since I mention this on a mommy blog, you've probably guessed that the broken bowl is the result of an incident involving one of my children. If so, you've guessed correctly.

I know it's just a material thing, but that bowl happened to be one of my favorite material things. Fortunately, as I heard it drop to the floor, I instantly remembered a saying that a friend shared with me a couple of years ago: "Don't let your children think that material things are more important than they are." Well, of course they're not, so does this statement have anything more to offer? I think so, primarily because of how how we sometimes respond when accidents occur. If something breaks and we respond with a shriek and look of horror, a young person might be led to think that the "thing" is of greater value and more important to you than they themselves are.

Of course children need to be taught to be careful and to respect things as good stewards of all that the Lord has given us, but we can teach a child a whole lot by how we react when things break. For one, we can remind them (and ourselves) to value spiritual things over material possessions. We should be storing our treasures up in heaven, after all, where moth and rust (and kids) do not destroy. So the next time something special breaks, or gets lost, ripped, or colored, remind yourself that you can build up your children at that very moment. You can teach them that some things are unbreakable and irreplaceable--like their status as our children. You can glue into their hearts things like responsibility, stewardship, and teamwork (clean-up, clean-up). Finally, you can demonstrate to them that our priorities should reflect those of the Lord, namely Christ and the salvation that we have in and through Him!

ZEST!

Have you discovered the joy of zest-ing? If not, I highly recommend this simple addition to an assortment of dishes for a burst of flavor that will transform a routine meal into something special! Use lemon zest (on fish or in pancake batter - see below), orange (in Asian dishes) or lime (great with Mexican).

Lemony Blueberry Pancakes

Add a little bit of lemon extract and lemon zest to your pancake batter and you might decide that you can't go back to regular blueberry pancakes again!

Regular pancake mix

blueberries

lemon zest (to taste)

lemon extract (1/2 t. or to taste)

Add zest and extract to the batter. Stir well. Cook pancakes as directed, adding blueberries after batter has been poured on the skillet.

Dry Hands?

While most people suffer from dry and cold air damage to their skin this time of year, mommy's hands take an extra beating. The beating comes not only from outdoor elements, but from constant hand washing. In an effort to clean up, wash off and rid our hands of germs before they do any damage, we moms spend a lot of time with our sinks and Purell bottles. If your hands are starting to resemble the surface of a raisin, and/or one that's been through a shredder (sorry to be so graphic, but this is a close description of what my hands look like right now!), then try the following treatment. It's easy, effective and works while you sleep!

Lather your hands generously with moisturizer before going to bed. Put on cotton gloves and wear overnight. Wake up to soft, smooth skin!

*This method works for dry feet as well! It may feel a little strange sleeping in gloves and socks, but the result is worth it!

Love Your Valentine

Well, Valentine's Day is just two days away and, depending on who you are, you either love it or you consider it to be terribly overrated and can't wait for February 15th to arrive. I happen to love it. Besides the glorious excuse for a date night, it can be a wonderful opportunity to assess the health of your marriage and reflect on how you can love one another better. Of course you should be doing this continually throughout the year, but why not take advantage of a day set aside for this purpose!

Here are a couple of ideas for making this Valentine's Day extra sweet:

1. Start your date early. Instead of waiting until the kids are in bed to go out, get a sitter to come early. Enjoy a dinner out from 5-7 or 6-8. Then come home to a quiet house and delight in a dessert and movie together. Your evening will be extended and you'll only be paying a babysitter for half of your date!

2. Skip the gifts. My husband and I crave time with each other more than a material token of our affection (this is just a personal preference). So we decided (earlier this evening actually) to skip the gift-giving component of the occasion and spend a little more on our date. This meant opting for a restaurant with a more romantic ambience than the Pizza Box down the street.

3. Intangible Props. If you decide to skip the gifts, but don't want to forsake the fun and thoughtfulness that goes into gift-giving, come up with "mental props" that will remind you both of a precious moment in the past. Share them over dinner and enjoy reliving the memories!

4. Be spontaneous. As young parents, it's likely that your chances for spontaneity are few and far between. So take advantage of this occasion to do just that! Grab a quick bite to eat and head to an Art Museum, the Aquarium, or a coffee shop in some part of town that is typically too far and out of the way to venture to with small children.