Contradictory Recipes

Hachacha!
Thai Style Iced Coffe & Fruit and Nut Chili. These were my new recipes of the week. As I sit down to enjoy my "nacho toast" [salsa & cheese on bread, microwaved with a side of sour cream & a diet coke (I'm in NEED of caffeine these days...mind altering drug that it is, I know)...such an epicurian lunch, isn't it?], the Chili is brewing in the crockpot and I'm almost drooling over the Thai Style Iced Coffee.
What site I found the coffe on eludes me at the moment, so here's the recipe. One could definately use decaf coffee & skip the cayenne pepper. It's kicky! Unfortunately, for me caffeine has become the suburban mom's drug of choice these days...as my heart speeds up and palpitates....the habit will be kicked as soon as the babes are back to good sleeps again. Anyway, give the coffee a go. It's lovely on a hot May day.
Thai Style Iced Coffee
4 cups water or brewed coffee
5 tsp instant coffee (if not using brewed)
1/3 - 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk (I'll add the recipe for that too!)or 1 can Carnation milk + sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
1/4 tsp cayenne

Pour 4 cups water into a pot on high heat.
Add instant coffee, bring to a gentle boil. IF USING COFFEE, pour into pot, boil.
Add spices. Stir well.
Lower heat to a minimum, add sweetened condensed milk.
Pour coffee into a pitcher, refrigerate.
Stir well before serving. Add ice if you wish.

Sweetened Condensed Milk
There are a few different recipes, I tried this one and it turned out well.
1/2 cup boiling water
1 cup nonfat dry milk
2/3 cup sugar
3 TB melted butter
Few drops of vanilla
Blend at high speed for 30 secs or until smooth. Use immediately or store ina covered container in fridge. Equivalent to a 14oz can.

Now onto the chili. I hope it's as tasty as it looks, which is rich & flavorful.
This recipe I have adapted for the crockpot by not adding the two cups of water.

You may NOT want to try the official Nacho Toast idea. It's not all that fancy or official. Just easy & gooey.

Contradictory Recipes

Hachacha!
Thai Style Iced Coffe & Fruit and Nut Chili. These were my new recipes of the week. As I sit down to enjoy my "nacho toast" [salsa & cheese on bread, microwaved with a side of sour cream & a diet coke (I'm in NEED of caffeine these days...mind altering drug that it is, I know)...such an epicurian lunch, isn't it?], the Chili is brewing in the crockpot and I'm almost drooling over the Thai Style Iced Coffee.
What site I found the coffe on eludes me at the moment, so here's the recipe. One could definately use decaf coffee & skip the cayenne pepper. It's kicky! Unfortunately, for me caffeine has become the suburban mom's drug of choice these days...as my heart speeds up and palpitates....the habit will be kicked as soon as the babes are back to good sleeps again. Anyway, give the coffee a go. It's lovely on a hot May day.
Thai Style Iced Coffee
4 cups water or brewed coffee
5 tsp instant coffee (if not using brewed)
1/3 - 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk (I'll add the recipe for that too!)or 1 can Carnation milk + sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
1/4 tsp cayenne

Pour 4 cups water into a pot on high heat.
Add instant coffee, bring to a gentle boil. IF USING COFFEE, pour into pot, boil.
Add spices. Stir well.
Lower heat to a minimum, add sweetened condensed milk.
Pour coffee into a pitcher, refrigerate.
Stir well before serving. Add ice if you wish.

Sweetened Condensed Milk
There are a few different recipes, I tried this one and it turned out well.
1/2 cup boiling water
1 cup nonfat dry milk
2/3 cup sugar
3 TB melted butter
Few drops of vanilla
Blend at high speed for 30 secs or until smooth. Use immediately or store ina covered container in fridge. Equivalent to a 14oz can.

Now onto the chili. I hope it's as tasty as it looks, which is rich & flavorful.
This recipe I have adapted for the crockpot by not adding the two cups of water.

You may NOT want to try the official Nacho Toast idea. It's not all that fancy or official. Just easy & gooey.

Bisphenol A...is graded an F.

There's been much talk in the media about BPA. However, this isn't a new concern. Last September it was in the news and the message was to stop buying bottled water and reusing the bottle due to the risks of BPA.
This is a good quick fact sheet in regards to plastics in the home and of course there are many sites with much detailed information. Basically, bisphenol A "leaks" into the product and mimics estrogen causing many health risks & problems. Our children aren't worth the risk. Neither are we. So our AVENT bottles and other products are hitting the trash. There are some companies such as Canadian Tire who are accepting product as returns, I think. Best to call and check before you show up with yours to elliminate hassle. Next, we'll be on our way to Community Natural Foods for a Kleen Kanteen or the BPA free sippy cups.

Bisphenol A...is graded an F.

There's been much talk in the media about BPA. However, this isn't a new concern. Last September it was in the news and the message was to stop buying bottled water and reusing the bottle due to the risks of BPA.
This is a good quick fact sheet in regards to plastics in the home and of course there are many sites with much detailed information. Basically, bisphenol A "leaks" into the product and mimics estrogen causing many health risks & problems. Our children aren't worth the risk. Neither are we. So our AVENT bottles and other products are hitting the trash. There are some companies such as Canadian Tire who are accepting product as returns, I think. Best to call and check before you show up with yours to elliminate hassle. Next, we'll be on our way to Community Natural Foods for a Kleen Kanteen or the BPA free sippy cups.

Free Money

Attention all stay at home parents! Did you know there is a subsidy program to help cover costs of early development & learning for children aged 0-7 yrs and not yet in grade 1?
Check out this link
See you at pre-school!

Free Money

Attention all stay at home parents! Did you know there is a subsidy program to help cover costs of early development & learning for children aged 0-7 yrs and not yet in grade 1?
Check out this link
See you at pre-school!

Kinship Care

My sister is amazing. Mrs. A. We're quite close, she and I, even though there are 10 yrs between us. Recently, she and her wonderful husband proved yet again why they are role models for my favorite husband and I.
We have a neice who is having difficulties as a single mom to her three little boys. Some of these difficulties are self inflicted and has resulted in social services stepping in to keep them safe. Well, my sister and her husband have taken these little ones into their home indefinitely, which means they are now parenting 7 kids under the age of 14yrs. 4 boys under the age of 7 and three girls over the age of 11. Talk about busy!
What is also interesting is that my sister is... in a way... reliving our childhood as we are a family of 7 kids; which started as theirs, ours, mine and someone elses but resulted in 7 siblings. Even though I always new the origins of all of us, they were always my brothers and sisters, no one was considered different to me.
Kudos to my sis A & her family! Those little boys will thrive in the love of their home, despite the trauma of it all, they're lucky. And the original four kids, they're amazing too, to welcome 3 little boys into their home and have their lives turned upside down, become noisier and overflowing. An amazing family.