Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.' (Matthew 25:34-40)

Welcome E and L into our home. We are blessed to have you!

pizza Canadian style!!

One of our fave pizza places to go when Eric and I were dating was Boston Pizza. Don't be fooled by the name - it is a Canadian pizza chain. I couldn't mimic the crust - but I did have a craving for two of my faves on the BP menu - The Great White North and The Cheeseburger. These are far from authentic but they did satisfy the cravings and the family LOVED them.

Here are my versions:

Great White North:
pre-made pizza crust (I used Boboli)
alfredo sauce
parmesan cheese
skim mozzarella (shredded)
cheddar (shredded)
thin sliced deli ham

Layer the crust, sauce, three cheeses, ham, cheeses, ham, cheeses. Bake until bubbly. OMGosh yummy!

Cheeseburger:
pre-made pizza crust (I used Boboli)
pizza sauce
browned lean ground turkey
saluted onions and mushrooms
thin sliced tomatoes
thin sliced dill pickles (optional)
mozzarella (shredded)
cheddar cheese (sliced)

Layer, crust, sauce, turkey, onions & mushrooms, sliced tomatoes and pickles, mozzarella. Top with sliced cheddar and bake until bubbly. Hannah's FAVE!

special needs

The latest in a string of diagnoses, Nathaniel is now in therapy for Sensory Integration Dysfunction Disorder. This diagnosis has been both easier (Aha! I knew there was always something there!) and harder (really? really Lord? One more thing??)

Here is a blurb from Wikipedia about SID:
Sensory Integration Dysfunction (SID, also called sensory processing disorder) is a neurological disorder causing difficulties with processing information from the five senses (vision, auditory, touch, olfaction, and taste), the sense of movement (vestibular system), and/or the positional sense (proprioception). For those with SID, sensory information is sensed, but perceived abnormally. Unlike blindness or deafness, sensory information is received by people with SID; the difference is that information is processed by the brain in an unusual way that may cause distress or confusion.

SID is its own diagnosis, but it can be linked to other neurological conditions, including autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit disorder, dyslexia, Developmental Dyspraxia, Tourette syndrome, multiple sclerosis, and speech delays, among many others. The meaning of SID falls under the DSM-IV criteria for Asperger syndrome. [1]. There is no known cure; however, there are many treatments available.

Brings to mind that along with the SID, Nathaniel suffers from Dyslexia, PTSD, Anxiety Disorder (social and general) and childhood Depression. All this 'qualifies' him as a Special Needs child.

But here is the rub. Isn't Hannah, who is bright, articulate and gifted, also a special needs child? It makes me question normal. I mean doesn't every parent want their special needs child to be normal??

I cant really imagine my kids any differently at this point. And while I may not always be happy about the struggles that they go through I believe that they are both strong, independent, kind and loving kids. What more could a parent want??

Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

smarty pants!

Hannah to Mom:

'mom, I think I need to write a debate about how princesses affect little girls. I mean, aren't we just having little girls growing up with an inflated sense of entitlement? And then they get into the real world and boom - you know?'

I love that kid!

Umm Ekkk? And ew.

So the joy of cats. Every now and then Sparky loves to give us a 'present'. Yes you can see where this is going . . . a bird? a mouse?


no this morning I opened the door to find - a MOLE

blech.

More kitchen favorites

In addition to the couscous - here are a few more faves from our kitchen. Sorry I dont have pics - trust me these are great!

Broiled Shrimp with Garlic, Tomatoes and Feta

1lb frozen whole med. shrimp
1 lemon
2-3 teas minced garlic
1 pkg. cherry tomatoes halfed
1 small container reduced fat feta
olive oil drizzle

Line a cookie sheet with foil. Spread shrimp, tomatoes and garlic over the foil. Drizzle with olive oil and the juice from 1 lemon. Top with feta and broil on med-high for 8-10mins or until shrimp is opaque and feta is slightly browned.


Bruschetta Stuffed Salmon

This works best with a whole salmon on the BBQ but could also be done in an oven.

Bruschetta:
3 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
fresh ground pepper and coarse salt

Purchase (or have your butcher do this for you) a whole de-headed salmon, split and cleaned. Stuff the cavity with the bruschetta. Wrap the fish loosely with foil and BBQ until fork tender. (about 20mins for a medium fish)

What do I eat? Couscous!!

This is a question I am frequently asked: What do you eat??

I never seem to tire of this question because I too love to know what other people are making and eating in their own homes! I am not a vegetarian though I must admit I don't really like red meats and have stopped eating pork. It's not a political thing I don't really like the taste and texture of red meat and after reading the book 'Skinny Bitch', I can never, ever look at a pig the same way again!!

So here is something we do eat a lot of: Couscous. If you haven't tried it yet you are missing a delightful, yummy and amazingly versatile little grain! And did I mention FAST and EASY?? Here are three of my go-to ways to use couscous. These can be great side dishes to fish or chicken but also make a fantastic lunch all on their own! Have more than 2 people to feed - just double the recipe! ENJOY!

Couscous with Parmesan and Peas:
1 Cup water
1 cup couscous (I always use the trader joe's whole wheat kind)
1 Tablespoon Butter (the real thing is nicest but you could use olive oil)
1 cup frozen peas (you dont need to cook them they will be perfect after five minutes)
1/4 cup Parmesan
salt and pepper

Bring water to a boil. Turn off heat. Add couscous, butter and peas. Cover. Let sit for 5mins. Fluff with fork. Stir in Parmesan. Salt and pepper to taste.


Couscous with Caramelized Onions, Mushrooms and Feta:
1 Cup water
1 cup couscous (I always use the trader joe's whole wheat kind)
1 whole sweet onion sliced very thin
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup feta cheese
salt and pepper

Heat your oil in a non-stick pan (I use my wok) and cook onions over med. heat until they start to brown slightly. This takes 5-10 mins. Add mushrooms and cook 2-3 minutes longer or until the mushrooms begin to soften. Bring water to a boil. Turn off heat and add the couscous. Cover and let sit for 5mins. Fluff with a fork. Transfer couscous to pan and stir into mushroom and onion mixture. Stir in Feta. Salt and pepper to taste.


Dorinda's Couscous Tabbouleh:
1 Cup water
1 cup couscous (I always use the trader joe's whole wheat kind)
1 large bunch fresh parsley (about 1 cup finely chopped)
juice of two lemons (fresh is best but you could sub 1/4 cup lemon juice)
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 can (drained) Garbanzo beans
2 Tablespoons olive oil (don't scrimp)
Salt and pepper


Bring water to a boil. Turn off heat and add the couscous. Cover and let sit for 5mins. Fluff with a fork. Transfer to refrigerator for a quick chill while you prep the rest of your ingredients. Chop parsley - finner is better. Chop tomatoes. Drain chickpeas. Remove couscous from fridge and add all three. Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice over the mixture. Stir gently to combine. Salt and pepper to taste.