I Just Want You to Know (17 page)
Read I Just Want You to Know Online
Authors: Kate Gosselin
Mady and Cara’s sixth birthday at American Girl Place in New York City. What a huge treat for my big girls (and for Mommy)!
The first summer at Andrew Avenue, our friend Carla introduced us to the amazing world of butterfly hatching! We took turns releasing them. Each child got to release two butterflies. Here it’s Cara’s turn and Mady and Alexis watch.
Hannah having a counter conversation with Mommy.
All eight kids in five square feet! The kids were thrilled to be in a store picking out equipment for our infamous rainy campout.
Miss Beverly always had a way of not only folding, but also entertaining at the same time. I think the kids were in “boats” here.
In loving memory of Nana Janet.
Love Is in the Mix.
Coming soon!
Nana Janet’s Roast
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 lb bone in chuck roast
1 large onion, sliced thin
1 tsp coarse salt
Water
3
/
4
cup flour
Rinse defrosted roast and pat dry. Place oil and butter in large saucepan with lid. Melt over medium high heat and then place roast in pan and salt with half tsp salt. Place sliced onions on top of roast. Sear roast on one side until medium brown. Flip roast and salt with remaining
1
/
2
tsp salt. Sear second side until brown. Add 1 cup water (about
1
/
2
-3/4 inch of water in bottom of pan), reduce heat to medium and cover. Cook until most of the water dissipates (about 10—14 min). Flip roast, add another cup of water, cover, and cook again until water dissipates. Repeat steps for 2 1/2—3 hours. Do not allow water to completely disappear so roast won’t burn.
During last water addition, cook roast for 5 minutes and then remove roast from pan. Turn liquid up to boil and add flour slowly while stirring to create gravy. Serve with mashed potatoes and a green vegetable.
This is a most tender and delicious roast beef. It’s especially wonderful in mid winter when it’s very cold outside. I remember asking Nana Janet for this recipe. She said she’d have to show me—she showed me alright! We got busy talking and we burned it, so she said with a laugh, “I showed you what NOT to do!” So don’t walk away from this one!
15 apples (I like to use Golden Delicious)
1
/
2
cup water1 cup white sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
Core, peel, and thinly slice (about
1
/
2
inch thick) apples. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours. Once applesauce has cooled, use a hand mixer to make smooth applesauce.
*
Variation: Omit sugar to make Baby Applesauce. Freeze in small container for baby—as one of his first foods!
My kids rave over Mommy Applesauce! There is nothing as easy or as rewarding as this crock-pot applesauce recipe. I freeze it in containers to bring out and thaw (and reheat!) for dinner.
An added bonus? As it cooks, it makes the house smell better than the best apple cinnamon candle you can buy!
3 cans (16 oz. each) chick-peas
18 Tbsp lemon juice (or juice from 6 lemons)
4 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup tahini paste
6 Tbsp olive oil
1-1/2 tsp salt
Drain chick-peas, reserving
1
/
4
cup liquid. Mince the garlic. Puree chick-peas with liquid, garlic, lemon juice, garlic, tahini, oil, and salt until very smooth.
Serve with pita bread or pita chips (see below).
Can be stored up to 4 days in the fridge.
Slice pita bread into triangles and arrange on a cookie sheet. Spray with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt. Bake at 450 degrees for 7–9 minutes until pita slices are golden brown and crunchy.
Store in a Ziploc bag for 2–3 days.
Our kids call hummus “Thomas,” thinking it’s named after Collin Thomas. They have been eating it since they were very young and often yell, “More Thomas please!” This is a great lunch or healthy snack, and I often serve it with raw veggies.
2 lbs ground beef
2 cups seasoned bread crumbs
1 cup milk
1
/
2
cup onion, finely chopped2 tsp pepper
1 block (8 oz) mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup flour
1
/
4
cup oil50 oz pizza sauce (our favorite is Don Pepino)
Combine first 6 ingredients just until mixed and shape into meatballs. Cut mozzarella cheese into cubes and put one into the center of each meatball, covering the cheese completely with meat. Roll lightly in flour. Cook meatballs in oil over medium heat until browned (about 3–4 minutes each side) and then drain. Add pizza sauce and bring to boil. Turn down heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through. Makes approx. 32–40 golf-ball size meatballs.
Serve over pasta, rice, in buns, or as an appetizer.
We first tried these during that first year with six crying babies. It seems an unlikely hit, but it has made its way to our table many times—and has become a definite favorite. I serve them with fries and steamed broccoli. It can also be served on rolls and becomes pizza without the crust. This is a great recipe to serve half tonight and freeze half for a quick future dinner!
2 cups sugar
1
/
2
cup milk1
/
2
tsp salt2 heaping tsp cocoa
2 Tbsp vanilla
1
/
2
cup peanut butter2-1/2 cups oatmeal
Bring sugar, milk, salt, and cocoa to a boil and continue for 1-1/2 min. Remove from heat and add vanilla, peanut butter, and oatmeal. Line countertop with wax paper and use a teaspoon to drop mixture onto paper. Allow cookies to cool and harden. Makes approx.
3
dozen cookies.
