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As part of The Mommies Network, BuffaloMommies.com is a free community for moms in Buffalo and surrounding areas, New York. We realize that all moms need local support -- and who can't use another friend? BuffaloMommies.com offers a simple way to connect with local moms for friendship, support and fun. Members meet on our private discussion forums to share information on everything from where to get the best haircut to tips on transitioning to a "big kid" bed. Each month, we also offer many face-to-face events for our members, their children and their families.
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Guilt Free Granola I am a huge fan of granola. I love it in yogurt, over fruit, in peanut butter sandwiches, and on ice cream. What I don't love is how the ones you buy at the store are usually loaded with high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, or artificial sweeteners and ingredients.
One evening, after an unsuccessful search at the store for something decent that didn't cost an arm and a leg, I scoured the web determined to find a healthy recipe I could make at home. I found the winner "Guilt Free Granola" at the Tasty Plan blog. This recipe is so easy to make with simple ingredients and delicious results. The only change I made was to omit the almonds (because I didn't have any) and increase the oats to three cups to compensate. This one is a keeper!
Ingredients: -3 cups of old fashioned rolled oats -˝ cup orange juice -˝ cup maple syrup -1 teaspoon vanilla extract -1 teaspoon almond extract -˝ teaspoon cinnamon
Additional optional ingredients: Dried fruits Nuts or seeds
1. Preheat your oven to 250 degrees. 2. Mix oats, orange juice and maple syrup in a large bowl. 3. Add the extracts and cinnamon. 4. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 45-60 minutes, or until crisp.
If adding dried fruits, Tasty Plan recommends incorporating them into the granola after it has cooked, and then baking for five more minutes.
More Stove Cleaning Magic! You've all undoubtedly seen the tutorial about cleaning your stove grates with ammonia. If not, check out this fantastic link: Cleaning Stove Burners & Grates Using Ammonia. It REALLY is like magic. No more scrubbing, swearing, or trying 2000 different cleaning chemicals to try and get that sticky grease off your grates. You pour ammonia into the bag, insert your grates, wait 12 hours and easily wipe off the scum. On BuffaloMommies several of us joked how we wish we could fit our entire stove into a plastic bag with ammonia so we could get them clean. Well guess what girls...I came up with a solution!!!
No...I did not find a bag large enough to fit my stove. I've got something much easier. This is how dirty my stove was:
I tried Barkeepers Friend, Windex, and even a Magic Eraser sponge to try and scrub that stuff off. Nothing was working. So....I poured a little bit of ammonia in the recessed areas (less than 1/4 cup) and then....covered both burner areas with PRESS AND SEAL wrap! Look at this:
(yes-my grates are dirty again, don't worry, they've been cleaned since this photo) But I put the press and seal wrap over the two burner areas, pressed it to the stove and then put the grates over as an extra seal. Then I let them sit over night. Check this out:
And again...when I took the press and seal off, I just rubbed a little green scrubby pad over the stove. In some areas I used a paper towel only. No real effort or applied pressure at all, anywhere! So simple and easy. Go try it!
February Is Cultural Awareness Month!
February is Cultural Awareness Month at The Mommies Network, and we're thinking globally! Share a love for foreign language and different cultures with your child in our Multicultural Mommies forum on our National Chapter. Each week, we'll feature several languages and cultural tidbits. You may also participate and strengthen your language lingo in a special webinar. Additionally, our sponsor will provide information on how you can continue your language-learning experience after the month is over.
According to Associated Content, brain research shows that children are at an optimal age for language learning. Although language study is effective at any age, some studies suggest that the human brain is more open to learning a foreign language from birth to preadolescence. Fortunately, researchers have not found an age in which the language window closes completely, especially in the areas of grammar and vocabulary.
Take advantage of this opportunity to think globally, and join us as we learn about foreign languages and different ways of life during Cultural Awareness Month at TMN!
Parenting Laws 1. The later you stay up, the earlier your child will wake up the next morning.
2. For a child to become clean, something else must become dirty.
3. Toys multiply to fill any space available.
4. The longer it takes you to make a meal, the less your child will like it.
5. Yours is always the only child who doesn't behave.
6. If the shoe fits...it's expensive.
7. The surest way to get something done is to tell a child not to do it.
8. The gooier the food, the more likely it is to end up on the carpet.
9. Backing the car out fo the driveway causes your child to have to go to the bathroom.
10. The more challenging the child, the more rewarding it is to be a parent...sometimes.
(what other "laws" exist in your home?)
Homemade Artisan Bread Here is a super easy recipe to make fancy-schmancy artisan bread at home using only a few simple ingredients. When I made up this loaf, I was thinking of a rosemary olive oil bread that Wegmans makes. Try this recipe once and you'll be hooked!
Recipe for Homemade Artisan Bread (adapted from Make and Takes) makes 1 loaf Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water 3/4 tablespoon granulated yeast 3/4 tablespoon sea salt 2 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose white flour 1 cup unbleached all purpose wheat flour cornmeal for baking stone (optional)
(optional ingredients) about 1/4 cup sunflower seeds plus some for top 2 cloves of garlic chopped into chunks 1-2 tsp fresh or dried rosemary
Directions: 1. In a large bowl, add the flour, yeast, and salt. (if using the optional ingredients, also add the sunflower seeds, rosemary & garlic) 2. Pour in the water and stir a few minutes until combined. 3. Cover the bowl with foil or greased plastic wrap for 2-5 hours. 4. Cover the dough with flour and form it into a ball. 5. Lay the dough onto a baking stone sprinkled with cornmeal or a baking sheet with a baking mat. 6. Let the dough rest for about a half an hour. 7. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees and add a small pan filled with 1 cup of water on a lower rack for a water bath. 8. With a sharp knife, slash three lines or a tic-tac-toe board pattern into the top of the dough. This helps let out some steam while baking. If you don?t slash it the bread will most likely make its own tear during cooking. 9. If you are using sunflower seeds, sprinkle on top. I gave them a little pat to make sure they were sticking. 10. Bake for 30-35 minutes. 11. Place your baked bread on a baking rack to cool. 12. Slice and enjoy!
