Women in the 'Hood

It's been a while...

2007-03-20T23:18:00.000-07:00

It's been quite a while since we've had any activity on this site! I thought that I would try posting something, and see if maybe we can jumpstart Women in the 'Hood again. I've been reading a book that I received from my mother-in-law called "Hugs and Heartaches-Celebrating the Mysteries of Motherhood" by Caroline Ferdinandsen. I won't speak for the whole book yet since I haven't finished it, but the parts that I have read are excellent. She seems to know exactly what I'm thinking and feeling. Probably because she's a mom too...

One of the points that impressed me so much was actually in reference to scrapbooking. She was encouraging moms to be more in the present instead of focusing too much on the past. (One caveat...she was NOT saying that scrapbooking was bad.) She pointed out how ironic it is to be scrapbooking memories of the past at the kitchen table, while pushing your children away and not spending time with them in the present. I'm not against scrapbooking at all, and I even got some computer scrapbooking software for Christmas, but I totally agree with her point. It is important to spend time with our children NOW. Maybe we can scrapbook while they're napping or on the weekend if our husbands are home to watch the kids, but this time with them is so precious, we need to take advantage of it and enjoy THEM.
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Rainy day recipes...

2006-04-11T22:25:00.000-07:00

Chicken Noodle Soup

(From the Betty Crocker cookbook but it has been slightly adapted by my mom and me)

5 cups water (I would actually make it more like 8+ because all of the other ingredients take up
quite a bit of room and make it less soupy)

1 Tablespoon Minor's Chicken Base or Chicken Bouillion Powder
( probably 1 1/2-2 Tablespoons if you are adding the extra water)

2-3 celery stalks
2-3 carrot sticks
Chopped dried or regular onion to taste (I would probably put in 2-3 Tablespoons?
1 Homestyle Chicken from Safeway or Costco (precooked and seasoned-delicious-over by the deli section at Safeway)
1 cup egg or pasta noodles (maybe a smidge more)

Begin boiling water with Chicken Base.

Wash and cut up the celery and carrots into bite-sized pieces. Place them in the boiling water.
Add the chopped onion. Add noodles. Boil until celery, carrots, and noodles are tender.

While everything is cooking...

Take all of the meat off of the chicken and place in a bowl. Cut the meat into bite-sized pieces. It is easiest to take the meat off of the chicken while it is still warm or hot. :)

The meat can be added to the water at the very end to avoid overcooking.

Enjoy with some fresh cornbread or French/Sourdough bread!

Let's Explore Another 'Hood

2006-04-01T00:44:00.000-08:00

We've explored motherhood and wifehood and kitchenhood a bit. What do you think about exploring womanhood?! :)

What is your favorite part of being a woman? I think that mine would be that I can be emotional (in a good way). I'm not too keen on the emotional-in-a-bad-way thing, but thank goodness I'm not always emotional in that way. :)
I like being able to be emotional in a good way because it helps me to empathize with those around me who are hurting or excited or... Another one would be that I get to be domestic! I feel so accomplished when I'm able to make something from scratch and say that I made it. :) Even better is when my husband comes home to a homemade meal and I feel such a wonderful sense of accomplishment.

Wifehood...Chapter 2

2006-03-28T14:34:00.000-08:00

We've been enjoying a conversation about wifehood and motherhood on one of our posts, and I thought that we should give it its own post. For this post, let's just focus on wifehood. Are there ways that you encourage (or could encourage ) your man as a father and a husband? Please post them here so that we can maybe gather some new ideas to implement with our mate. :)

I've been trying to still do things that I did for my husband before the baby came. I have to admit that I let some of that romance stuff slide for a while, but I'm trying to revive it. Sometimes it's a note in the mailbox, a basket of his favorite snacks, affirming words, or just an extra kiss to let him know that I'm thinking about him. It's hard to find time or energy to sneak some of the more involved romancing in (writing notes and buying snacks), but once I get going I sure have a lot of fun doing it!

When the baby was first born (and even now) it was/is hard to find time to be with my husband. I wanted to be with him, but I knew that I only had a couple of hours before the next feeding. I realized that I needed to MAKE time to be with him instead of running off to sleep. I know that that effort definitely paid off for both of us even though we got a little less sleep.

Looking forward to your comments!

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Balls

2006-03-27T21:48:00.000-08:00

I was having a conversation with some of my mom-friends today, and I asked them if they were having post-pregnancy food cravings. Almost unanimously they chimed in, "Chocolate!" Since I've been having a nightly chocolate craving lately (although my husband says that this isn't unique to my post-pregnancy state), I found this quick and easy recipe from cooks.com. With the exception of one that my husband ate, I finished off the whole batch! I post the recipe here for your enjoyment.

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Balls

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 c. peanut butter
1/2 stick butter, melted
4 tbsp. canned cream
1 tbsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix together and shape into balls. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Melt 1 box semi sweet chocolate with 1/2 block paraffin wax. Dip balls into chocolate mixture; can use fork. Place on waxed paper to harden.

Adina's Canadian Vanilla Sugar Scones

2006-03-27T21:38:00.000-08:00

Hey again Ladies
Recipe time!!
This is a great recipe for scones that I got from a friend in Canada. Delish!

Vanilla Sugar Scones

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white sugar
2-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup and 2 Tbsp butter (softened)
1/2 egg beaten (I don't know any chickens that lay half eggs, but you can use the other half of a whole egg for brushing the tops of the scones so they will brown nicely)
1/2 cup milk

1) preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2) In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter. Mix the egg and milk in a separate bowl, and stir into flour mixture until moistened. (do not over mix)
3)Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly. Roll dough out into a 1/2 inch thick circle. Cut into 4 wedges and place on the baking sheet.
4) Brush the wedges with some of the remaining egg and sprinkle with sugar.
5) Bake 15 min or until just golden brown.

These scones are best when eaten fresh with butter and jam with hot tea as a compliment.

enjoy!

cheers,
adina

Motherhood~lovely times and learning times

2006-03-22T15:00:00.000-08:00

Do you ever look at your child and think...Wow! God is amazing to have created this! Wow! I'm the one who is physically sustaining this child (ultimately God, of course)! Wow! I have a big responsibility for this life in my care!

I had a thought the other day about motherhood; its lovely times and its learning times. I'm so thankful for the times when things are going smoothly as a mom. When the learning times come, I'm not so thankful. I'm realizing that I need to take the good with the bad, and learn to trust God and be thankful for both. Especially being thankful for the blessing of health and support from others.

Welcome to the 'Hood

2006-03-16T15:36:00.000-08:00

Perhaps I should have a picture of Mr. Rogers here changing from his shoes and jacket into his slippers and sweater...:) I don't have a fish tank or a train to take us into the world of make believe, but I would like you to be my neighbor.

Okay...momentary lapse into stupidity...

Welcome to Women in the 'Hood-a place where women can come to share their thoughts (and recipes), ask questions (about the "hoods', theology, or Christianity), and share encouragement and advice with other women of like mind. Please remember that this is a blog all about encouraging and sharing with one another. Please refrain from comments about others that would be discouraging for them to read.