Simple Hearty Meatloaf

Good morning!

Today I am going to throw together a stew in the crockpot but I thought I would share our delicious meatloaf recipe.

This is a favorite in our house and I even grew up not liking meatloaf!  I guess I just needed to figure out just how, exactly, I liked it.

Ingredients:
-1 lb ground beef (we prefer grass fed, but it is your choice)
-1 egg
-1 cup of milk
-2 slices of bread (1 cup of bread crumbs or cracker crumbs will work fine too!)
-1/2 an onion (you could use a whole onion, or no onion at all, depending on your preference)
-2 Tablespoons of Mustard
-2 Tablespoons of brown sugar
-1/3 cup of ketchup
-1 Tablespoon chili sauce
- Salt and pepper

I typically prep the loaf while Silas is napping.  It doesn't take long, especially once you get it down and it you are a frantic speed "whipper-upper" like me, you should be just fine. I have also worn Silas on my back during his super fussy times and that usually calms him down in an instant and I am able to cook without worrying about him.  Back wearing vs. front wearing is also safer during cooking, you know, dealing with flames and little hands reaching for pot handles, raw meats, and the stovetop.

Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

- Toast your 2 slices of bread so it firm but not burnt.

- Finely chop/dice your toast to create your own home made bread crumbs.
***We like this because we like our bread and know what is in it and thought, why buy bread crumbs when I can make them?  It actually started when I one day didn't have bread crumbs and I did this and realized I liked it wayyyyy better!***

- Combine beef, egg, onion, milk, and bread crumbs.  Season to taste, salt, and pepper.  Feel free to throw in any other seasonings that you would like.  Jump in and mush around with your fingers :)

- Place your loaf in a greased 5x9 pan.  If you don't have one, and 8x8 will work fine, just form the loaf in the middle.
***I used to prefer the larger pan that way my sides and edges were covered in sauce too. My favorite part.***

- In a separate bowl combine brown sugar, mustard, ketchup, and chili sauce.  If you don't have chili sauce, it will be just fine.  It just adds a little bit of flavor.

- Pour over your loaf and bake for 1 hour.

-ENJOY!

I will post a picture next time I make it.
I usually choose a veggie and a starch to go with it.  Sometimes I sauté some green beans and mushrooms or go the easy way, and toss some canned(from my parents garden) greens in a pot to heat up.  Same with the starch.  Sometimes I make some fresh mashed potatoes, and some times I opt for the 365 Organic mac and cheese since its less hassle.  Want even less hassle? GO for near east Cous Cous. It takes under 10 minutes and it is delicious(my favorite is the wild mushroom).

Ill be back with more quick and yummy meals!
Have a great Thursday!

Catch up!

Hello!

It has been a minute since I have even logged on and I do apologize to my few followers. :)  I have just been so busy bouncing all over the place.  I have been making banner orders, working, going out of town for my cousins bachelorette party, all while taking care of a little munchkin.  Life can be hectic even if you aren't working full time. 

So….I don't really have a blog planned in my overloaded noggin currently; but wanted to just jump on the blog and do a little update. 

Since my last post I haven't gathered all my best references and tips for breastfeeding.  I promise I will! Plus, I would like to find the updated American Academy of Pediatrics and American Medical Association links.  I seem to have misplaced the one I used to keep in my phone notes.  I also like following the Mothering Magazine, which is more of a site with blog posts, popular topics, funny articles, and things of natural family living rather than the real text and facts on the topic. 

My last grocery post lasted me longer than a week, too!  And since then I have been buying more freezer meat.  I actually bought some less expensive, (well, wayyyy less expensive), when I was at Kroger last week.  I am not sure I will do that again.  The quality and taste was just not what we are used to.  I really hate to sound snobby, but I am very happy that healthy eating is a priority in our home.  I just think of in years past what my money was spent on and how my body is thanking me now.  After eating this way for a while, my body has adjusted(I have never been this way) and I can really tell when I throw it off.  So with all of this being said, I am still trying to improve my grocery trips and in the future I will occasionally make a post on it.  This way we can all see my progress. :) 

I need to post some more recipes!  I think I may do two posts today to do a "catch-up" and post another easy, yet delicious, recipe. 

I am also going to talk more about my "banner-making".  Like these:

This all started with Silas' birthday.  I wanted banners for his high chair cake smash and his pictures.  And as we all know, I have jumped back into DIY and crafting so I was determined to make them myself and they really are not very hard.  It just takes time.  Going to the store, browsing, picking out fabric, having it cut, and all was the most difficult part for me.  Silas does not just chill out for long periods of time, as I have said several times(sorry for always being so repetitive), so this was hard.  I had to leave Joann's Fabrics empty handed a couple times due to this.  These times I did not have him in the ring sling.  One day I will realize that it really is the only way to go for us.  The last time I actually had a good friend of mine go with me to help me distract Silas and occupy him while we both chose fabrics.  After making my own and having these beautiful and hilarious pictures taken, our photographer asked if I was interested in making a large order of banners of various colors and selections for her studio!  I was so honored that she actually liked them.  You know when you make something and think it looks good not knowing if other people actually think the same, then you look back at it a couple years later and ask yourself, "what was I thinking??".  It really made me feel good.  Especially since you can only really get them on Etsy and you never really know how they will turn out until you have ordered from them once.  I have thought about starting up an Etsy shop but I don't think I am ready for that.  So I will stick with custom orders from the photographer and local friends and such.  I have had other people ask since then too!  So I need to get to work!  I will go over a tutorial in a later post with step by step photos.  Here are a few more:

I have some other great ideas of things I want to work on.  I am dying to get a new sewing machine!  I would like one that can do some embroidery too.  

Here are some other things I will later post about that are in the crafty category:

Silas' DIY woodland themed and decorated nursery including 

-DIY hand stitched woodland mobile

-Burlap/twine "S" wood panel wall decor

-Furniture additions 

-Overall "pull together" of the nursery

I have also started trying to really implement learning of colors, shapes, objects,  and actions with Silas. His brain is really "exploding" with development.  It is so mind-blowing how one day they just all-of-a-sudden realize how a cause and effect toy works and just figuring things out.  So I made some "shape cards" with bright colors on black card stock for a big contrast.  I go over them every day.  

It is the simple things that you can do every day that they will pick up on.  I would like to get the cards laminated and do similar cards later on with sight words.

I will also go over our partial cloth diapering experience including tips, organization, care, and benefits.

Silas is not walking still.  He is almost 14 months.  I think he is just not ready, and does not want to.  I feel like I know that he can, but he just cries when he is left standing up.  It is actually quite entertaining.  

This is everything I have been up to lately and hopefully I can catch up on all my other "Monday duties". I LOVE Mondays but boy do I always have a lot to do and catch up on after working over the weekend. Next weekend is my last weekend working.  It is bittersweet and I am very nervous.  I have never been unemployed.  It is a very scary thought but at the same time I am SO excited to actually have weekends with my family.  We can actually DO THINGS! and GO PLACES! and BE TOGETHER! 

Stay tuned for an update on life with my family after not having to work and more posts!

It is now fall, and feels wonderful outside! Get out and enjoy it! The Holiday season is approaching and I am SO excited! 

I hope you all have a great week!

Lemon Caper Baked Tilapia

Good Morning!

Today I am going to give you a QUICK and EASY fish recipe:  Lemon Caper Baked Tilapia

 :)

Some of you may already know that Silas' iron is slightly low and we need to keep feeding him more iron rich foods, such as meat.  We also need to plump him up a tad.  He is a slender little fellow.  So, as advised by our pediatrician, we chose to do a delicious buttery fish dish.  He LOVED it!  Even better, it took just minutes to prepare!  Typically I will browse different sites, analyze, see what I have, take pieces from each recipe, and then throw a recipe of my own together.   Sometimes I just do my own thing and it turns out great... then I can't remember what I did the next time around.  This one on the other hand, I followed the recipe.  I just had to share because it was SO delicious!

If you would prefer the link, here it is:
Taste of Home- Baked Tilapia

Disclaimer: I do not measure my seasonings much anymore, so if I give any measurements, they are estimated to the best of my ability(for future reference).

I chose one pound of tilapia fillets(4) from Harry's Farmers Market(Whole Foods). I love that they are so knowledgeable on their meats and seafood, where they come from, mercury content, and overall quality.  Props to the gentleman in the fish department for kindly assisting me. :)

Ingredients:
1 lb. Tilapia
3 tablespoons Butter, softened
1 Lemon(or 3 tablespoons lemon juice)
1 1/2 teaspoons Garlic Powder (I love the 365 whole foods GP, it is fine, yummy, and lasts forever)
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons capers, drained
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon paprika


Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Place tilapia in an ungreased 13 x 9 baking dish.
In a small bowl, combine butter, garlic powder, lemon, and salt. I am a big fan of squeezing fruit for the juice vs. buying concentrated lime or lemon juice.  I personally squeezed the entire, very juicy lemon in my bowl.
Pour the mixture over the tilapia, then sprinkle with paprika, oregano, and capers. I am 99.9% sure I used more than the suggested amounts of seasonings(since I "free-seasoned") and it turned out delicious!
Baked uncovered for 10-15 minutes, or until tilapia flakes easily with a fork.

Serve with your favorite veggie or sides. I served with peas and brown rice. Peas are fast, which is why I chose them, although they are a little higher in carbohydrates for a veggie. We also buy the bag of 365 long grain brown rice from whole foods.  It is very yummy, lasts a while, but takes about 45 minutes to cook(but doesn't require too much attention).

ENJOY!

Happy Eating!

Welcome!

Hello Friends!  This is my first official blog post!  I have been debating starting up a blog for quite some time now.  The last couple of years of my life have been drastically different than before, and IT'S A GREAT THING! First off, I would like to fill you in on a little bit of family info and our life, then I will tell you what, exactly, I will be sharing in the future. :)

I was born and raised in the metro Atlanta area. My husband was born in Colorado(::sigh::) and later moved to the metro Atlanta area as well.  Even though we are both from Atlanta, we met in Savannah in 2006. I was 21 and he was 25.  We worked at the same Restaurant, Locos Grill and Pub(good memories).  He moved away and we later reconnected in 2009.

This Picture was taken in 2009, on Tybee Island, GA(not far from where we lived).

We decided to move back towards the Atlanta area in 2010, closer to our families, and where there would later be more opportunities.
Thomas proposed to me on December 19, 2010, in our living room, after I shot down every opportunity that day(I had NO idea)!
We got married on the Chattahoochee River, on my birthday, July 24, 2011. It was a small, simple, and hot wedding.  All of our close family and friends were there. :)

We're married!

About a year and a half later we found out we were pregnant.  We were not planning to try and have any babies yet and wanted to travel a little more...BUT life happens, and God chooses, and I LOVE our little boy!  I would not have it any other way!  He has brought the best out of both of us in the most magical way!

Silas Bradford DeLaHunt graced us with his presence 3 weeks and 1 day early on August 7, 2013.

He just turned one! (Please excuse me while I cry my eyes out! Where does the time go?)

The following is what I am interested in blogging about.  After reading it, I realized, I suppose I am just covering everything.  It is a slow process, but over time I will just post little things here and there. 

RECIPES
 I have not ever really enjoyed cooking, because, well... I am hungry, and it is a task.  This makes no sense to me, seeing as I would consider myself a "foodie".  I LOVE food.  Unique food.  Quality food.  Delicious food.  Healthy food.  You get the point!  So, with that being said, I want to cook well balanced meals(most of the time ;) ) that are easy, simple, and yummy!  I live off of prepping dinner during nap time, cooking "in a jiffy", and baking.  There is always the crockpot, who has been my best friend for the last year(and saved my life).  

CRAFTS
As a youngster I LOVED crafting, coloring/drawing, designing, building, and anything artsy.  During my teen and college years I lost interest in much of these hobbies and "focused" on other things such as school, friends, hanging out, and having fun.  They were some of the best years of my life, but guess what? I'M BACK!  Now these days in the present moment are the best times of my life!  Now that I have a one year old, I am very busy.  When I was pregnant I designed Silas' nursery. I could not stay off of Pinterest to save my life and I was crafting away like all of my grandmothers!  I always have a vision or an idea and can never seem to find it anywhere, so I just have to find a way to make it myself.  I will share how I put together his "vintage woodland" themed nursery through several posts.  If people are interested in something in particular, then I will be happy to post on it.

PREGNANCY AND BABY
I know this is very broad!  I wish I would have started a blog earlier as I traveled through the harsh 9 month journey of pregnancy.  But then again, I don't.  If I would have been a blogger during that stage I probably would have come off as the most negative person alive!  Some women love pregnancy.  I, on the other hand, did not enjoy it so much.  But I look back now in the most positive way, and I am very thankful for that!  I truly believe that attitude and perspective are everything.  It can really make or break you.  
On baby, I will cover anything from my super tough struggle early on with breastfeeding(what I know now and have learned), to cloth diapers, to my own "theory" :), to what we chose to use/not use, baby wearing(which I am new to) and so on.  We officially made it to one whole year of breastfeeding and I am honestly feeling a little lost on where to go from here.  You can follow me and support me through it and give me tips.  I am always open to hearing what has helped other mothers. 
I simply say my "theory" because I was so adamant about reading and trying so hard to get things perfect and "just right".  Sleeping, eating, time this, time that.  Don't get me wrong, I think reading is great and super informative.  In fact, I think everyone should read a few different books and concepts just for the information.
Here are a couple things I have learned in the last year:
1. Some people are "know-it-alls".  I think we all are at some point or another, it is all ego.  It is hard to get past sometimes.  You learn to let it go.  I love listening to people who are open minded and helpful rather than people who insist you must do things a certain way and you are wrong.  Everyone has different methods to parenting, while every human is totally different.  Mothers will do what they think is best(with the exception of some people- I prefer not to get into news topics), and what works best for them, their babies, and family as a whole.  There are so many topics- Do you CIO(cry it out), attachment theories, do you vaccinate/not vaccinate/delayed vaccination, time schedule, co-sleep, on demand, breastfed(how long), formula, the list goes on and on.  Exception: I mean, of course, there are the obvious safety precautions everyone should follow
2. Never say never.  If there is one thing I have learned it is to be less judgmental(going back to #1).  I honestly feel like if things went perfectly, just the way I planned, and my choice of theory worked out(and stuck), I would probably be more judgmental.  And that is because through my eyes, it works.  Make sense?  Just because one thing works for some babies, does NOT mean it works for all. I recently read a blog post that brought me to a complete realization.  It wasn't anything crazy, and the woman was actually talking about two kids... and I only have one!  It just made so much sense and I understand, now, why women choose to do many different things. 
3. Go with your instinct. Simple, natural, and comforting. 

OTHER MISCELLANEOUS THINGS
Here I may cover anything from cleaning tips, deals, ideas of any kind, to home made products.  

I am going to stop and say one more thing. I am here to share our ways of living and the things we do and enjoy.  I am not here to start debates, have arguments, tell anyone they are wrong or vice versa. So please, keep an open mind, give feedback, advice, tips, encouragement, etc. We don't need any "trolls", and I love meeting like minded, positive, kind people.  :) 

So friends, tell me what you are interested in hearing or discussing. :)

Thanks for reading and hopefully following! :)
-Ashli