tasty bites: applesauce oatmeal muffins

i don't know about the rest of you moms, but i know i often times get stuck in a rut when it comes to feeding jude. we easily get stuck in the same eating routine...partly because he's so picky right now, and partly because i don't want to fight the battle of serving something new and receiving the scrunched-up-nose look in return. (this look is very commonplace these days). so i found this muffin recipe. jude loves them, and so do i because they are both healthy and delish.

ingredients:

-1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
-1 1/4 cups oats
-1 tsp. baking powder
-1/2 tsp. baking soda
-1/4 tsp. salt
-1 tsp. cinnamon (sometimes i add more)
-1 cup all-natural unsweetened applesauce
-1/2 cup buttermilk (i just use regular milk)
-1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
-2 tbsp. canola oil
-1 large egg, lightly beaten

directions:

-preheat oven to 400.
-spray muffin tin with cooking spray, or line with baking cups.
-in a large bowl, combine flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
-in a medium bowl, combine applesauce, milk, sugar, oil and egg. make a well in dry ingredients and add applesauce mixture. stir until moist.
-bake about 16 minutes.

green thumb.

brian and i have lived in our house for almost 2 years. we love being homeowners. its a lot of work, and very expensive, but fun at the same time. i love the sense of accomplishment i feel after a project has been completed.   

we recently planted a garden. we have a tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, hot peppers, and lettuce. we're crossing our fingers and hoping we both have green thumbs. i'll keep you posted.     

we also finally got around to doing our front landscaping. thank you, tax return.

  i haven't killed these flowers yet. yay.

down with the braggadocio.

it kind of bugs me when people constantly brag, brag, brag about their kids. i mean, obviously everyone thinks their own child is pretty awesome. i know how that is. but come on, its not like your kid is the first one in all of history to do something cute, smart, or funny. so get over yourself. BUT...it is surely a very cool thing to watch your child change and learn as they grow. in fact, its amazing. so this is not me bragging...more so just chronicling some actions of my one and a half year old.

he is talking so much now. i remember at his 12 month well child check i was kind of concerned because he wasn't talking much...saying probably 4 to 5 words but that was pretty much it. his doctor lovingly comforted me by saying that usually language explodes between 12 and 15 months. she was totally right. i can't believe i even wasted a second being worried.

jude spends a lot of time with me. its kind of scary how much i catch him doing things that i do. one of my favorites is when jude is eating a meal in his high chair. stella will sit right at his feet, waiting for him to drop food. she often barks which causes jude to point at her and say "no!" i love it. today, jude was playing with my camera. he held it up, pointed it at himself, and pressed the button. that's how i take pictures of he and i when no one else is there to do it. seriously...how cute is that?!

one more thing. jude often picks up wrappers or pieces of string he sees laying on the floor. again, he gets that from me. so he gets the piece of string, walks to the trash can, and throws it out. boy after my own heart.

jude is always surprising me with things that he says and does.i'm so lucky to get to hang with such a cool dude.

tasty bites: strawberry rhubarb dessert bars

i love to bake. and i have a huge sweet tooth. so, these two facts inspired me to find this recipe for strawberry rhubarb dessert bars. they are amazing. so amazing that i made them two days in a row! brian said he could have eaten the whole pan in one sitting. super good and super easy...check it out!

Filling:
      -1 1/2 cups sliced rhubarb
      -1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries
      -1 tbsp. lemon juice (not necessary!)
      -1/2 cup sugar
      -2 tbsp. cornstarch

Crust:
      -1 1/2 cups flour
      -1 1/2 cups oats
      -1 cup brown sugar
      -3/4 cup butter
      -1/2 tsp. baking soda
      -1/4 tsp. salt

Drizzle:
      -3/4 cup powdered sugar
      -1 to 2 tbsp. milk

Directions:
-Combine rhubarb, strawberries, and lemon juice in saucepan. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until fruit is tender. 10 to 12 minutes.

-Combine 1/2 cup sugar and cornstarch in small bowl. Slowly add to fruit mixture while stirring. Continue stirring and cooking until mixture comes to a boil. Boil 1 minute or until mixture is thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.

-Heat oven to 350. Combine crust ingredients in bowl. Beat on low speed until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1 1/2 cups. Press remaining mixture into bottom of greased 9 x 13 pan. Pour fruit mixture over crust. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.

-Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely and drizzle.