Finger food/Fun toddler food - Quiche/Frittata recipe

As promised,this is another kids approved lunch/finger food.If you want to check out the other two click here and here.

So this is a mix between the two recipes:Frittata and Quiche.

A quiche is essentially a baked custard (savoury rather than sweet) in a pie shell –- although you can certainly make one without the crust, as I always do.

What you need:

4 eggs
1 cup milk
4 tbs flour
cheese
cherry tomatoes(cut in half)
cooked chicken breast(I usually make this dish with chicken left overs from the night before,so it's a great way to use up every bit of that roasted chicken you had on Sunday -or any other day:)
                vegetables :
 you can add peppers,zucchini,spinach,baked potatoes ,corn,peas ,etc
salt & pepper


How to:

Whisk together the eggs and milk in a large jug or bowl, then stir in the cooked chicken breast or ham,  the cheddar , cherry tomatoes , vegetables and some seasoning. Pour into the pie tin, scatter with a bit of extra grated cheese, if you like, and bake for 30-35 min until golden and set.

I cut out star shapes using a cookie cutter to make it more fun looking for my girls.

They loved it!The star shape makes it easy for a one year old to bite on.

I serve it next to some cherry tomatoes and cucumber sticks.It can be serve warm or cold,great to take out on a picnic or in a lunch box!

It is easy to make and you can use what ever  you have in your fridge or pantry,make it a maxican flavoured dish by adding some spiciness and corn and beans...be creative!

Embrace the camera 26/07/12

If you are new here,here is more about Embrace the camera:

The lovely Emily over at The Anderson Crew had this great idea of turning the camera around on you(me).

This is my second time link-ing up.

I started this blog to record in some way our life,my girls life so that they will know how much they were/are loved and how big of a blessing they are to us,they make us complete...

and usually I am the one behind the camera taken the pictures...but I'm not in them that much...

and as sad as it may be ,

one day, we won't be around...

do we really just want to be a distant memory?

Pictures are a way to remind our loved ones of what we once were regardless of how we look ,

they will treasure those photos one day! It doesn't need to be with a good camera. It just needs to be you, with your kids, husband, or someone else who may be near and dear to your heart.

So Emily is hosting Embrace the camera every Thursday were you can link up !

Join me there,will you?

We went to a local funfair and then stop in the park for some pictures,thank you God for the beautiful evening light!It makes everything so ....romantic;)!Loved it!

Momma Mar's ACTIVITY Corner - new link up party

I am so excited to co host for the very first time a  link up party !I love to keep my girls busy with some sort of fun  activity that they enjoy but learn from it as well. 

I am always on a look out on  Pinterest and other blogs for new ideas.

 This link up is for all of us to post any recipes, crafts, outings, activities, whatever you've been doing with, or making for, your little ones.

To inspire us all, to get down and dirty with our kids and play with them!

This will be a fun weekly link up! I'll share something my girls and I have made over the past week, and also show off some of my favourites that you all shared with me.

To make it even more exciting, my friend Cassie, over at Two In Diapers, is hosting a Sister Link Up for you to hook up with, too! Head over there after you're finished here and link up any thoughts, stories, mommy brain moments you've blogged about go there.

 So you can share the ups and downs of mommy hood with other bloggers who are going through, or have been through, the same things.

                                                  So here it goes.. my first link up!

Host:

Mar @ Raising Bean

Co-hosts:

Erika @ Shine On

Ang @ Juggling Act Mama

Sarah @ Spoon Fed Baby

Rules:

1. I would love for you to follow your host and co-hosts! So we can keep in touch, but it's not mandatory.

2. Link up any post that talks about something you've done with, or for, your child. It can be recipes, DIY, arts&crafts, sensory activities, if you did it (or attempted it), you can link it! *Don't link directly to your blog, it must be a specific post* Feel free to link more than one post.

3. Check out some other ideas. Don't be a stranger, go see what other families have been up to, and leave them some love in the form of a comment.

4. Head over to Two In Diapers and visit the Sister Link Up, "Thursday's Mommy-Brain Mixer"! She wants your mommy stories, thoughts, and funny moments.

Please grab a button and put it somewhere on your blog, preferably the post you're linking up. So others can find it and share, and steal, some great activities!

<div align="center"><a href="http://www.raisingbean.com" title="Raising Bean" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1063.photobucket.com/albums/t505/Raisingbeanblog/mini.jpg" alt="Raising Bean" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

If you're interested in co-hosting please email the host at margaret@raisingbean.com, I'd love to have you!

**Normally this link up will be on Thursday, but I'm co-hosting Our Reflection's Meet & Tweet tomorrow!

WIWW

What I Wore Wednesday was created by blogger Lindsay from The Pleated Poppy to help stay at home Mommies like me to get out of their t-shirts and sweats and to

put a little effort into themselves every day.

Here are pictures from this week:

To the park...

Cardigan - H&M

Blouse - Primark

Trousers - Next

Shoes - Toms

Scarf- no name (car boot)

Earrings  - Accessorise(sale)
I have been wearing my hair up in a bun all week!I love it!:)

Church...

Dress - TK Max (TJ Max-US version)

Cardigan-Principles

Shoes-Toms ,I live in my Toms,I need to get a second pair!They are on my wish list!:)

Funfair...

Shirt - Cotton

Trousers - Vero Moda

Shoes...oh well...Toms (the crochet ones)

Join me today as I co-host my first link-up party!

This will be a fun weekly link up! I'll share something my girls and I have made over the past week, and also show off some of my favourites that you all shared with me.

So stay close and look out for the post today!:)

Thank you for reading!

Fun Fair Fun!

Why I walk funny...

If you don't know my story and I am on a good day,not tired,no pain,you will not notice it..I think.

I walk a bit funny...I can't run or jump...if you push me down I scream like it's the end of the world on my way down!!I am terrified that I may hurt my legs and have to go back through what I have been in my teenage years.My legs are my deepest insecurity,my weakest point.There...it's out!You know it!:)

I will share my story with you...because I still don't really know the reason way God made it happen this way...and maybe sharing it with you..may help someone...

When I was nine years old, I started having really bad pain in my hips,it slowly got to the point were I could not sleep,I would wake up in pain when  trying to roll over in bed in my sleep.The doctors called it "growing pain"...I was 9, and it sounded stupid to me too...I did not see any other kid walking in pain,crying on the street....It got worse...if I would walk in to an quite room,you could hear my hips making this popping noise...it didn't hurt that much anymore...or I got used to it...At 14 I went to see a great doctor that my mum found and he knew what I had...get ready.........dislocated hips...it is some what common for baby girls to be born with this condition...if detected at birth, or in the few months after, it can be easily fixed without surgery.When I was born in Romania...they didn't test me or any other baby girl for it.I was born in 1985 in a communist country at that time.

My hips were in a pretty bad shape,for walking around with dislocated bones...I had to have surgery,and stay in a cast for 4 months,from my chest down to my ankles.After a year of recovery,my knee caps started to pop out like 5 times a day,I would put them back my self and keep on walking...it did hurt the first few times.I knew something was wrong...but I didn't want to go back to the hospital...until my knees started to get swollen and hurt...I have gotten fluid from all the popping(it sounds funny:)).So I had to have my knees fixed...and stay in a cast for 2 more months.Because I didn't get my hips fixed when I was a baby and I walked like that,I got osteoarthritis ..it usually happens after 45 years old...I got it at 10 or 11....I have pretty big scars on my hips and knees...I hate them and love like them at the same time...I really don't know how I would have gone through all that pain,because let me tell you,it hurt not only going through 5 surgeries but the recovery was the most painful thing!I was so blessed having my mum with me (my father was in jail... for drinking and driving...that's a different story...that I don't think I will ever fully tell.)and God.I depended on God for everything,I was so weak ,but He was so strong for me.I kept a journal at that time and I can see now looking back how blessed I am,I have all that I asked God for:I can walk,I have a family that I always wanted,a family that loves God!God is good!He keeps His promises,you may not see it now,but He can see the future,He will get you through it!

This is me and one of my favorite Bible verse :

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD,

"plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

plans to give you hope and a future.

He made me more tough..I may have a weak body...but that will go back to the dust any way...my soul,my hart is strong.My scars remind me of all that.Maybe I needed them to be the person I am today.I know that everything happens for a reason..I may not understand it now ,here on Earth,but I imagine my self walking one day with Jesus and Him telling me Why....

I don't really like talking about all that with people...I don't want to think of me like I'm week ...I am not..I can keep up with my girls just fine!They walk nicely next to mummy and I don't have to run after them...daddy has the running part covered when we go to the park.

That's it...my not so big deal story:))I really hope it encourages some one out there....

PS sorry for any bad grammar...I am a Romanian living in UK...keep that in mind!:)

embrace the camera: 7/19/12

The lovely Emily over at The Anderson Crew had this great idea of turning the camera around on you(me).I started this blog to record in some way our life,my girls life so that they will know how much they were/are loved and how big of a blessing they are to us,they make us complete...

and usually I am the one behind the camera taken the pictures...but I'm not in them that much...

and as sad as it may be ,

one day, we won't be around...

do we really just want to be a distant memory?

 Pictures are a way to remind our loved ones of what we once were regardless of how we look ,

 they will treasure those photos one day! It doesn't need to be with a good camera. It just needs to be you, with your kids,  husband, or someone else who may be near and dear to your heart.

So Emily is hosting Embrace the camera every Thursday were you can link up !

Join me there,will you?

By the way you too will fall in love with her blog!:)

me and my hubby!:)

hide your veggies - Pasta & meatballs with hidden veggies!

Filling your child's stomach with green goodness may require you to get creative.
A bowl of zucchini may not seem fun but add them in the food that they already love and trust me,they will eat them.

My girls love pasta.So I try to combine what they love with what they are not so crazy about ,like veggies.Emma my oldest is not a fussy eater...wile baby Hannah...oh my...she feeds herself...she will spit zucchini or any other veggie out of her mouth like it's poison!It's a challenge feeding her.

So if you got that problem with your little one here is one recipe that worked for my Hannah.

I will post more healthy baby (toddler)food,so stay close!:)

Make these mini meatballs small enough for your baby to pick up and eat as a finger food.You can use other meats such as chicken ,beef or lamb.Chose pasta shapes that are small,fun and easy for them to eat .

What you will need:

(makes 12-15 meatballs)

70 g minced turkey

half of a small onion- finely chopped

1 small carrot- grated

half of a medium size zucchini-grated

half of tsp grated garlic

1 free range egg

1 tsp olive oil

salt and paper to taste

dried pasta

For the tomato sauce:

1tsp olive oil

tomato juice

oregano

basil

1 small clove of garlic-grated

I don't measure my spices I just add them to taste...just add little by little.

To make the meatballs,put the mince,onion,garlic,all the grated veggies,egg,oil and spices into a bowl and mix them well using a hand blender...or your very own hands!:)Make sure they are clean!

Divide and shape the mixture into even bite-sized balls.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper(baking) place the meet balls on to the baking sheet and bake them for 20 min at 160C.

For the sauce:

Put the olive oil in a small saucepan and  stir in the grated garlic for about 1-2 min then add the tomato juice and spices and cook for about 5min.

Cook the pasta in a separate sauce pan according to the packet instructions.Drain.Serve the pasta topped with the meatballs and sauce.

Here is the result!

new in my shop

Yep,I have a shop on Etsy,It has been quite neglected...but I decided to get back on making pretty things again(as we kind of need the money that comes from it).

A tight budget can spark your creativity I tell you!:)

Anny way,I love designing pretty things(design...sounds like a big word..) and the true inspiration are my girls!So if you like something from my shop you should know they are one of a kind,so grab it !:)Thank you !!

WIWW

For the past two weeks we had some crazy weather,rain,hail,floods and some more rain!This is the worst summer weather ever!We did have a few hours of sunshine a day, after eight hours of continuous rain!:) Any way I'll stop complaining,it could be worse,right?

What to were for that weather you ask?

Shirt - Gap

Jeans - hand me down from a friend

Rain Boots - Scholl

Belt - Red Green

Cardigan/cape:)) - from a local shop in Romania were there's 40C right now!

Necklace - car boot (the UK version of a garage sale)

One dress...two ways...I was inspired by a lovely fashion you tube-er.

This dress is a bit on the elegant side so
I dress it down with a denim jacket,scarf and my  Toms .

Dress - Primark on sale for £5 !!!

Jacket - Love Label

Scarf - local shop from Romania

Watch - Fossil

Earrings - Accessorise
Shoes - Toms(crochet)

Same dress,I just wore it with a shirt on top.Button up the shirt half way and then tie it in a knot .I wore  a belt to connect the two and hide the knot.

Shirt - H&M

Belt - Red Green

Shoes - I bought them from a lovely Indian lady at a car boot for £3!I know!I'm in love with them too!:)) 

Thank you for reading!

home made sweet potato chips

My girls love potato chips(crisps).I try to give them the "healthier " version of them by buying them organic and made especially for kids...but boy are they expensive!!So...in the spirit of saving money for more important things I decided to take some time and make my on.So here you are....

home made sweet potato chips!

They were a hit with my girls as they are naturally slightly sweet  and very delicious!And they are healthier too,as they are baked rather than fried.

Peal and cut your potato in half if it's a medium size or in  quarters if they are larger in size.

Use a swivel peeler to peal thin slices from the potato.

Put them in a bowl and toss them with one tbsp of olive oil.Spread the slices on a large baking sheet lined with on-stick baking paper.

Bake them in a pre-heated oven at 150 C/300F for  15 min then check and remove from the oven if crisp and browned around the edges.

If not,continue cooking for a further 4-5 min,checking every minute,as the  crisps can go brown very quickly.

You can sprinkle over a pinch of salt ,if you like.

These are best served the day they are made but you can store them in an airtight container overnight(they may soften  a bit).

,You can try and  make parsnip crisps as  they are as well naturaly sweet.

That is it easy an delicious!

Operation Smile - how you can help and benefit from it as well

Operation Smile is an international children's medical charity that heals children's smiles, forever changing their lives.

Did you know that every three minutes a child is born with a cleft? — often unable to eat, speak, socialise or smile. In some places these children are shunned and rejected.

 And in too many cases, their parents can't afford to give them the surgeries they need to live a normal life!

Here is one of many touching stories :

Abandoned by both her parents, Maria Eulália Cabralda Costa faced incomprehensible pain during her first five years of life in Brazil.

She was born with a cleft lip that scarred her beautiful features. Her parents separated when she was just a baby, and her father chose two of her siblings to live with him. Her mother chose two others. Neither of them wanted Maria, a beautiful little girl with huge eyes that reflect her emotions.

When Maria’s parents left her, the city’s Child Protection Council called her grandmother, who chose to raise her small granddaughter.

As Maria grew older, she begged her grandmother to allow her to skip school. Her classmates taunted and tormented her, yelling, “You are crippled. Stay away from me.” Maria was too embarrassed to even play with children in her neighbourhood. If she ventured from her home, she covered her mouth with her hands.

Maria’s grandmother was determined to find help for her granddaughter. She first approached the mayor of her city, who was also a doctor. Eventually, a government official directed her to Operation Smile.

When she arrived at the medical mission in Fortaleza, 5-year-old Maria immediately captured the hearts of all the medical volunteers. After her surgery, she was bursting with laughter and smiles.

“I’m so very happy,” said her grandmother. “She plays, runs, talks. She is completely different. Everything has changed for the best. She is not ashamed anymore. Now, she is always looking at herself in the mirror. She always says that she is beautiful, that she is gorgeous. It was everything we have ever wanted.”

Here is how you can help and benefit from it as well...,

                                                     

                                                                    

 CampusBookRentals.com is a company that rents textbooks, saving you money in college and they donate to Operation Smile with each textbook rented!

So if you know someone in college or have a kid in college you can save money and make a difference in someones life at the same time!

Here are some more perks :

-save 40-90% off of bookstore prices
-free shipping both ways
-can highlight in the textbooks
-flexible renting periods

Here is an example on how you can save 72% on a book!!

I honestly didn't know that this existed...I mean,how great is that?!!!

Random Friday

This,again,is an update randomness from our past weeks,as I don't post them every Friday...(well,because my life is not that exciting:)... 
...so here is a  view of  our life through my camera phone.

Enjoy!

Liking up with the lovely jeannett.

How many kids can you count?:) We only have two but I would love to have more,my husband too,you can see the "excitement" on his face!:) 

God morning:)

She is very independent,she will only eat by herself!

We went on a date,just the two of us!

We had carrot cake for the first time,it was delicious!

She is a fish,she loves bath time..both of them do.

Yes,this is the English summer!

Oh wait there is more...

We had this too!!

Mr Tiger got a friend...a dog..so they go everywhere with Hannah...

She is brave!

see...:)I hope she will stay that way..but I pray she will be wise too!

:))

They wanted to take a pretend nap on the living room floor...it lasted about 5 min

they love the window cleaner!

we had some sunny days too...

they do love each other!

can you spy Mr.Tiger?

This is the exact way I would study when I was in school.:)

Like mother like daughter!

Yes,he is my husband...and yes he is that cute!I miss him so much,he's been away this week in Ireland!He will be home tonight!Thank you Jesus!

How was your week?Any hail?!