Recipe #5 Sesame Snap Chicken

Sesame Snap Chicken:
Pair this recipe with any one of the following sides: Steamed Vegetables, rice, mashed potatoes, salad, pasta, couscous, whatever you have that is healthy.

Recipes:

Sesame Snap Chicken

-         -  1 tbs soy sauce

-          - 1 tsp ginger powder

-          - 1 tsp garlic powder

-          - 2 tbsp dried or fresh cilantro (optional) 

      -1 to 2 sesame snaps per chicken breast

-    

Step #1 Place chicken in oven safe dish and pour soy sauce over chicken breasts and roll them in it to coat them.

Step #2 sprinkle with garlic and ginger (and cilantro if using) 

Step #3 Place 1 to 2 sesame snaps on top of each chicken breast (you can use more than 2 per chicken breast, but reminder that will add more calories to the meal) 

Step #4 Cook chicken to the "cooking chicken in the oven code" 

REMINDER OF THE CODE:

To Cook Chicken in the oven always follow this formula:

      1) Preheat oven to 400 degree

      2) Chicken in for 20 minutes at 400 degrees (set timer)

      3)  When timer rings reduce heat to 350 degrees and reset timer for 15 minutes.

       

   Moist chicken from the oven every time!!

Secret Sanity tips of a Stay-at-home dad

Now I may be a stay-at-home dad, but it doesn't mean that that is my only job.

I also work at a job which I am fortunate enough to do while at home, and I am writing "comic books" to hopefully be published.  (see my other blog of writing stuff here: http://myimaginationshome.blogspot.ca/)

So while it feels like at the end of the day that I give my daughter all 100% of me, the truth is I don't anymore.  She is older and individual play is a great thing for her, she is capable of getting her own toys out (and putting them away after), getting crafts and some snacks also.

So how am I able to juggle essentially two full time jobs PLUS be a full time everyday parent?

Here are some tips:

1) STICKERS!!

It's amazing how much free time for you (for cleaning, reading, chilling, working or just breathing) can be attained just by giving your toddler (2-5 year old) stickers and some pieces of paper or even an old toy destined for the trash.

TIP #1 Peel off the back part before you give your child the sheet of stickers so that they can easily take them off themselves.

TIP #2 Be prepared for a mess.  If you are going to give your child stickers and semi-supervision messes occur.

           Stickers with backing (BAD)                               Stickers without backing (GOOD!)

             

2) WATER COLOR PAINTS!!

Cheap water color paints and non detailed large imaged coloring pictures are amazing for an hour or two of fun.

TIP #1 Get cheap ones at the loonie store. More expensive water color paints are NOT better they are the exact same thing.

TIP #2 See tip number two above.

3) 1 NEW TOY!!

One new toy makes ALL other toys instantly new.  It's amazing.

TIP #1 A lot of toys comes in packs of 3 or more toys, don't give all of them in the package to your child at once, spread them out over time.

TIP #2 It doesn't have to be expensive or even "new" it just something they haven't had before.

4) CRAYOLA MESS-FREE 'COLOR WONDER' MARKERS AND PAPER

http://www2.crayola.com/products/splash/color_wonder/

We discovered these amazing products a couple years ago, and they have been a staple in our daughters routine ever since. 

They are more expensive, but they are perfect for travelling, long road trips, airplane flights, hotel stays and getting that extra 30-40 minutes of sleeping done in the morning (our daughter has some in her room). They only make marks on the special paper. You don't have to worry about marker getting anywhere!!  

TIP #1 get child to pick 1 picture and rip out that page for them to color, that way they aren't taking any other "daddy (or mommy) needs you to be busy by yourself for 10 minutes" moments. When that page is all done get them to pick another and rip out.  

TIP #2 Cool part about the paper is that the whole picture gets colored because things "appear" all over the page. (get child to hold the picture to the light to see what things are hidden in the picture.

5) DIGITAL CLOCKS!!!

After my daughter learned her numbers. Thanks to preschool prep movie 'Meet the Numbers' (http://www.preschoolprepco.com/). I had an epiphany.  I told her what time she should get up and what time she should wake mommy and daddy up at. 

I took a digital clock and covered up the last two digits, so that only the first two digits showed.

I told my daughter that she can "get up" in the morning only after she sees a 7.  After she sees a 7 she can then get out of bed and play quietly in her room, after she sees an 8 she can then ask for her "movie" (old iPhone with educational shows on it) at which point I get up and go for my shower (or sleep a little longer). 

TIP #1 I just used a sticky note which I taped down. 

TIP #2 Change weekend times to 8 and 9 respectively. 

Enjoy these tips and if you have any of your own please let me know. I've got to write 2 more comic books!!

Recipe #4 Ribs in Oven

What you need:

- ribs (package trim excess fat off of them before cooking) 

- spices (see rib rub for spices) works great on the BBQ also but cooking time is different. 

- a side I prefer Caesar salad ( using a low fat Caesar salad kit and romaine lettuce)  

Rub for Ribs (everything in TableSpoon)

- 2 1/2 Chili Powder

- 2 Cumin

- 1 Paprika

- 1 Brown Sugar

- 1/2 Ground Pepper

- 1/4 Cayenne Pepper

- 1/2 Garlic

mix all ingredients together 

Step 1) trim off all excess fat from the ribs

Step 2) Rub spice rub on both sides of Ribs

Step 3) Set oven to 300 Degrees

Step 4) Place ribs right on rack (middle height), with a pan under to catch drippings

Step 5) Set timer to cook 1 hour turning every 20 minutes or so

Step 6) check to see if done.

After you are done and oven has cooled down, clean off the rack as it will have Rib drippings stuck on it. 

My daughters friends or really my Friends with kids?

Her Friends of my Friends with Kids?

I have come to the realization that I pick my child's friends for her.

Does she not go off onto the playground by herself?

Yes.

Does she not form play groups with other kids she never knew before that day?

Yes.

Does she not interact and have fun with new people all the time?

Yes.

So how do I control her friends I hear you ask yourself?

Because she can't drive, so I control the play dates!

I decide who we see on social times, and most often I decide by which parents I wouldn't mind spending 1-2 hours with.  My daughter doesn't care which child she sees, preferably a girl of course but other than that she could care less.

So really I am deciding her 'friends' for her.

I have actually been at a park with my daughter, seen another person there with a similarly aged child and talked to that parent (99% of the time a mom) while our interacted at the park.

Our children were at the park for about 30 minutes, and in that time her son threw rocks at my daughter, yelled at her because he wanted to go down the slide first and the mom said "(insert spoiled boys name here) if you do that one more time we are leaving." four times!

At the end after realizing our houses were pretty close to each other she says "we should have a play-date with the kids some time".  To which I replied: "I'll be honest with you, that's not going to happen."

The truth of the matter is, that I have no problem killing 30 minutes talking small talk with another parent, it doesn't mean that our kids are going to be best friends for life now.

Am I alone here?

Do any of you not choose to do play dates with your child's peers if you find the conversation less than stimulating?  Or do you go in feet first knowing that your child is having fun for an hour while that same hour feels like 3 hours to you?

I have taken a stand, choosing like minded adult friends with kids who stimulate my child, as opposed to like minded kids whose adults don't stimulate me.

Oh, and by the way.

If you're wondering why we haven't done a play date in a while its' because I've been busy.

Really that's it.

Just busy.

Recipe #3

Chicken Parmesan

What you need?

- Chicken Breast (enough for 1 each for whole family kids only need 1/2 a breast)
- Favorite low calorie Spaghetti sauce
- Spaghetti Noodles
- Parmesan Cheese
- No Salt seasoning Ms Dash

Directions:

*Remember the Cooking moist Chicken in the Oven code?
400 degrees for 20 minutes
350 degrees for 15 minutes

Step 1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Step 2) Season thawed or fresh chicken breast with NO SALT sesasoning

Step 3) Put in oven safe casserole dish and cover with spaghetti sauce

Step 4) Set timer for 20 minutes

Step 5) With 5 minutes left start boiling water for spaghetti noodles

Step 6) When Timer rings turn oven down to 350 and cook another 15 minutes

Step 7) Put spaghetti into boiling water. (spaghetti should be done at almost the same time as the chicken)

Step 8) when timer rings take chicken out and slice each piece length wise into pieces,

Step 9) drain pasta and put on plate.

Step 10) spoon out the cooked pasta from the oven casserole dish on top of the pasta

Step 11) add sliced chicken breast pieces on top of the pasta and sauce

Step 12) Grade Parmesan cheese over top and serve

Winter Indoor Activities for Babies and Toddlers:

There is so much to do in Calgary in the Spring and Summer but what do you do in the winter time?

This was a hard question for me as I don't like going outside when it's colder than -7.

Here are a few of my favorites that I found.

Best indoor wading pool for babies - 4 year olds (that I know of):

Foothills Aquatic Centre (http://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/Recreation/Pages/Pools/Foothills.aspx)

Picture of Wading Pool, has a fountain in the middle and lots of water toys to play with.

Cost: 

$1.40 per kid and adult. 

Address:

2915 24 Ave. N.W (map below)

Rules: 

- All non-potty trained children must be wearing either swim diapers or water pants. 

- parents must be in the pool with the children within arms reach and be wearing proper swimming attire themselves. ("Real Housewives of Calgary" there will be no sitting on the edge of the pool sipping your Starbucks coffees, you must be in the water with your child, and 'yes' you will get splashed. So don't give my daughter or me a dirty look because you got wet. It's a pool!) 

Wading Pool Hours/Times: 

During the following times the Wading Pool is open at a discounted rate of $1.40/person*

 DAY                                           TIME
Mon-Fri                                   9am - Noon
Mon, Wed, Fri                              6-8pm

- All children under 7 must be accompanied by an adult in appropriate bathing attire. * No access to main pool or dive tank during these times. Wading pool prices not in effect during any public, lane and booking (rental) swim times.

Best time to visit the Science Centre:

We all know about the Calgary Science Centre (http://www.sparkscience.ca) but do you know the best time to visit it? 

By best time I mean least busiest time. A time where your toddler/baby isn't being run over by a bazillion school children on a field trip. 

I will give you a hint: Busiest days by far at the Calgary Science Centre are Weekends, Fridays or Mondays.  

Weekends reason is obvious.    

Fridays or Mondays? The reason is actually pretty simple when you think about it, most PD days fall on Fridays or Mondays, also having worked in a school for years I know that the majority of teachers plan field trips on either Friday or Mondays. 

The Number 1 slowest day (according to the Manager at 'Spark' I spoke to regarding this blog post) 

TUESDAY!!!!

Having said that, it better not start getting super busy on Tuesdays because of what I just wrote. :)

Best Tropical Get away in the city:

The newly renovated Devonian Gardens.  Tropical trees, fishes, and a great play area. All your missing are drinks with umbrellas in them.

 
 

They have done a great job with the redesign.

TIP:
Make a day of it, pack a lunch and take either the bus or C-Train down.

Bonus:
Now 73% less homeless people!! (should be an actual sign or slogan for the new Devonian Gardens).

Location:
8 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2P 1B5

Friday Family Fun Night!!!

About a year ago now, we amended our "(family) roommate agreement" ('Big Bang Theory's' roommate agreement: http://wiki.the-big-bang-theory.com/wiki/Roommate_Agreement ), so that every Friday would be "Friday Family Fun Night".

What we do is that every Friday we make a meal together, we eat in front of the TV and watch a movie or play the Wii together as a family.

We laugh, eat and have fun.

It is by far our favorite night of the week!

Our movie selections so far have consisted of Disney Classics and Scooby-Doo movies, but during December every Friday we introduced our daughter to our favorite Christmas movies.

The family snuggles together on the couch, I get to 'steal kisses' from my wife while the kid is engaged in a movie.  It's brilliant.

We have made everything from Pizza, Nachos to Crazy french fries.

Here is our 4 year old daughters favorite "Friday Family Fun Night" recipe:

Homemade Pizza Buns:
What you need: (you can use any ingredients you want to decorate or make your own pizza buns with, these are the ingredients which go on ours.)

- Large Hamburger buns (sesame seeds optional) I get the 12 pack and use the remainder for lunches.
- Pizza sauce we use 'Primo Pizza Squeeze'
- Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- Lunch Meat Ham (take a bunch of slices and cut them into small cubed pieces)
- Black Olives (our daughters favorite)
- Green onions (diced)
- Canned NO SALT ADDED mushrooms

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2)Cut the buns in half
3) Prep ingredients
4) Put all the ingredients on separate plates/bowls
5) Squeeze a blob of pizza sauce per bun (let your child spread their own sauce, it's fun)
6) Each Person decorates their own pizza bun their way!
7) Place on metal tray and place in oven. Cook for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Enjoy, spend some time together and come up with your own make supper together recipes.

This "Friday Family Fun Night" is Nachos and "The Princess and the Frog" from Disney.