Recipe-MultiGrain Muffins

This recipe for Multigrain Breakfast or Anytime Muffins came from the book "52 weeks of Proven Recipes for Picky kids." by Jill McKenzie.  I purchased mine here.

I love this recipe because it is EASY and fast.  It's full of whole grains and very little fat.  I usually make up a double batch and put some in the freezer for snacks later.  My kids really like them.

Multigrain Breakfast or Anytime Muffins
1 cup 10-grain got cereal, such as Bob's Red Mill (I found mine in the bulk section at Winco)
1 1/4 cup buttermilk*
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup butter
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease a standard muffin pan (I use a mini), or line with 12 paper cups.
In medium bowl, combine the 10-grain cereal and buttermilk and let stand for (at least)10 minutes.  In a separate bowl, cream sugar, egg, and butter together until light and fluffy.  Add dry ingredients and milk mixture to creamed mixture.  Stir only until just mixed.  Spoon into greased muffin pan.  Bake for 15 minutes.
Makes 12 muffins.

*Heavy cream or milk can be used in place of the buttermilk, if desired. 

Also, as a good substitute for 1 cup buttermilk, place 1 TBSP lemon juice (or vinegar) in a 1 cup measuring cup and then fill the remainder with milk.  This recipe calls for 1 1/4 cups buttermilk, so do the same thing with 1/4 TBSP lemon juice and remaining 1/4 cup milk. (this tip brought to you by OurBestBites.com in this recipe).

When it hits the fan...it hits the fan

I knew I was supposed to be doing something...I just couldn't remember what.

I was on the phone with my sister when Husband calls...and calls...and calls. ("Maybe I should answer that.")

It finally dawns on me...I was supposed to run some cash out to him at work.

Crap.

I pick up the phone, "I'm coming."......."Do you remember what else I was going to do while I was out?"

He rattles off my to do list:

*trip to drug store ("list is on the counter"),
*trip to red and white bullseye place for Rx's,
*trip to neighboring city to drop off a bike at bike shop (30 min drive BOTH WAYS)!

I look at the clock...It's 11:30AM.

Double crap...

"I'm so not going to make it home before nap time."

Sigh...

It's a mad rush to get ready to leave.

I start preparing lunch on the go (more economical, you know)...yell for Little Red and Mini Rob to "go potty and get shoes on"... Mr. Golden Locks is still in his jammies...heck, I'm still in my jammies...gotta get the bike in the car...don't forget the coupons... 

I'm feeling a little frantic at this point.  So much to do.

(Thank goodness for therapy!)

I try calming myself using some anxiety relieving techniques (inhale slowly 1,2,3,4...exhale slowly 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8...inhale slowly 1,2,3,4...exhale slowly 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8...you get the idea).

"Mom!," I hear from the other room.

I continue to peel carrots while going over the checklist again in my head.

"MOM!" 

Yeah...still peeling carrots...lost in my own thoughts.

Finally,  "MOM!  MOM!  MOM! MOM!"

"WHAT?!?!?," I yell.

"[MR. GOLDEN LOCKS] THREW YOUR KEYS IN THE TOILET."

(goodbye new found calm feeling)

Carrots forgotten I RUN (literally) to the bathroom.

My worst fears are confirmed....my keys are in the toilet...so is Mini Rob's urine...and two or more weeks worth of bacteria (yeah, I've been meaning to get to that.)   UGH!

(Have I mentioned I'm a semi recovered OCD-ish germ-a-phoebe.)

Not good...not good at all.

I order the kids out...and ask Little Red to assist Mr. Golden Locks in the detoxification process (hand sanitizer).

I grab the keys out of the toilet and throw them in the bathroom sink.  I begin the first of several wash cycles (with anti-bacterial soap, of course) while alternating between panic and self-control in my head ("sick, disgusting, I will never be able to touch them again"... "get a hold of yourself, calm down, you will clean them well, you will move on, and you will be okay (positive self reinforcement...ya know)).

While in this back and forth debate with myself (between the OCD and the sane Melanie) I forget what I am doing (other than white knuckle scrubbing these keys)...there are soap suds everywhere.

Little Red comes back into the bathroom, takes a look and says "Mom...your wasting water."

I swear I could have shot lasers out of my eyes just then.  Instead I had to settle for "the evil eye" and "the nostril flare."

"What?", he says casually.

AAARRRGGGHHH....

Once I finally got control of myself (and the sane Melanie won out), I did pretty good.

I cut off a fabric key chain that was soaked in toilet water (who needs it anyways), bathed them in Clorox Clean-up (literally), and washed them again (all that you ask?  Yeah...and that's the SANE Melanie)

Deep breath...Done!

Until...


Husband calls..."Are you coming?"

Sigh....

Forget economical...we're going to McDonald's!

UPDATE:  I also ended up skipping the trip to the bike shop after I took the wrong freeway exit.  A woman can only take so much in one day.


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Picking noses and picking battles...

Motherhood is often about picking noses and picking battles.

The kids pick their noses (and eat it) and I pick the battles.

Outdoor play time...for my boys...is a MUST.  I will fight it to the death (figuratively, of course).

It is my experience that little monkeys quickly become giant 40ft prehistoric apes that climb up the Empire States Building (or my walls)  when they have been confined to the indoors for an extended period of time.

G-McBabe and I have often skirmished over his dislike of the outdoors and anything associated with it.

He would rather sit inside and read a book (as soon as his video/computer game time is up, of course).

Now, I'm all for reading.  I highly encourage reading.  With G-McBabe, I am in now way worried about his literary well being.

I am, however, worried about his lack of movement and vitamin D absorption.

Some days the battle rages on for what seams like eternity...and some days it's over without incident.

We wave our white flags and form a treaty of sorts.

A few minutes later I look out the window and see this...

Fine by me.

At least he had to walk to get out there.

A calm settles over the household.

Peace reins again.

I'm PREGNANT!.....WHAT? That's news to me....

I blame it on Rob  (he he...because it would actually be "his fault" IF it WAS true).

The other day I mentioned something about being tired and some kind of food being disgusting and Rob joked back (a little too loudly, I might add) that maybe I was pregnant, patted my stomach and said "hello" to the twins.  (TWINS?  WHAT?  read here).

I reminded him that "little pictures have big ears" (the kids were on the other side of the room) and he just laughed and said something about them not being able to hear him.

OH YEAH?....think again.

I heard from Little Red's primary teacher today that he announced I was pregnant....with TWINS on Sunday at church.

Is it true?...(I know you are dying to ask!)....

NO!!!!!

(I am, however, putting on weight but it has nothing to do with a baby or babies.  It's because I am only working out 3-5 hours a week and still eating like I am working out 12-13 (even worse actually).)

So when I asked Little Red about it a few minutes ago he said, "I said that MAYBE you were pregnant with twins."

To which I said, "But I'm not."

To which he said, "But maybe...ALMOST."

To which I said, "Nope...not even close."

Then I kindly asked him not to say those kinds of things anymore and reassured him that if and when we DO get pregnant again, I will let him know and then he can tell people.

He agreed.

sigh...

I find this out on the coat tails of a friend telling me she had a dream with Mr. Golden Locks and I in it, only M.G.L. was a girl...and a 60 year old cashier at McDonalds who told me that I had two girls coming my way.

Seriously y'all! 

Just in case you are counting, that's one more tally mark on the "Random Strangers Predicting Twin Girls"  sheet. (Not that I have one but I think I'm going to start one).

That makes it 6 or 7 now.  (I'm going with 7 because it makes it more dramatic.)

(okay, so the cashier didn't actually use the word "twins" she just said TWO girls...same diff right?)

Is anyone else weird-ed out by all of this or is it just me?

One more reason to train for a marathon...

I was at Costco today and saw a sign in the back window of someone's car that read...

Marathon Mama

26.2 miles of peace and quiet

So that's it.

Just one more reason to train for a marathon!