Pint Sized Tortilla Factory and other events of Tuesday

Making homemade tortillas might sound rather intimidating, but they are really no trouble at all, I promise. It is something so fun to do with children and Isabella and Josephine have such a blast whenever whip some up. The recipe we use is foolproof... 3 cups of flour mixed with 1 TBS sugar, then add 1 cup of water mixed with 3 TBS vegetable oil, stir until it forms a ball, knead a couple of times, then separate into 12 little balls and roll out, cook over med heat for several minutes per side until they look like tortillas! While my Sunday menu post said I would be making a quick pico, I deviated from that slightly and made a mango salsa that went over great with the kids- just diced mango, onions, tomato, and cilantro.... amazing what can be from a few fresh ingredients. : ) To see the girls in action making their tortillas, visit our Confections & Confessions page on Facebook and find the photo album under 'kids confections'.

This morning's breakfast of Easiest Ever Oatmeal Smoothies is actually my personal favorite thing to have (and make) for breakfast. You make the base the night before in about 15 mintues, and then put in a blender in the morning- it doesn't get easier than that! Without even having to think about it, you've made a lightly sweet, nutritious breakfast in a flash, that is surprisingly filling and much easier to get down that a bowl of hot oatmeal in summertime.

After our coconut curry dinner this evening, I skipped the homemade dessert and took the children out to a new little independent self serve frozen yogurt shop called Cassie's, where I let the girls pile on all the fruit toppings they would like and one type of candy just for fun. It is so enjoyable to break away from the usual evening routine that comes with having young children and go out for dessert after dinner... it's a great way to feel spontaneous and get kids excited with really minimal effort and cost!

Easiest Ever Oatmeal Smoothies

bring 6 cups of whole milk and 2 cups old fashioned oats to a rapid simmer over high heat
reduce heat to low and stir frequently until thickened, about 10 minutes
add 1/4 cup of sugar, 1 tsp of vanilla, and a dash of cinnamon, cool slightly and pop in the fridge overnight
in the morning, blend up with a few ice cubes!
feel free to experiment... I love mine with some frozen blueberries tossed in the blender with it.