2nd Annual John Brunstad Memorial Run

On April 6, 2011, my dear brother-in-law, John died in his sleep from complications of Type-1 Diabetes.  He was an avid runner, having many marathons under his belt.  To remember John, and to help support Diabetes research, my sister has organized the 2nd Annual John Brunstad Memorial Run on July 20, 2013 at the beautiful Red Cedar River Trail in Menomonie, WI (just about an hour away).

If you are a runner, a walker, or know someone with Type-1 Diabetes, please consider participating.  There is a 10K and a 2K option (which is what my family will be doing). If you can't make it, please pray for good weather and a great turn out.

To all the mom's out there...

St. Patrick's Day

Our St. Patrick's Day will revolve around four of our six children dancing in their first ever Irish Step Dance performance.  Today our day is full.  Hubby and oldest son attended our Archdiocesan Men's Conference.  All four kids have a pre-show dance practice as I write this and this afternoon, three children sing at Mass with the Children's Choir.  With Mass out of the way, we will focus on St. Patrick tomorrow.

We're an Irish bunch here.  My husband is half Irish.  I am probably a quarter Irish, maybe more like an eighth...I want to be a quarter :-).  So, is it any wonder we have four children with Irish names or named after Irish descendants?  My husband and I were too broke buying our first house to go on a real big honeymoon, but we took a "second" honeymoon after a year and a half of marriage to go to Ireland.  And, taking Irish Step Dance was a dream come true for my girls and one boy.  The others go along.

Today when we get home from church, I will be putting the girls' hair in tiny curlers so they have the springy Irish curl (no wigs, please).  That will take about an hour.  One daughter has waist length hair.  The other has uncooperatively straight hair!  That will be followed by Tylenol, but I digress...

Tomorrow I want to be all about St. Patrick's Day.  We will feast on Green Scones (recipe to follow), rashers of bacon and green tea.  After we finish breakfast and get ready, we will have a quick lunch before heading out to the Day of Irish Dance at a local exhibition hall.  We will finish up our day by eating at our favorite family restaurant run by an Irish family.  Every year they put up a new calendar with the countdown to St. Patrick's day starting January 1st!  Got to love that!

Happy St. Patrick's Day.  I hope you will be wearing the green and eating or drinking something that comes from Ireland.

St. Patrick's Irish Scones
(AKA Mint Avocado Scones)

2 c. Bisquick (so sue me...the recipe works, okay?!)
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. mashed avocado
1/3 c. milk
1 tsp. mint extract
3/4 c. chocolate chunks or chocolate chips (optional, but many gave up chocolate for Lent here, so it is not optional!)
1-2 Tbsp. sugar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Cut the avocado into the Bisquick and sugar.  Add the chocolate chunks and combine.  Add milk and mint extract.  Stir just to combine.  Place dough in a round on a lightly greased cookie sheet.  Pat and press down to flatten into a circle about 1" thick.  Cut with a sharp knife and, if possible, separate a bit.  Sprinkle top with sugar.  Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool slightly and enjoy with a good cup of Irish coffee.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Breakfast Muffins - Egg free, Dairy Free, Wheat Free

We were looking for a special recipe for the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Dec. 12.  The kids love starting out our day with a recipe for the Catholic Saint 'o the day.  Since we are back to no wheat, these looked like a recipe I could easily modify.  What a hit!   They loved them so we had them, again, today.

Egg-free, Dairy-free and Wheat-free Mexican Chocolate Muffins
Prep: 15m 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease muffin tins or line with paper liners.
3/4 cup canned lentils or garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 Tbsp. chia seed meal mixed with 1/2 hot water (or equiv. egg replacer for 2 eggs)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cooking oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa

I combined the beans and chia seed/water mixture in the blender until it was smooth.  I added the rest of the above ingredients and blended until well combined.

In a separate bowl I combined:

1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup oat flour
1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup chocolate chips
3 Tbsp. hemp seed (or you can add 1/4-1/2 c. nuts here...we're allergic)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. xanthan gum

Add the wet ingredients from the blender to the dry ingredients and blend until combined.  Pour into prepared muffin tins.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes.  Let cool 10-15 minutes for easy turn out.

Dust tops with confectioners sugar, if desired.

Incrimination

 

The children spent 2 hours after trick-or-treating last night inventorying their candy.  (On paper with check boxes and all!) They found their daddy guilty of snitching candy (especially chocolate) before he even considered it!  I guess his past history indicates he will be a repeat offender.

We just got back from Mass and now I've given them one half hour before we start school.  They've set up a trading post to swap candy.  Strange, strange children...