Sunday, June 17, 2012

How a Super Mom could help reinforce the father-child bond

The role a Super Mom could play to strengthen the daddy-baby bond



Care, inspiration, and participation: three keys to father-child relationships. Even of some of them find it hard to express themselves most of the fathers care about their children.

According to sociologist Lewis Yablonsky, a man's fathering style by his enthusiasm for being a father, his own father's comportment, how the mass media projects a father’s image, his profession, his personality, the way family members relate to each other, and the number of children he has.

In a 1980 Gallup poll, six out of ten fathers said their families were "the most important element of my life at this time." Only 8 percent said their families were unimportant to them. When asked what they found most satisfying about their families, fathers rated "children," "closeness," and "being together" as personally important.

We should recognize, while talking about the daddy-baby bond, that the mother plays an important role in strengthening the relationship between the two of them.

1-      Encourage your husband to take in charge of a feeding or two during the day. Store pumped milk, if you’re breastfeeding, and let your husband give the baby the bottle while holding him close to his chest and looking in his eyes to allow the little one to gaze up at him.



2-      Let him take in-charge of the night shifts. Not only you will get more sleep but he will get to spend more time with his child and enjoy the preciousness of childcare.



3-      Stop being the first to go hold the baby when he cries, let your husband play a role in soothing her tears. Try singing to her, walking her around, gently rocking, or find the closest pacifier for her to suck on. She must learn that Mom isn't the only one who can give her what she needs.



4-      Humor is infectious. When laughter is shared, it binds people together and increases happiness and intimacy that is why your husband should try his best to add little humor to his relationship with his baby: silly faces and peekaboo games could work like a charm at early ages.



5-      Be the one to create that precious, every day, family time. With work and school, you will hardly find the time to bond with your children so create a time to take a walk all together, play a board game, dance or watch a nice family movie.

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Saturday, June 16, 2012

All you need to know about the 6th month (23 to 27 weeks)


I have spent nights of reading and searching to give you this complete pregnancy guide. In this article we will go through fetus development, physical symptoms and infrequent symptoms. I did my best to simplify the presentation of this article to help you easily find your answer.



Fetus Development


Your baby’s eyes can open and close and react to light, vocal cords are functioning, eye brows are forming now.

Your baby is still active, since he is still relatively small about 30 cm long and is comfortable moving, punching and changing positions.

He weighs around 2 pounds. The facial features looks like a minuscule newborn baby.

The lungs are not fully developed so a baby born can still survive but with intensive care. Remember though, every day spent in the womb gives your baby a higher chance of survival and better odds at gaining the functionality it needs to survive.


Common physical symptoms:



1-      The baby’s movements becomes more definite enjoy the punches from those little arms and legs.
2-      Baby’s hiccups become more visible from the outside: Fetal hiccups usually shows up around the second or third trimester. Fetal hiccups are reflexive and do not seem to cause discomfort. In addition, hiccups prepare the fetus's lungs for healthy respiratory function after birth and they help regulate the baby's heart rate during the third trimester.
3-      Whitish vaginal discharge (Leukorrhea)

4-      Abdominal pain: It is often when pregnant women experience abdominal pain, and most of the time doctors hear complaints describing pain in the back and especially abdomen. There are many possible causes of such pain.
The most common cause for such pain is that round ligament stretching will cause minor or even moderate pain in the lower abdomen during pregnancy. A pregnant woman has to differentiate what is and what is not a cramp. A cramp could easily be confused with a minor contraction, which happens from time to time and is no cause for alarm. It is just a signal that the uterus is preparing itself for the upcoming birth. Severe or persistent abdominal pain during pregnancy is never normal and it requires an immediate doctor's exam.

5-      Constipation: Constipation in pregnant women occurs due to hormones that relax the intestinal muscle and to the pressure of the expanding uterus on the intestines. Relaxation of the intestinal muscle causes food and waste to move slower through your system. To avoid constipation you must eat fibers, lots of greens and fruits. and drink plenty of water up to 3 Liters per day.
           
6-      Heartburn: Hormonal changes is the main cause for heartburn during pregnancy. Hormones, particularly progesterone, can relax the valve that normally prevents stomach acid from backing up into the esophagus what will cause an irritation.
To avoid acid reflux, eat six small meals instead of three large ones. Abstain from eating tomato sauce, thyme, orange juice, spices and full-fat dairy products.


7-      Headaches

8-      Bleeding gums: hormonal changes are the reason of all our pregnancy problems. Pregnancy hormones causes a swollen gum that bleeds easily. Take a good care of your teeth and gum during those 9, long, months. Brush your teeth 3 times a day, floss and rinse with salt and water to ease any gum pain or bleeding.

9-       Nasal congestion or rhinitis: Nearly every woman suffers from nasal stuffiness. that's because the high level of estrogen and progesterone circulating in the body bring increased blood flow to the mucous membranes of the nose causing the to swell. The congestion won't get better until after delivery but I beg you not to use any nasal sprays unless they are prescribed by your doctor. Always check with your Ob-Gyn even if the medication were prescribed by another doctor.

10-  Increased appetite


11-   Leg cramps: Most leg cramps are caused from the fatigue of carrying around that extra weight. Cramps can also be aggravated by the expanding uterus putting pressure on blood vessels. While some experts believe they are due to an excess of phosphorus or a shortage of calcium, magnesium or other body minerals. Your doctor might suggest you take magnesium supplement could decrease legs cramps.
Try following these instructions to prevent those annoying nighttime leg cramps:

1-      Stretch your legs a few times a day, especially before bedtime

2-      Rotate your ankles and shake your toes to increase circulation

3-      Avoid sitting with your legs crossed

4-      Avoid standing for a long period of time

5-      Eat Calcium rich foods

6-      Reduce your intake of phosphorus rich foods such as soft drink, processed meat and snacks

 12-  Mild feet and ankles swelling (edema) :  Most women suffer from Edema. This symptom is the result of excessive fluid accumulation around feet and ankles. Here are few tips to help you deal with normal swelling during pregnancy:
* Try to rest and lift your feet whenever it’s possible.
* Drink plenty of water, up to 2 liters a day. The extra fluids will help flush out your system of waste products which may have increased swelling.
* Wear comfortable shoes.
* Excessive swelling that doesn’t seem to ease down after many hours of rest should be reported to your doctor.



13- Lower back and leg pain: this is another symptom of expectant motherhood. The pressure of the enlarging uterus, which has been responsible for so many other discomforts, can also affect the sciatic nerve, causing lower back, buttock and leg pain. To relieve this pain you can try to exercise more often, practice pregnancy yoga or Pilates, pelvic tilt, swimming or walking. Take care to sit in a good posture and lift your feet from time to time this may help reduce the pain.


14- Itchy Belly: This occurs when your uterus grows and expands to accommodate your new baby and your skin stretches. Pregnancy hormones can also result in some itching during pregnancy as well as changes in your liver enzymes.

15- Enlarged breasts: For small breast women, this could be the best pregnancy symptom ever. Hormonal changes during pregnancy cause increased blood flow and changes in the breast tissue which makes your breasts feel unusually swollen, sore and tingly.

16- Fewer mood swings

17- Absentmindedness


Uncommon Symptoms

Numbness and tingling fingers and toes is normal in pregnancy and is thought to be due to swelling tissues pressing on nerves


Clumsiness: The loosening of joints and the retention of water, can both make your grasp on objects less firm which will cause temporary clumsiness.


Gestational Diabetes: It first may be noticed in the sixth and seventh month of pregnancy. It occurs when the pancreas is unable to produce enough insulin or the body is unable to process the insulin properly, resulting in high levels of glucose. Gestational diabetes occurs in women who have not previously had diabetes, and the condition likely disappears after giving birth. The symptoms you should watch out for are:
* Excessive weight gain
* Excessive thirst
* Vaginal infection
* Excessive fatigue
* Excessive hunger
* Blurry vision
In case you notice these symptoms please contact your doctor.

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Thursday, June 14, 2012

Five ActivitiesTo Do With Your Kids During The Summer

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The summer vacation is a few days away and after nine long schooling months, your children will be expecting much. They have been waiting all year for those 90 days to rest, play and have the greatest summer ever. But after a couple of days, and if you didn't send them to summer camp, routine will kick in and they will spend most of their time infront of the TV, lying down on that couch, bored to death. They could play outside in the afternoons, but what else? What can we do to help them fill those 90 days and turn them into the most enjoyable, educational, fun adventure ever?

1- Decide to make a summer crafting project: Crafting is, without any contradicition, a very important activity. Your child will put his energy, mind and skills to finish his work. I asked my 4 years old  to choose between two crafting projects: an airpot and a farm. Well for some reason she decided that making an airport will be fun! During this summer we will keep you updated about our project, we will post how-to's crafting articles and show you step-by-step how to make an airport yourself!

2- Funny Scholastic Exercises: Make learning fun and help your child maintain the improvement he made during his school year. Review together all the topics he learned by creating an educational game or printing out enjoyable exercises. My daughter is in pre-school, and I will be posting the exercises that she'll work on this summer.

3- Cook together: When your children are involved in the kitchen they will eat better because they will feel more comfortable with your recipes, they will accept new ingredients since they have, step-by-step, followed and participated in the cooking procedure.
What I personally suggest, is for you to put a menu with two options and make them choose between those two. That way, they will feel that they are in control of that meal time that has always, or most of the times turned into a fight! They will be responsable of the choice they made and obligated to finish their plate. " You cannot be a chef if you don't taste and eat everything" this sentence always work with my daughter since she loves being a chef like her father. And even though she was one heck of a picky eater now she eats everything and tastes everything. Check out our recipes they could be useful since they are easy, quick and healthy!

4- Play dates: Before school is over make sure to take her best friends phone numbers, talk to their parents and schedule a play date every week or two. You will help your children, especially if they are young like mine, stay in contact with their friends; that way going back to school won't be as hard as it is expected to be.

5- Organize family trips: trips to the beach, to the mountain, family picnics, or camping trips. A time spent with the family is always treasured.

How To Be Super Mom wishes you a great super duper summer!

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Lettuce, Bulgarian Cheese and Walnuts Salad

lettuce, bulgarian cheese and walnuts salad


This Salad is so refreshing during summer. The taste of orange and mustard dressing coating the cheese is Superb!

Preparation Time: 20 minutes


Ingredients


1 small romain lettuce
150 g Bulgarian Cheese
50 g chopped Walnuts
Dressing: Mustardy Orange Dressing

Directions


Shred the lettuce into large pieces. Don't use the knife, the lettuce will loose all its nutrients. Shred the leaves with your hands.
Put the lettuce in a serving dish, and crumble the cheese all over the leaves.
Spread the chopped walnuts, add the dressing and toss all together.

Tips

          - After washing the lettuce, let them stand in water, vinegar and salt for
            5 minutes.
          - Chill the salad before serving
          - Always choose Romain lettuce for your salads.
          Romain lettuce is a highly nutritious leafy green it contains, per head,
          17% protein, 206 mg calcium, 44% RDA of Omega-3, more Vitamin C
          than an orange, 6 mg of iron, rich in Vitamin B, Water, Vitamin A,
          mineral rich.

Mustardy Orange Dressing


A light tasty dressing!


Ingredients

1 cup orange juice
2 tbsps Mustard
Ground black pepper to taste
Salt to taste


Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Baked Rigatoni With Meatballs

baked pasta with meatballs

Ingredients

3 garlic cloves
1 bunch of basil
1 kg pureed tomato
400 g Rigatoni
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

For the Meatballs

2 tbsps fresh parsley leaves
500 g lean minced beef
125 g grated Parmesan cheese
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 egg
3 tbsp olive oil for soufflé dish

Directions

Finely chop garlic
Chop Basil leaves
Pour the pureed tomato in a frying pan and add 2/3 of the garlic, the basil and a pinch of salt
Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 10-12 minutes; there should be some liquid left in the pan
Season to taste with salt and pepper, and set aside.
Wipe the frying pan clean

How to make the meatballs

Chop the parsley leaves
Put the minced beef, 1/4 of the Parmesan, the chopped parsley leaves, remaining garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a bowl.
Add the egg.
Mix all the ingredients in the bowl with your hands until they are thorougly combined.
Shape the mixture into meatballs
Heat the remaining oil in the frying pan.
Fry the meatballs in batches until they are brown 2-4 minutes

Bake the Rigatoni

Heat the oven to 190 C
Brush the inside of the soufflé dish with olive oil
Boil the rigatoni for 8 to 10 minutes
In a saucepan, stir the pasta and sauce together until the pasta is well coated with sauce
Spoon 1/3 of the previous mixture in the dish, spoon half the meatballs, sprinkle with 1/3 of Parmesan
Repeat those steps, add the remaining pasta sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan.
Bake for 35 minutes.

Bon Appétit!

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Garden Salad


Ingredients

5 leaves romain lettuce
5 leaves lollo rosso
2 medium carrots, grated
20 cherry tomatoes, halved
3 lebanese cucumbers
Black ground pepper to taste
Salt to taste
Dressing: Sauce Maison


Directions


Shred the lettuce with your hands, this way it won't loose any of its vitamins.
Cut cucumbers into round slices
Toss all the ingredients together
Bon Appétit!!

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The luck arches the closing ozone.

Cabbage and Tomatoes Salad

cabbage salad

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients

1 small cabbage
2 medium tomatoes
2 tbsp fresh parsley
1/2 tbsp dried mint

Dressing: Sauce Maison

Directions

  • Finely chop the cabbage
  • Slice the tomatoes into a julienne cut( long thin cut)
  • Add the fresh parsley
  • Add the dried mint
  • Pour the dressing and toss all together
Bon Appétit

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Sauce Maison




This is one of the most simple salad dressings ever and it goes with almost any kind.

Ingredients


1 cup oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
Pepper and salt to taste

Introducing Solids


baby food

When should you introduce solids to your baby?


After many readings I decided to simplify this answer in few words to give you all the information you need without you having to read pages and pages to get to your desired answer.

Most of the pediatricians advise the start of solids when the baby is 5 ½ or 6 months:

  1. His digestive system isn’t ready until he reaches 6 months
  2. By six months of age the intestines are more mature and able to filter out more of the offending allergens. This is why it's particularly important to delay solids if there is a family history of food allergy, and especially to delay the introduction of foods to which other family members are allergic.
  3. The tongue and the swallowing mechanisms may not yet be ready to work together. Prior to four months of age, a baby's swallowing mechanism is designed to work with sucking, but not with chewing.

How to start:

  1. Only introduce solids at lunchtime to avoid bedtime disturbance, and start between feedings that way your child won’t be starving and will accept new food easily.
  2. You should give your baby one new food at a time and wait 4 days before you introduce a new one. Meanwhile watch for any allergic reactions like diarrhea, rash or vomiting. If any of these occurs contact your pediatrician.
  3. Remember that your baby may only want a teaspoon at first
  4. Don’t force it, if your baby doesn’t want it, try again another day.
*Don’t make mealtimes a performance, with you turning every spoonful into a fast running train or driving airplane. Your baby probably won’t eat anymore and in fact may refuse food just to enjoy the show. When he doesn’t want anymore, just call an end to the meal. ~Sarah, health visitor~ 
(Scattergood, Emma. The first-time parent’s survival guide, ward lock book, UK, 1998)

Please download the UNICEF booklet a start4life. It will help you have a good start of solid introduction (http://www.unicef.org.uk/BabyFriendly/Resources/Resources-for-parents/Weaning---starting-solid-food/)

Good Foods to start with 

(all the following information were taken from the UNICEF booklet a start 4 life)

From 6 months


First foods: mashed or soft cooked sticks of fruit and vegetables like parsnip,
potato, yam, sweet potato, carrot, apple or pear, all cooled before eating.
Or try soft peach or melon, or grabbable bits of soft ripe banana or avocado.
Or baby rice mixed with your baby’s usual milk.

*My pediatrician never advise the use of rice cereal or any other processed food.

Next foods: soft cooked meat such as chicken, mashed fish (check very
carefully for any bones), pasta, noodles, toast, pieces of chapati, lentils, rice
and mashed hard boiled eggs. Also, full fat dairy products such as yoghurt,
fromage frais or custard (choose products with no added sugar or less sugar).
Cow’s milk can be used in cooking or mixed with food from 6 months.

Cups: introduce a cup from around 6 months and offer sips of water with meals.
Using an open cup or a free-flow cup without a valve will help your baby learn
to sip and is better for your baby’s teeth.

From 8-9 months

Gradually, in this time, your baby will move towards eating 3 meals a day.
It will be a mixture of finger foods, mashed and chopped foods.

From 12 months

Your baby will now be eating 3 meals a day, chopped if required, plus mum’s
milk or cow’s milk and healthier snacks like fruit, vegetable sticks or toast and
rice cakes. They can now drink whole cow’s milk and have full fat dairy products.
Choose full fat because children under 2 need the extra fat and vitamins in full
fat dairy products. From 2 years old if they are a good eater and growing well
they can have semi-skimmed milk. From 5 years old, 1% or skimmed milk is ok.




References:

Murkoff, Eisenberg and Hathaway. “What to expect the first year”, Workman Publishing, New York.
Scattergood, Sarah. “The first-time parent’s survival guide”, Ward Lock, UK, 1998



Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Father's Day Card and Picture Holder

Handmade Father's Day Card

This will make a perfect gift for a traveling father,
 it's a card and a photo holder in the same time.

Supplies Needed


  • 4 Construction Papers (any color)
  • White Marker
  • Glue
  • Scissors
  • Zigzag scissors
  • Your kids Picture 
 

Directions


COnstruction paper


Choose one of the construction papers and cut out a 14*24 cm rectangle



Construction Paper


Choose another color, and cut out, using the zigzag scissors, a 12.5*22.5 cm rectangle
Glue it in the middle of the first rectangle




Father's Day card

From the same basic construction paper cut 9*18  cm parallelogram, and glue it as seen in the picture.

From a third construction paper, cut a 11*11 cm square, and glue it as posted.



Handmade Father's Day card

Cut out from the 4th construction paper the shape of a tie, you can use the pattern we posted earlier( click)

Glue it as posted




HANDMADE PICTURE HOLDER

Cut from the basic construction paper, a 11* 23cm rectangle and glue it to the back. To hold it better you can use a glue gun.

Put glue only on the borders to be able to enter the pictures.



Father's day handmade card and picture holder

Write a small quote using the white marker

Place the pictures you chose in the back pocket you made




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Homemade Facial Masks



A dear friend of my mom's gave us those recipes and they are truly amazing. Your face will actually glow.

1- Oil and Salt Face Peeling:


2 tsps Salt
2 tbsps Olive Oil


Mix Both ingredients and rub them between your fingers. Apply a liitle on your face while gently scrubing the surface of your cheeks, forehead, nose and chin. Wash your face with lukewarm water and dry it gently with a washcloth.


2- Yogurt and Rice Powder Mask and Peeling



1/4 cup yogurt
2 tbsps Rice Powder

Mix them together, then apply the mask to your face and let it rest for 15-20 minutes.
Scrub gently to remove all dead cells.
Wash with lukewarm water and dry your face gently with a washcloth


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Potato and Crab Salad

Ingredients


6 small russet potatoes
3 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
400g processed crab meat, sliced
200g sliced, pitted black olives
1/2 carrot, grated
3/4 cup light mayo
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp dried dill
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp oregano

Directions


Place potatoes in a large saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook over medium-heat for 30 mns, or until tender. Drain, peel and dice while still hot. This is what will make the salad fluffy. Cover and refrigerate until cold.

in a large serving bowl, toss together the potatoes, eggs, crab meat, black olives and carrot. Chill until ready to serve. 


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Grilled chicken marinated in a zesty italian dressing

Grilled chicken

Ingredients


  • 2 kg skinless, boneless chicken breasts
  • 1 cup vinegar
  • 1 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tbsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tbsp white sugar
  • 1 tbsp oregano
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp thyme
  • 1/2 tsp basil dried
  • 1/2 tsp dried parsley
  • 1 tsp salt

 Directions


Combine all the ingredients and poor over chicken. Marinate in the refrigerator over night. A zippy bag works great. Cook on a grill or in the oven.

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Related Posts

Grilled Salmon


Monday, June 11, 2012

Parenting: The reason behind thumb sucking

Before worrying about how to stop our children bad habits, we should always understand the reason behind their behavior and we should learn when is the right time to start considering such behavior a problem.

baby sucking his thumb


Today we will be talking about thumb sucking the most natural act in all babies. When they are born children suck their thumb due to the sucking reflex that helps breastfeeding, some ultrasound revealed that babies start that sucking process from the womb. This reflex disappears at about 4 months of age; thumb sucking is not purely an instinctive behavior and therefore can last much longer.

A baby could suck a thumb, fingers or even his whole hand, this will help him feel comfortable when he is hungry, sad or sick. He may also use his thumb to fall asleep at bedtime and to lull himself back to slumber when he wakes up in the middle of the night.

Most infants suck their thumbs. Toddlers suck their thumbs too. Little by little, most children stop on their own between ages 3 and 4.
Although your child's habits may bother or even worry you, relax. In most cases, a habit is just a phase in the normal developmental process and is not cause for alarm.
If it lasts after your child turns 5, then you could consider it as a problem cause in most cases it will lead to dental problems; his teeth could become improperly aligned. A child may also develop speech problems, including mispronouncing Ts and Ds, lisping, and thrusting out the tongue when talking.

In some rare cases, thumb-sucking after age 5 is in response to an emotional problem or other disorder, such as anxiety. A child with this type of problem needs to be evaluated by a doctor.


Related Topics


How to get your child to sleep alone








Sunday, June 10, 2012

How to make a Father's Day Handmade Card





Follow the Super Mom steps to make this cool handmade card

 

Supplies Needed

2 A4 Construction paper ( any color)
Glue
White pen 
Colored pen
2 buttons ( any color)
Scissors or a punch


Directions


  • Fold the A4 paper in half
  • Cut from one of the halves a 4 cm width rectangle
  • On the other half, measure 4 cm from the top then cut 3.5 cm from each side





  • Fold the cuts to form a blouse collar




tie pattern




  • On the other construction paper, draw a tie. You can use this pattern if you desire.
  • Cut it off with using scissors or if your kid was younger than 4 he can use a punch




  • Glue the tie
  • Glue both sides of the collar







  • Decorate your tie with stripes, dots or you can even glue colored stripes or colored dots that you will cut out from another construction paper.




  • Striped Tie





step by step handmade card



  • Cut an eight * five rectangle from a construction paper of your choice, fold it from the top just like a blouse pocket.



  • Cut a small triangle to form the handkerchief
  • Glue the handkerchief, then the pocket
  • Using the white pen, draw the stitches. But be careful this is supposed to be a folded shirt so don't draw the stitches all around the shirt! 
  • Follow my steps please





  • Glue the bottons on the bottom of the collar
  • Write Happe Father's Day or any other sentence you like, you can even pick a quote from www.quotegarden.com



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Related Topics

father's day pencil cup
Father's Day Pencil Cup

Friday, June 08, 2012

Farfalle with Tuna, Mushrooms and Cream


farfalle with tuna, mushrooms and cream


Preparation time: 10 minutes
Total cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves 4


Ingredients


  • 60 g (2 oz) butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 125 g (4oz) button mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 cup (250 ml/8 fl oz) cream
  • 450 g ( 14 oz) can tuna in brine, drained and flaked
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  • 500 g ( 1 lb) farfalle


Directions


  1. Heat the butte and olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and stir over low heat for 3-5 minutes, until the onion is soft.
  2. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the cream, bring to the boil, then reduce the hear and summer until the sauce begins to thicken. Add the tuna, lemon juice and parsley and stir until heated through. add salt and pepper, to taste.
  3. While the sauce is cooking, add the Farfalle to a large pan of rapidly boiling water and cook until "al dente". Drain thoroughly, then return to the pan, Add the sauce to the Farfalle and toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Variation


You can use a can of salmon, drained and flaked, instead of tuna.

Note


Farfalle, attractive pasta made into the shape of a bow or butterfly, comes in various sized, as well as flavors other than the plain, such a tomato or spinach.

Recipes: Feta, Tomatoes & Olives Pie

Feta pie

Preparation Time: 35 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Serves 6

Ingredients


For the filling :


300 g red tomatoes, peeled and chopped
200 g feta, diced
100 g black olives, pitted and diced
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tbsp garlic oil

For the dough:


2 cups all-purpose flour
125 g butter, chopped
60 g Parmesan, grated
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 egg
pinch white pepper
pinch black pepper
dried thyme


Directions


  • Sift the flour into a large bowl and add the butter. 
  • Rub together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. 
  • Stir in the Parmesan, thyme and sesame seeds. 
  • Make a well, add the egg and mix well with your hands until the mixture comes together, add a little cold water if the dough is too dry. 
  • On a lightly floured surface, press together into a ball, then wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10 minutes. 
  • Roll out on the pie tin and bake for 10 mns or utnil golden. 
  • Cool.
  • Mix all the filling ingredients together, spread them all over the pie. 
  • Garnish and serve.

Bon appétit!

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Thursday, June 07, 2012

5 tips on making Father's Day a special day!

father and daughter

Anyone can be a Father, but it takes someone special to be a Daddy.


So why don't we make that day very special, I know my husband deserves a unique celebration!

5 tips on how to make Father's Day so special:

1- Breakfast in bed: Our weekly mornings are usually crazy, get the kids ready, drive them to school and don't be late for work.  Well let's have a quiet morning that day, and offer daddy a delicious breakfast in bed:
                           * French toast and coffee
                           * English cake and tea (Click)
                           * Pancakes or Crepes with strawberries
                              and chocolate (Click)
                           * A Lebanese style breakfast: Labneh, olives,
                              fresh mint, white cheese, eggs and tea.
                           * A fruit salad with almonds and nuts
                      
2- Relaxation Coupons : Offer daddy limited use coupons. Make a deck of small cards and write down something that daddy would really love and don't forget to limit their use or else you will hate father's day!!!
Coupon ideas:   * Take in charge of his daily chores
                          * Prepare him a tv snack
                          * Let him watch his favorite action movie with no kids
                            interruption
                          * Prepare him a relaxing bath with candles and beer maybe.
Yeah, well these coupons are more of a gift from you to your husband since you will be doing most of the tasks. 

3- Make daddy his favorite lunch and let the kids participate in the cooking or invite him out to his favorite restaurant.

4- Offer him handmade gifts that your kids prepared. It could be a pensil cup, a father's day card or a photo frame.

5- Choose him the perfect gift: You know your husband best, and he might be giving you signs of what he really needs! Mine is singing that : "I saw that beautiful 800$ mobile"song that I am trying to ignore!!!!


David M. Gottesman once said :"Fathers, like mothers, are not born. Men grow into fathers--and fathering is a very important stage in their development". Since we all know how important fatherhood is to both our husbands and kids why don't we play the main role in making father's day this year an unforgettable memory!

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Wednesday, June 06, 2012

How to be Super Mom Delicious HotDog Sandwich

Special hotdog Sandwich


Something as simple as a HotDog Sandwich could become one heck of a meal with "How To be Super Mom"


Preparation time: 15 minutes

Ingredients


  • 15 hotdog fingers, chopped
  • 1 onion, cut into julienne strips( long thin stripes)
  • 1 green pepper, cut into julienne strips
  • 1/3 cup sweet corn
  • 2 tbsp Soya sauce
  • 4 tbsp grated, processed Mozzarella cheese
  • 4 small French baguettes
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste


Directions


  • In a preheated pan, pour the olive oil and the onion, stir for 2 minutes, on High heat.
  • Add the green pepper and stir for an extra 2 minutes.
  • Add the chopped HotDog, corn, Soya sauce, salt and pepper
  • Stir for 5 mns or until the HotDog becomes brownish
  • Cut a French baguette in half
  • Put the Hotdog mix and a little bit of Mozzarella
  • Grill it, and serve it warm.
  • Bon Appétit!

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