Day 6: Today has been ROUGH

Alex has officially entered his terrible 2's.  With Avengence.  Sometimes I feel so defeated after the billionth and one time he's decided to throw a temper tantrum.  Lately, he's started doing it in grocery stores especially the Kroger on Highway 70.  *sigh*  in the middle of the store right in front of the baby isle there is a huge display of bouncy balls.  Whoever did that should have to deal with a 2 year old saying, "BALL??!!!  BALL???!!!!"  every time we go in there and have to tell them that NO they can't have  a ball today.  then they wouldn't put those stupid balls there I'll tell ya that much!

So after I tell him no, the temper tantrum ensues.  The crying first,  then the flailing of hands, then the kicking, and if he weren't confined to the cart he would throw himself down on the floor face first as if he were dying.  Because of this horrible fit that he gets in the baby isle I've tried going the opposite way from the back of the isle... or distracting him by talking to him.  I've even brought shiny things and toys with me but it's no use.  BALL??!!!  BALL??!!!!  eugh DAMN YOU KROGER AND YOUR SILLY BOUNCY BALLS!!

Today we moved his toy box and all of his stuffed animals and books into his bedroom.  At first he threw a fit but then realized he was able to spend most of his time in his room by himself playing... so he spent the whole afternoon in there.  He and Hannah also got new booster seats today and he seems to really enjoy sitting at the table with us like a big boy.  He was talking in gibberish like he was having a conversation with himself, and even ate all his grilled cheese... a muffin from breakfast this morning and a whole piece of cheesecake.  Lately his appetite has been in overdrive.  He's always hungry and is always wanting to eat.  In the morning he eats all his breakfast and THEN has cheerios while I watch the today show.  It amazes me that he is now eating more than me.  I kinda have started thinking he might have a tape worm. lol!  He's never satisfied

In other news, I have successfully trained for my 5k for almost a week now.  It's getting to be more and more fun getting out to run in the mornings.  I also signed up for my 5k in December!  The 3rd at 7:15am.  I cannot wait!!!!

Ok, while doing this and talking to my dear friend Latona I will try to give you an update on my two new recipes for the week!!!!

First for dinner I made a pot roast.  Now, I will say that the preparation time was very simple but the cook time was drudgery.  The recipe called for the roast to cook 3 hours however in MY oven it only needed 2 hours to cook before the internal temp was 160 degrees.  Here is the recipe.  I also used an oven bag.  don't judge me.

• 1 Reynolds® Oven Bag, Large Size 
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 envelope (1 oz.) onion soup mix
• 3 to 3 1/2 pound boneless beef chuck pot roast
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme (optional)
• 6 to 8 small (1-inch in diameter) whole red potatoes
• 1 medium onion, cut in quarters
• 1 package (16 oz.) peeled baby carrots
• Chopped parsley (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees

First, you open the oven bag and put the flour water and onion soup mix in.  Trust me I thought the onion soup mix would overpower the roast but it was actually an amazing compliment!

Shake this all together in the bag, then rub the roast with thyme on both sides and stick it in there! Stick the veggies in the bag, Tie the bag shut with a nylon tie and shake that sucker up!  Make sure it all gets coated with the sauce!

From there I put the roast and veggie bag in a 9x13 pyrex dish to cook.  If you have a roast pan then AWESOME but I didnt so basic pan it was!  I stuck the roast in the oven and it's supposed to cook for 3 hours but it only took my oven 2 hours to cook it.  Just make sure the very middle of that thing is 160 degrees.  we don't want all you lovely readers getting sick now do we?

Here's a pic of my oven bag pot roast :

Here's a pic of what it looks like when you remove the bag.  Make sure not to slosh those juices on ya it's HOT!!

It was very good for my first time!  Jon approved of it!

Now, for my dessert I made it the same day(and by day I mean 8:45 that night)  but it had to chill overnight.  So we got to have it for dessert tonight after veggie burritos!  These are something I make quite frequently and so simple it's not worth putting on here.  After all this is for NEW things I try.  :)  

Here's the recipe for Luscious Lemon Cheesecake:

• CRUST:
• 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 3/4 cup finely chopped nuts
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• FILLING:
• 4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• TOPPING:
• 2 cups sour cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 
  
• Now THIS dessert is simply amazing... and it was the first time for me to make cheesecake from scratch.
• 
  
• First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  I forgot to do this and it lengthened my time with this cheesecake IMMENSELY!  
• 
  
• 1. In a bowl, combine crumbs, nuts and sugar; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom of a greased 10-in. springform pan; set aside. in a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, beating on low speed just until combined. Add lemon juice, peel and vanilla; beat just until blended. Pour into crust.
  2. Bake at 350 degrees F for 55 minutes or until center is almost set. Remove from the oven; let stand for 5 minutes. Combine topping ingredients; spread over filling. Return to the oven for 5 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
  3. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before slicing.
  
  
  My kitchen once the cheesecake went into the oven?
  
  
  
  Cheesecake before Baking:
  
  
  
  
  
  Mmmmm!!  side view:
  
  
  
  The bowl? (I licked it a LITTLE!  Sue me yall! :-P)
  
  
  
  End result?
  
  
  
  awww MAN!!  it was SO good!  I'm tellin ya if I could eat the whole thing I would.  Restraint people! Restraint!  
  
  
  Much love to all my readers out there whoever you are!  Thanks to everyone following me.  Jon doesn't have too much to make fun of me for anymore :-P xoxo