tasty food and tender mercies

As many of you know, Emily has had "poop problems" ever since she started potty training - we are talking over 3 years now. We have done every laxative possible for children (I will not go into details), a child psychologist (a few good tools, but for $100 a week it was silly), a GI - very helpful, but really, the only way to solve the problem is with proper nutrition and water. Emily is the world's most stubborn, albeit, fabulous 5 year old, so WOWEE WOW WOW, when I made bran muffins and she DEVOURED them I was floored! You bet I have not told her they are good for her, but I do make a batch almost every day. We have cut way back on the meds and for the first time in forever I feel like she might actually go through life without miralax as a constant companion.

Here is my mom's FAB recipe. You make a HUGE batch and keep it in the fridge. It is good for 6 weeks. It is totally worth the cost of buttermilk and all bran cereal.



BRAN MUFFINS

4 eggs beaten
4 cups buttermilk
5 tsp baking soda
3 cups sugar
5 cups flour
1 cup oil
4 cups "All-Bran" cereal - the kind that looks like rabbit food
2 cups boiling water mixed with
2 cups bran flakes (or raisin bran if you like raisins in your muffins)

Mix it all together and store in a Tupperware in the fridge for up to 6 weeks.This makes 70+ muffins - a dozen a week for 6 weeks! Or at our house, a dozen a day for a week!

Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes. I do not use baking cups because they stick to the paper when they are warm.

The other recipe I wanted to share has nothing to do with Emmy, it was just tasty and warm as we have cool, rainy weather here

Italian Wedding soup - or mini-meatball (I use the wedding soup name because my girls think anything "wedding" means great!)



For MEATBALLS - mix and form into 1 inch balls
1 lb ground turkey
1/4 cup cold water
2 eggs beaten
1/3 cup minced onion
3/4 cup plain bread crumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt
pepper

for SOUP
8 cups chicken broth (I use 8 bullion cubes and 8 cups water)
2 large carrots, chopped
1 cup pastina (tiny noodles - I get mine in the Latino section of Wal-Mart)
10 oz spinach ripped into bite sized pieces

Mix up meatballs and form into 1 inch balls. Bring broth and carrots to a boil and add meatballs - simmer. After 20-30 minutes add pastina, simmer another 5-10 minutes. Just before serving add the spinach and mix to wilt.

Serve with tasty bread and Parmesan cheese.

I'll post these on BonAppetit friends too where you can find all sorts of FAB food from my friends.