Mini Cheesecakes

Omid's parents gave us a giant Costco-sized container of cream cheese last week. They couldn't finish it - so it was up to me to think of creative ways to get rid of it. On Sunday, I made 3 batches of cream cheese pastries and passed them out to friends. The filling only used a 1/3 of the cream cheese. So today I made several batches of mini cheesecakes. These are so good and used up the rest of the cream cheese. Yay!

Mini Cheesecakes

3 - 8 oz packages of cream cheese (or one Costco tub)
1 c sugar
5 eggs
1 t vanilla

Beat cheese and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat again. Fill muffin papers 3/4 full. Bake at 300* for 20 mins. Remove from oven. The middles WILL sink.

Mix together:
2 c sour cream
1/3 c sugar
1/2 t vanilla

Dab fillling on top of cheese cakes and bake for another 5 mins. Cool in pan (in fridge or freezer). Enjoy!

2nd Place!

Nas placed 2nd tonight at the Poetry Out Loud Regional Contest! She did an amazing job!!

Waiting to go on stage.

'Relaxation' exercises with the coach & other contestants.

Waiting to perform!

The contestants!

The CHS contestants: Nas & Matthew.

Receiving her medal & certificate.

Below we have the Zarafshan Fan Section.

Grammy braved the I-5 snowstorm yesterday and made it to the performance. While she was waiting for us to arrive home from Matty's b-ball game, she took Remy to McDonalds for a double-cheeseburger and fries. What a lucky grand-dog!

Applesauce Muffins

I made applesauce mufins for breakfast this morning (had the extra time with the 2 hr late start). These muffins are so tasty. The recipe makes a big batch and the mix keeps in the fridge up to 4 weeks.

Applesauce Muffins

1 cup butter
2 c sugar
2 eggs
4 c flour
2 c applesauce
3 t cinnamon
2 t baking soda
1 t allspice
1/2 t salt

Cream butter & sugar. Add eggs. Add flour, spices and applesauce. Pour into muffin tin and bake at 400* for 15-20 mins. Batter will keep in fridge for 4 weeks.

Go Nas, Go!

This is the invitation to the regional finals of the Poetry Out Loud contest that is taking place tomorrow night. Nas is currently memorizing her second poem. It's so exciting! Go Nas!! We hope you win!!!

In other exciting news, the SKY boys b-ball teams are still undefeated! Woo hoo!

Driving & Birthday Bunco

Yesterday Naseem and I went to an empty parking lot so she could practice her driving skills. She already knows how to drive, so I had her practice parking and going in reverse. She did really well.

This is Nas in a fit of giggles. She didn't mind driving around the parking lot when she thought it was just her. Someone was leaving the building and ended up behind us. Nas pulled over, and he pulled over too. He asked us if we were lost. We told him she was just learning how to drive. He laughed and then started to tell us his own 'learning-to-drive' story. We just wanted him to go away so Nas could continue to practice. I took this pix after the guy finally left. It was funny.



After we were done with Nas' driving lesson, we picked up Omid and Matty and headed up to the Kelloggs. We all carpooled out to a bday party for our friend Francis (who turned 50). It was a bday bunco party. The bunco game was very spirited and competetive (just how it should be!). Omid didn't want to play so he took a few pictures instead.

Here is Francis (bday boy in the green plaid shirt). That's me in the background with the green vest. I didn't win most wins or losses, but did win "most team spirit." Yay!

Bunco!

Chili-Rice Skillet Dinner

1/2 lb ground beef
2 T butter
1/2 c chopped onions
1/2 c uncooked rice
1 can diced tomatoes with sauce
1 can black beans or kidney beans
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp sugar
1/2 t chili powder
1/2 c water

Brown first 3 items for 5 mins and stir in rest of ingredients. Cover and cook on low heat for 25 mins.

This recipe is super easy. I usually make it with leftover roasted chicken and add half a package of taco seasoning (instead of chili powder). If you add the taco seasoning, you need less salt. Serve with tortilla chips or tortillas with lots of sour cream.

Netflix This!

We watched a great little movie last night: Henry Poole is Here. It's about a man who was told he has 6 weeks to live. He becomes very depressed and buys a home in the neighborhood he grew up in. One day, a water stain appears on the side of the house with the image of Jesus on it. Miracles start to happen. Rent this movie if you like quirky movies - it's a good one!

Plug for Fred Meyer

Today I switched from using the Target pharmacy to the Fred Meyer pharmacy. I LOVE Target - but their pharmacists have major attitude problems which I have encountered more than once. I had a super long day today (too many hours at the Vancouver Clinic Same Day Clinic) and just didn't feel like dealing with the Pharmacists at Target. I ran into Freddy's as I needed popsicles & juice too. I dropped off the prescription (Matty has strep throat) and came back in 15 minutes.

The FM Pharmacist asked me all sorts of questions about Matty's age, weight, and asked me specifically what the Physician's Asst. had told me today. I was so impressed when he whipped out his calculator and did a bunch of calculations (it reminded me of Omid: he is so good with numbers!). He then took out a book and scanned several pages. He said he was satisfied and just wanted to double-check to make sure of the dosage. I was so happy, as I have heard horror stories about mixed up prescriptions or wrong dosages. Noble Pig just had a horror story on her blog, check it out.

The Fred Meyer Pharmacy will get my business from now on. I love Target, but have never felt the love from their Pharmacists and don't think I would have received the same service that I did at FM today.

What a GOOD boy!!

Here's some good news! Every morning after making Matty's lunch, I place the lunch bag next to his backpack so he won't forget it. Yesterday morning, he forgot it.

The lunch bag sat on the floor from 6:45 a.m. until we arrived home at 2:30 p.m. Nas and I walked in the door and she mentioned that Matty's lunch was on the floor. I immediately thought she meant the remains of Matty's lunch. But...she handed me the lunch bag and not a single item was missing (2 chicken salad sandwiches, 4 choc chip cookies, a bag of chips, some goldfish crackers & a drink). How is that for self control!? He received a lot of praise from Nas & I and he was so proud of himself.

His reward? He got the 2 chicken salad sandwiches.

Just call me Debra.

Thanks for the new nickname, Sarah!!

Trying to make sense of it all.....

Boeing laying off 10,000 jobs....HP laying off thousands....United Rentals closing stores/laying off employees...and the list keeps growing! This is scary!!!

We have been hit by the layoff bug several times in our life and each & every time it been so darn scary, but in the end it has turned out okay. Just last week, HP laid off 200+ jobs. The next day there was a job opening for 30 engineers at a small company in Gresham. Over 1000 people applied for those 30 jobs (many of them HP engineers).

Omid is stressed beyond belief. My brother-in-law Mike is stressed & may lose his job. My other bro-in-law works for Boeing. Please pray for Omid, Mike, Tom and several of our friends at HP. We have faith that God has a plan (it's just hard to remember to relinquish control, darn it). We are thankful Omid's job has been spared for now!

Thanks for remembering these guys' in your prayers!

Superbowl Food

Last night we went to the Stevens' house for a SB XLlll party. Jeff spent the morning smoking a pork butt & ribs, steamed tamales, hot & gooey queso and beans. I made a smoky potato salad and caramel fudge brownies. We all ate until we couldn't eat any more. We all watched the game (a first for Nas & I). The dogs watched too.

Tammie & Gabi

Zenzi & Tammie

Here is the recipe for the caramel fudge brownies. These are easy and super tasty.

1 bag caramels
1 can evap milk (8 oz size)
1 box choc cake mix
3/4 cup melted butter
6 oz (half a bag) choc chips

Melt caramels in 1/3 cup evap milk over low heat. Stir constantly. In large bowl, mix cake, butter, & rest of evap milk. Press half the mix into a well greased 9x13 pan. Bake in 350* oven for 6-8mins. Sprinkle choc chips over crust. Pour caramel over choc chips. Crumble remaining cake mix over brownies.
Bake 15-18 mins more. Cool for a bit then refrigerate.
Enjoy!

Snoball Dance

Nas went to the Snoball Dance tonight with a group of friends.

Before the dance with Fari & Mansour.

Obligatory photo for Mom.

The kids at Spaghetti Factory.

Whew!

I am going public again. We were a little spooked by a comment Omid's sister left (by accidentally using someone else's Gmail account). It was weird...because the comment sounded like something she would say...but we were confused & worried as it wasn't her profile.

So.......life is good once again and we can sleep easy tonight!

Going Private!

I am going to make my blog private in just a few hours. There are some people who I would like to refrain from reading my blog.

If you wish to have access, please email me and I will send you a link.

Thanks!