Robin's Chicks

Nudge The Nest & Pray They Fly

Merry Christmas!

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My two-year-old had been in bed for almost an hour when my husband and I finally finished watching Home Alone 2 with our two oldest. They had snacks, and a shower and we read the Christmas Story from Luke 2. I was tucking them into bed and teasing them. “You’d better hurry, I wouldn’t want Santa to skip our house!”
See at my house, my kids know that my husband and I are Santa. Don’t get your winter underwear in a wad. We pretend and they almost choose to believe despite the fact that they know it’s us. They were beyond excited tonight.
“Maybe,” I said, “we should leave some snacks for Santa.”
Emma, my four-year-old, is all in regarding Santa. I’m not sure she’ll ever believe he isn’t real. Which is fine by me. I have told her and taught her what I think she needs to know and I’m ALL for imagination and pretending. All for it.
Emma: Yeah! Wet’s weave him some of dose peanut butter baws we made! Dey ah so yummy!
Me: That’s a great idea! And how about a carrot for Rudolph?
Emma: Yeah, but nuffin for da west of dem cause dey was all cawing him names.
Ooo, reindeer. Don’t you be messin’ with Rudolph around Emma. You’ll get yours.

Happy Birthday Sadie!

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Sadie Plum is TWO! Aye-yi-yi, where does the time go? I woke that sweet baby up singing Happy Birthday to her and she was grinning from ear to ear. While I was changing her diaper I asked her, “What kind of cupcakes do you want Mommy to make for you today?”
Sadie held up two fingers and said, “I wan TWO!”
Amen, baby girl.
We ended up making some Christmas treats instead. I pulled a stool up for her and let her really get her hands dirty. After I finished rolling the peanut butter balls in melted chocolate, I passed the spoon to the birthday girl. She licked the spoon and said to herself, “OH. Happy bird-day.”
I love this kid.

My Macaroni & Cheese: AKA The Best Macaroni & Cheese in the History of the World

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1 box of noodles. I like either the Barilla Protein Plus elbows, or rotini. Or any brand of LARGE elbows.
Cook until al dente.

Sauce:
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

Melt butter on medium heat, in sauce pan and sprinkle in flour stirring constantly with a whisk.
As flour begins to thicken the butter add:

1 1/4 cup of scalded milk OR half and half, OR fat-free half and half. Don’t worry. I’m not going to judge you either way.

Continue to whisk sauce and add:
1 cup of shredded SHARP cheddar cheese
1/2 cup of shredded mozzerella
1 cup of scalded milk
pinch of nutmeg, (You must do this. It is not optional and I will judge you if you don’t.)
a couple of shakes of garlic salt and pepper to taste.

Mix your sauce and noodles– you are going to want to eat it all out of the pan. And you CAN, because it’s delicious. But really, you’ll be even happier, if you top it with shredded cheddar cheese and pop it in a 350 degree oven until the cheese is melted and the casserole is bubbly.

Again, you’re welcome or I’m sorry, depending on your diet needs. And really Aunt LuLu has zero room to talk about this one. I came up with this recipe after watching Bobby Flay throw down over some Mac and Cheese, using what I had in my fridge.