Friday Things #376
1. We delayed Isabelle’s 2-year checkup because we were smack in the middle of quarantine and she wasn’t due for any vaccines. It’s coming up in a couple of weeks and I can’t wait to find out how much she has grown because she basically looks like a teenager. I’ve heard girls grow faster than boys but oh my goodness, she just seems so tall all of a sudden!
2. Every time the boys are outside riding their bikes in the driveway, they stop and pick off any roses that have bloomed on our rose bushes, bring them over to me and tell me they brought me flowers because they love me soooooooo much and for forever and ever and ever. Can they please just stay this exact age forever??!
3. We got an email with a list of supplies and some new student events for Joseph starting kindergarten and things just got super real! We’re still not sure what school is going to look like here in the fall (part-time in-person, fully online, etc.), but I just cannot believe that my first little baby is heading off to the big school 😭
4. Who owns a jumbo muffin pan? I don’t have one and am wondering if I should invest in one… thoughts?
5. I had a really good laugh at this:
6. One of my favorite summer desserts >> No-Bake Oreo Layer Dessert
7. What do you use for daily task management? I had been using Things but am not quite loving it anymore; prior to that I used Trello but abandoned that, as well. I used to be strictly pen and paper for to-do lists but I found it helpful to have something that I could put recurring tasks into, like giving the dogs their flea/tick, washing pillows, etc. How do you manage your lists?
8. I love the wonderful community that has sprung up in the Brown Eyed Baker Facebook Group – so many sweet people helping each other. Come on over and join us if you haven’t yet!
9. We’re still watching (and loving) Downton Abbey and got to the episode where tons of people got the Spanish Flu. I was all, why are they just going in and out of everyone’s rooms?! Why aren’t they isolating!? Clearly, Covid has affected my thought process 😂
10. TGIF! I hope you have a cozy weekend!
Like DrRandy and Carol, I have one and use it for mini pies, small cakes, popovers, little tarts, etc. It’s great when you want to make smaller portions and freeze them. I have a favorite cookbook called small batch baking that it is fabulous when you have just 2 people (but it will be awhile before you’re in that boat)!
Just to point out, I do not have a jumbo muffin pan. I was talking about the USA burger bun pan which I got from King Arthur Flour. At Amazon they call it a mini cake/cinnamon roll pan. It’s well’s are shorter and wider than a jumbo muffin tin – you can use it for muffin tops and scones as well.
yes, she looks so tall next to big brothers! i suggest outlook task manager, it works for us and has for a few decades.
I’m usually a pen and paper person but switched years ago to an app called Any.Do. Their free version is pretty robust and you can categorize stuff if you want, link it to their calendar app so you don’t have to plug in appts in two places and it shows up on any device you’ve downloaded it on – so it doesn’t matter if your phone or laptop is closer, you are looking at the same list. You can assign tasks to days, make them recurring, cross them off and have them stay or disappear, view a list of deleted tasks, undelete a task, and if you didn’t finish your list for the day, it automatically moves to the next day for you. You can also add sub notes to a note (so you list “groceries” and when you click on it, you can list out which groceries).
It’s as close to my paper notes as I can get. And it’s been so nice to not have the paper floating around and trying to remember where I put it or not have it if I’ve left it somewhere.
Hi Michelle:
Not only do I rely on you as a a source for tried and true recipes, but I enjoy your weekly updates on the children and critters in your household. Please continue doing exactly what you are doing and resist being bullied into changing. Everyone needs to research the founders and beliefs and motives of any organization before associating themselves with it or making huge cash donations.
Hey, Michelle. I’ve been very happy with an app called Colornote. I’ve been using it for years. It can be connected to other devices too. It’s got a calendar and an Archive to save tasks already done. Lots more features too. From your Pgh neighbor..Lee.
I just love your blog and your delicious recipes. I just made your banana snack cake the other week, and it is a definite repeat!! My husband loved it as well. I definitely need to buy one of the jumbo muffin pans. Thanks for sharing!
Your kiddos are growing up so fast and are so adorable. I can’t forget to mention your sweet fur babies that make life so special as well!
Blessings!!
Hi! I use Easy Note on my phone for like the last 9 or 10 years. You can import or export lists from other spots. You can give items priorities and categories. I even import our packing lists when we travel so I can check off things as we pack. This app has gotten me through a professional education, moving, multiple trips and having twins! It’s the easiest list app I have found. Have tried other things but inevitably come back to this one. Hope this helps!
Thank you for your wonderful food and family blog. Every week I look forward to reading new recipes and hearing about you lovely family. Your blog is a much needed escape from the numerous pressures in our current reality.
Hi Michelle,
I’ve followed your blog for years and had my kids at the same time as you, sharing in the new world of parenting and the burgeoning world of food blogs. I hadn’t checked in, in a while and was so disheartened to see your non-statement, statement. Coming from a sincere place, your deliberate decision to not recognize the seismic shift coming from BLM in your country is exactly what we can no longer afford to do. Your non-statement and refusal to recognize or support it, provides a soft, “safe” (no discomfort or questions) space for white (women) to not educate themselves or live in the tension the people of color face every day. The reality is, you have a voice and built a platform with that voice (I imagine is 95% or more white if you surveyed your audience), and that platform gives you power. Along with the inherent white privilege that we both benefit on a daily basis, your platform could also be more than a safe space for white women pretend the world isn’t changing and more importantly, doesn’t need changing. Saying you don’t tolerate racism in your home is so little, when you could do so much. Standing up against intolerance through recognizing the systematic racism we white people benefit from, talking about simply how to talk to your children about racism and why this is so important, is a staring place. For a blog that is so focused on family, perhaps it’s time to start thing of other families and their lived experience. Without that, you cannot honestly experience empathy and without empathy, there’s no progress.
Nagi of Recipe Tin Eats has a recipe, “Bacon and Egg Breakfast Muffins” for the giant tins as each one must accommodate a whole egg. I bought mine just for this but sure would like to make some other recipes sized up for its use. I think they’d make super mini cakes for birthdays with candles etc.
I have jumbo muffin pans but have not used them in years. I admit that I forget about them, but now I’m thinking of ways I could use them!
Love the pic of your three babies! Look at those skinned knees. Brings back warm memories of my boys. Thanks for sharing, Michelle.
I don’t have a jumbo muffin pan because I try to limit portion size😂. For list management, I just put the task into the calendar on my iPad/iPhone. Of course, if you don’t do it that day, you have to move it. I use it for bills, appointments, garden tasks like pruning/fertilising etc. You can put the pillows and tick medication in there too and you can make them recurring. I use AnyList for shopping lists. You can even import recipes and meal plans into it (which I just discovered). I love it. I’d say covid19 has affected your thought processes in a good way! So necessary to keep it at bay. I have friends who say they are sick of the rules, it’s not any worse than the flu, etc, etc and quite frankly I’m sick of them being so casual about it! Have a wonderful day.
I always look forward to your posts. I can’t believe how big your kids are… especially the baby. My how she’s grown and so fast.
I simply can’t believe how big and grownup the children are looking! I use Microsoft To Do and love it. I use it on my Apple handheld devices. I consult it all the time.
I have a jumbo muffin pan and use it all the time for blueberry muffins and chocolate chip muffins. I think the bigger muffins make a great presentation.
Your kids are lovely…growing up right before us.
I’m so old school on lists. I prefer a little paper notepad type of list for groceries and I use a variety of old school paper calendars still for other to dos. I’ll use my phone calendar for some reminders such as birthdays and a few other events. I like seeing things in my writing, on paper. I keep a running list each month for the 4 or 5 stores I need to regularly visit. I start filling my cart on some sites like Chewy so once I’m ready for a new buy it’s all set.
But I dont have kids like you so you have a LOT of to dos I’m sure. I’ll enjoy reading about the recomendations from others on calendar tools to use and I’ll check them out. That’s sure one of many neat things about this group are the great stories, cooking tips not only from you but others, and also on the suggestions on day to day life things. Such a neat place.
I have a jumbo muffin pan, but I almost never use it for muffins. It’s great for popovers, and the perfect size to make cakes for 1-2 people (we are a two-person family). I fill alternate wells, and the leftovers get frozen.
DrRandy – if you haven’t used the Small-Batch Baking cookbook by Debby Maugans Nakos you should definitely check it out. I’m also part of a 2-person family and it’s been great for us!
For the lists, I actually just use the “Notes” section on my phone. I have the days listed: Mon, Tues, etc…then under each day, I list what needs to get done.
For the dog’s flea & tick reminder, I have a calendar on our fridge, & put a sticker there on the date it’s due. I also write on the calendar any upcoming appts for the family.
Hope that helps!
Hi Michelle, happy Friday! I have a jumbo muffin pan that I hardly ever use. I have made popovers in it, but not too successfully, a real popover pan is better. So, no I wouldn’t buy one again.
Can’t wait to make your mint chocolate chip ice cream — my favorite!!
I have a 4 cup jumbo muffin pan that I got when I sold Pampered Chef almost 30 yrs. ago & use it maybe once a year. It’s too big for muffins. I use it to make breakfast “souffles” like Panera’s – crescent rolls with scrambled eggs, ham & cheese. The 6 cup one might work for your family of 5. For me, it takes up too much storage space.
EGG SOUFFLE –
1 pkg crescent rolls (8),
4 eggs
milk,
s&p,
ham or cooked bacon or sausage,
grated cheese. Separate rolls into 4 squares. Fit into sprayed large muffin pan.
Cook eggs with milk and s&p in skillet or microwave until softly cooked. Add ham or bacon. Divide amont 4 crusts.
Top with cheese.
Bake at 350 for 25-30 min until browned.
Yield: 4
Yes I have the jumbo muffin pan. In reading the comments here about using it for cupcakes, it’s made me think- “I need to do that!” Sending your first off to kindergarten is hard. I tried so hard not to cry when I dropped her off and still remember the teacher telling me, “OK, you can leave now.” With that I turned and cried all the way down the hallway to my car. I hate to say it, but I was the same when my next two went to kindergarten. It’s was an emotional event (at least for me.)
Instead of a jumbo muffin pan, I use a muffin top pan. I’m not a fan of the stumps and enjoy eating just the crumbly sweet tops. It was a huge hit after a “Seinfeld” episode where Elaine didn’t like the muffin bottoms. Delicious!
I have become a big fan of my bullet journal. I’m on my third notebook and love the process of writing things down — I think it makes things stick in my brain :-) I still use my phone for reminders but the bullet journal is great. I have a spread in the beginning of my journal entitled “When did I last?” that I use to remind we about the dogs stuff like flea and tick and heart worm protection but also things like changing the furnace filter and printer toner.
I liked your comments on Downton Abbey and the Spanish Flu epidemic. We were watching that episode during the most horrible of times probably in March/April. We started to watch to get away from all the news and for an escape. When that episode came on I just threw my hands up and said we just can’t get away from it!! It’s a great series and the movie as well!
Like another person here, I’m using Remember the Milk. My husband and I have been using it for years. There are so many features beyond just making lists, like tagging items (helpful for my grocery list), shared lists (we have a shared grocery list, a shared list for the house, a shared list for tasks involving our son, etc.). Plus, you can have sublists within a task on a list, and there’s a place for notes, etc. It’s our go-to for everything we need to remember to do, plus things we simply need to remember! Can’t recommend it enough.
And, thank you for sharing your yummy recipes and family anecdotes — it’s been fun watching your littles grow up into such cute little mini people :)
Hi Michele,
This is for your question about the Jumbo muffin tin. I have the USA burger bun pan that I bought from King Arthur Flour eons ago. Not only can you make buns in it, but you can also make mini pies, mini cakes, giant scones and muffin tops. It is wider (about 4″) and shallower than the one you linked to. King Arthur has several blog posts about using it for different things.
My 89 year old mother loves cherry pie, so I used it to make 6 mini pies for her birthday this year. My son and I did quality control on one. I froze 4, wrapped them individually in saran and then popped. them in a ziplock. Then I put one on a birthday napkin on a plastic plate and wrapped that. We delivered them to her independent living along with a window box butter garden for her balcony – we were not allowed to go see her, so I had wanted to make it extra special. Just showing you how versatile the pan is.
Ok this post made me cry. How sweet are you to to do all of these extra steps for your Grandma…who says food isn’t love? I also just love that you did all of this in front of your son. I’m sure one day your kindness and love for not only your Grandma but also in your loving parenting will bless your son and anyone in his life as a grown man one day. You know, at first I am embarrassed to admit my first thought when looking at that King Arthur muffin tin was “whoah, that’s expensive”. But after reading your post I think I’m going to go ahead and buy one. My sister uses and prefers King Arthur so it must be good😊 I think it’s a great idea about making mini pies in it. God bless your Grandma.
YES! YES! and YES! You gotta have a JUMBO muffin pan to make muffins. I own the USA texas size muffin pan for years and love it. I even make cupcakes in these. Jumbo muffins too much to eat. Cut it in half. I hardly ever use my standard size unless I’m doing a large gathering where a big cupcake is not suitable.
We do use an oversized muffin pan – I like it but it’s definitely for “meal” sized muffins – I think it would work great for adults but not sure about kids. Speaking of kids – yours seem so grown up all of a sudden! Everyone is looking good!
It’s crazy how fast kiddos grow up!
I have the Jumbo Muffin Tins. I use them primarily for muffins, but have also baked cupcakes in them. I usually order liners online because they can be hard to find in stores, although I believe Make A Cake, on Rochester Rd., carries them. I’ve also used them for a nicer sized dessert, like lava cakes..it feels like more of a substantial size than traditional cupcake tins. The bakery where I worked (in Cranberry), always used this size for our cupcakes.
I’m going to give Downton a try…I just finished binging The Crown, and was riveted each episode.
We use the super large muffin pans and they are great! The kids look so grown up lately!
I’m using Remember the Milk. Sending your first baby to kindergarten is such an exciting milestone! I hope he doesn’t have to do the online version- that’s been really difficult.
Also, I have a jumbo cupcake pan, never used it. It was my mom’s. I’ve never found a recipe that inspired me to break it out of storage.
Hi! I love my jumbo muffin pan. I am kind of embarrassed to say that it was given to me when I nannied on the Cape over 30 years ago! I scrub and scrub it but it is nicely seasoned I guess. I always make jumbos for the first part of the batter and then use regular size tins for the rest. I like having half of a big one rather than a small muffin for some reason. My husband though, and my older children just eat them whole. I might be imagining this, but I think they stay a little moister (if that is a word). I do recommend! Also, I like your funny creemee (Vermont word) picture. We are big into maple creemees here. We are always happy when “creemee season” arrives!
On apps to manage your to-do list…I’ve been using Todoist for about 18 months, and I love it! It’s totally revolutionized my list-keeping. I used to just have a notebook always beside my computer, but I’d find myself not putting things on there because that list was “just for…” Todoist lets me divide things into projects and tag everything I add. My assistant uses Trello, but I just didn’t click with it.
I’ve used the app Due for years to manage tasks. My girls (10 & 13) now use it too.