Cookbook Challenge

Before I get to our cookbook challenge, I need to catch you up on all that's been going on over here. I have written about four posts in my head, but haven't had the time to actually get to the computer to do it. We've had some sick kiddos here the past few weeks. The older girls got sick first - Abby missed almost a whole week of school with fever, colds, and ear infections. Once they both started feeling better, Keilah got sick. Her breathing got pretty rough and ragged early on this week. Yesterday we went back to the doctor as she seemed to be having a harder and harder time breathing. Her O2 levels were really low and we were almost admitted to the hospital as she wasn't responding to the treatments they were giving her in the office there. Thankfully they gave her 10 final minutes to see if the treatment would work and they got her O2 levels up to an acceptable range to where they felt okay letting us go home - as long as we brought her back in the morning. After a night of meds, steroids, and inhalers, she is doing much better. Found out she has RSV. It's kind of scary to see your little baby working so hard to breathe. I'm definitely thankful for modern medicine!

Another big event was celebrating my grandma's 90th birthday on Sunday. Yes, there are 90 candles in that cake. It took her about four tries to get them all out. We were afraid we would set off the sprinklers with all the smoke it created. :)

I love my grandparents!

And now, on to our cookbook challenge. Abby won this cookbook a week or two ago at her school's carnival (she won a bowl full of baking fun along with it).

David was browsing through it oohing and aahing over all the different food items (yes, he is a growing boy and takes delight in all food). And while he was doing that, I thought, "wouldn't it be fun to work our way through the entire cookbook?" The kids thought it was a great idea too, so we decided to try it! I'm allowing myself one minor substitution per recipe (I can't help but tinker with recipes), but will try to stay as true as possible to the original recipe. I told the kids they can take turns picking out an entire meal and then help me make it. The meal needs to include a main dish, one dessert, and two other recipes for sides. We will then rate the recipe on a 5-star rating system, averaging out the family score. David went first, and we made his meal tonight. He chose to make this kiwi lemonade first. I didn't like it, but the kids did.

His main dish was Mongolian Beef - it was pretty good. His other side was Cowboy Cornbread. I thought it was pretty good, but I prefer the cornbread I usually make.

His dessert will be s'more pie which we will eat later on tonight - it's still chilling in the fridge. Below is a quick recipe Abby and I made last night - Brownie Bite Pops. And yes, I strategically placed the brownie pop for the picture. It makes me laugh.

I think we'll have a lot of fun with this challenge. It will probably take us awhile to work our way through it. There will be a few recipes for sure that will challenge my palate, but most of them look like they will at least be okay. 

Has anyone out there ever worked through an entire cookbook?