Friday, November 2, 2012

Second Secret Subject Swap

Welcome to the Second, super-sized (sorry, no fries with that), Secret Subject Swap. Twenty brave bloggers picked a secret subject for someone else and were assigned a secret subject to interpret in their own style. Today we are all simultaneously divulging our topics and submitting our posts. 




Secret Subject Swap | www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics


 Here are links to all the sites featuring Secret Subject Swap posts.  Sit back, grab a cup, and check them all out. See you there:


Baking In A Tornado                                                     follow me home . . .   
Happy Little Feet                                                           Stacy Sews and Schools
Life on Peanut Layne                                                      Dinosaur Superhero Mommy
My Brain on Kids                                                            Mom of Big A and little a 
That Suburban Momma                                                  It's a Dome Life  
DeBie Hive                                                                     Macdonald's Playland 
The Mommy Chronicles                                                  
Just a Little Nutty                                                           Cassandra's Corner
The Insomniac's Dream                                                  Simply Chic for You


My subject is You get invited to the Ellen DeGeneres Show to talk about.....   It was submitted by Dinosaur Superhero Mommy.  Here goes:

Thank you so much, Ellen, for having me here today. I wish I were here under better circumstances. The police suggest, in these instances, that parents make a direct plea in the media.  Although sleep deprived and puffy from crying, I’m grateful that you've given me this opportunity to face the cameras and say:

You, who have stolen my sons, we know who you are. We even know your name.  The police have asked me to address you directly, so I am here today to appeal to any humanity you may have. Please Adolescence, I beg of you, return my wonderful, intelligent, handsome boys to me. No  parent wants to miss their child, but two teenagers, that’s double the heartbreak.  It will go better for you if you give them up on your own. Return my boys and this will end here and now, no questions asked.



Yes, I have teenagers, a Secret Subject Swap | www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics

My boys were good students before you took them over. They’d do all their homework and do as good a job as they could.  Now they seem to adhere to the “do it quickly and poorly” philosophy.

After school, they’d sit in the kitchen eating my cookies and telling me about their day. Now they breeze past me as if I’m invisible (still managing to grab the cookies, though).

They would help around the house if I needed it. And now what a strange coincidence that every single time I request their help, they don’t hear me.
  
They would eat a healthy meal with their family every evening. Now they sit at the table with a blank stare, or look out the window.  They say they’re not hungry, they hardly eat, then miraculously find their appetites just as their friends are heading out for pizza.



Chicken Florentine | www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe
 Chicken Florentine (over Rice Pilaf)



They always had tons of friends over. When they weren’t here, they’d responsibly let me know where they’d be. Now they’re always “out”. I checked Google Earth, but can’t seem to find the coordinates for “out”.

Conversations used to include the use of words, now they consist of a grunt and an eye roll.

Sometimes they’d sit with me in the living room and watch a movie. Now they disappear into their rooms or the basement where the Xbox blasts at levels that would be deafening to normal humans.

I miss my funny, smart, imaginative, little boys. I beg you to bring them back.

But in the event that you are unable to return my boys in their normal human  pre-adolescent state, then let me just say to you here and now: I’m changing the locks, you keep them, they’re yours.


Baking In A Tornado signature | www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics

Chicken Florentine
                                  ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
3 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 egg, beaten with 2 Tbsp water
2/3 cups flour
4 Olive Oil
10 oz pkg frozen chopped spinach, drain and press as much of the liquid out of it as you can
Mozzarella slices
1/3 cup white wine
1 Tbsp lemon juice
½ cup chicken broth

Directions:
* Grease a 8 X 11 inch glass dish (2 qt) with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
* Cut each breast into 3 pieces. Cut the thinner end off as the first piece. Turn the thicker piece onto its side and cut in half to make 2 pieces about the same thickness as the thinner end.
*Heat oil in a frying pan. Dip each chicken piece into the flour, then the egg mixture, then the flour again. Saute in the hot oil until brown on both sides and cooked most of the way through.
*Drain chicken briefly on a paper towel, then put into greased dish.
*In the same frying pan, put white wine, lemon juice and chicken broth. Heat to a boil while scraping up the bits on the bottom of the pan.
*Meanwhile, divide the spinach over the top of the chicken pieces, and cover each with a slice of Mozzarella.
*Once the sauce boils, pour it over the chicken in the dish.
*If you’re making this ahead, let it cool, then put it in the fridge until ready to bake. When making ahead,take out of fridge an hour or so before cooking to bring closer to room temperature. You’ll need to cook it longer than the 30 minutes stipulated below.
*Put the chicken in the oven for 30 minutes. Make sure the chicken is cooked all the way through before serving.

56 comments:

  1. What a terrific question you were given, Karen! And I just LOVE the way you answered it! here's hoping Adolescence is as tired of the grunts and eye rolls as you are and gives them back. I hear locksmiths can be pricey - especially around the Holidays! :)
    LOVED this!
    Thanks!

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    1. LOL, thanks Kat. Hope they return to themselves soon.

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  2. Great idea! I love your post too. Very funny. I can't wait to read more of the posts.

    Yes - teenagers are hard. Good luck into they go to college

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    1. Thanks, I've set the morning aside to read them all myself. Enjoy!

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  3. I LOVE IT! So funny. This has started in our house already with the 11 year old. No one understands the plight of a mother of two sons. No one but us. Hilarious blog!

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    1. Thank you, so glad you enjoyed it. Look out, after 11 there's more than a few more years of this ahead!

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  4. Cute post, Karen. You forgot to ask Ellen, that in the event Adolescence couldn't be found, you'd like the suitcase full of money, just to get you through. You know I love you and your writing. Once again, great job on the swap.
    ps. No one warned me that teenaged boys would eyeroll too. I thought that would be just my daughter. Nope. Not even going into the smells that comes along with a 14 year-old man-boy... ;P

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    1. OH no! Think she'll ever invite me again so I can ask for that money?

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  5. Replies
    1. Thanks. Chances are good you have an idea of what I'm talking about!

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  6. Oh my goodness Karen! lol

    Great post! Let me know if your boys get returned. My 12 year old girl thinks she is 21. We're about one eye roll away from a "Come to Jesus" meeting. :)

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    Replies
    1. I know just what that 12 year old attitude is. Hope your meeting goes better for you than it did for me!

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  7. What a fun clever post! I'm beginning to see the challenges that hide in every stage of parenting...yikes!

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    Replies
    1. Yikes is right. I used to tell people not to tell me what's coming, it's all I can do to get through today.

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  8. Loved it! Great imagery and humor. To be honest, it made me a bit depressed. I love the after school chats with warm cookies. Hopefully, they come back to you - that's if they can get back in the house.

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    Replies
    1. LOL, I'll let them back in if they promise to pretend they're little again every now and then!

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  9. Yeah, I'm not looking forward to the teen years. Two girls + hormones = Slow descent into hell.

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    Replies
    1. Two boys haven't been any picnic either, as you just learned!

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  10. aaaargh!!! I'm so not looking forward to this!!
    This is such an awesome interpretation of the prompt!! Just love, love this!!!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Roshni. Once again I thoroughly enjoyed this swap!

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  11. ROFLMBO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And this is why I call teenagers pod people....

    AWESOME job Oh, Wonderful Leader!!! ;)

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    Replies
    1. No leader here. Everyone did their own thing and I am so proud to be associated with each and every one of you!

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  12. First, I just want to say thank you so much for allowing me to be part of this. It was fun and I look forward to doing it again!

    Second, congrats, you've just earned the title of "Go to" for all my questions about boys growing up. My only son is 8, but I swear, if going through puberty is anything like what I've heard, paired with is current attitude, I'm going to be in trouble with a capital T.

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    Replies
    1. First: Thank you for doing it. Second: I'm hardly the one to go to with questions, I'm barely hanging on by my fingernails and sometimes I start drinking at noon!

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  13. YOU GOT MINE!!!!! WOOOOHOOOO! Love it babe...so hysterical...bwahahahahahaha

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  14. I love this and it almost made me cry since my baby boys are 5 and 2 and they are momma's boys right now. I also have a 15 y/o son who spends many, many hours in his room with the door shut, so I dread the day when my baby boys follow in his footsteps :( Fabulous post. So creative and funny! The recipe is totally useless to me though, unless Betty Crocker sells it a box like Hamburger Helper.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'll have a talk with Betty and get back to you, LOL!

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  15. Hahaha that was awesome! So is the recipe! Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Just a peek at what's to come, you're in the next one!!

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  16. Awww, I don't even want to think about the teen years! :( Love the humor though. The prompt is great, Ellen is awesome!

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    1. I thought the prompt was pretty unique. Did have to spend quite a bit of time thinking about what in the world to write, though!

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  17. I really hope I survive the teenage years. I have to admit I a scared! maybe during that stage I will hide in the kitchen and try all of your delicious recipes!

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  18. Hahahaha...Too funny :)
    Reagan has so much attitude already I am SO screwed when it comes to her teenage years.
    Maybe I'll just ship her to boarding school in London?

    Hmm...not a bad idea :)

    Lanaya
    www.raising-reagan.com

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  19. A subject swap sounds like such a great idea! Thanks for sharing with my NO RULES Weekend Blog Party :) Have a great weekend!

    Paula
    lifeasweknowitbypaula.blogspot.com

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  20. Hi there! The secret subject swap is an awesome idea! I'd love to join in the next one!

    ♥ Duckie.

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  21. I really thought this was a funny post yet so true among the young ones. I can just imagine the boys you described being returned extremely quickly. One of my favourite lines was where you said:

    "it will go better for you if you give them up on your own" ha ha ha ha ha.

    Hilarious post and well done. Liked the idea of secret subject swap posts too. Can't wait to read some more from you.

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    Replies
    1. I'm enjoying the secret subject swaps too, reading them and writing them. There'll be another one next month!

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  22. Speaking from experience, they'll come back on their own. In about 10 years. Great blog!

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  23. Omg I can totally relate! LOVE this, love you, thanks for doing these swaps :)

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    1. Thank you, and thanks for doing the swaps with me, from the very first one. I'd look pretty silly doing them alone!

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    2. You are always so funny! Every time I come here I get more an more nervous about teenagers! Thanks for doing this swap it was a lot of fun.

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    3. So glad you joined in again. I enjoyed it too. It's a nice change to have someone else pick your topic.

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  24. I love this post, so cute. You'll get your boys back. It amazing as your kids get older the relationships that you start having with them.

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    Replies
    1. I'll look forward to that day. I hope I live that long...

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  25. Thanks so much for coordinating the Secret Swap. It was a lot of fun even if it was down to the wire! :)

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    1. LOL, down to the wire, but I hope you still had fun despite the added stress.

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  26. Oh this post was clever and I oh so feel you on this one. And this Secret Swap thing is such an awesome interesting idea. Woo! Glad to have found you. Ellen

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  27. Great quick healthy recipe. I would love if you would share it on my foodie friday party today.

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