Homemade Boursin-Style Cheese

I must have accidentally deleted the pictures of this recipe. It was so good, I couldn't not share.




Growing up, we had a lot of parties at our house. My Mom frequently put out a box of fancy-shaped crackers and a tub of Alouette or Boursin cheese. I always loved it. Then, a few weeks ago, I was craving some but my store didn't have any of the Garlic Herb flavor (my favorite)! I was also surprised at how expensive a teeny little tub is. Later that night while I was watching Curious George with son, I decided to see if I could find a recipe for it. I thought it woud be similar to the times I've made my own cream cheese. I was very intrigued when I saw how simple the recipe I found was. I even watched a video of Emeril making a batch.

I decided to work with the herbs I had on hand, but I plan to make this again (and again and again) and try  different herbs and herb combinations. This batch is 2 or three times bigger than the store-bought variety and for a grand total of $2.51, it's pretty easy on the pocket book too. I only  had thyme, basil, and oregano on hand, but there are SO many other herbs that would be amazing in this.

Ingredients:

8 oz block of cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 stick of butter, at room temperature
1 clove of garlic, grated on a microplane
the leaves form 6 stems of thyme
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried oregano
a few minches of salt
1/2 tsp of black pepper

I just put everything in my mixer with the whisk attachment and let it go for about 5 minutes, stopping to scrape the sides with a rubber spatula twice. Then I put it in a couple of dishes, covered them with plastic wrap, and put them in the refrigerator to firm up. Then, I devoured it.

And I felt no shame.

Twins Update

Ever since finding out we are having twins, I have been so excited, but I don't think the true reality has quite set in yet. We went in for the anatomy scan on September 4, but they weren't able to get good views of either baby, so I have been referred to a high risk pregnancy doctor for an ultrasound, which is tomorrow. The main reason I have to see the high risk doctor is to determine how many placentas there are. Having two is ideal, as a shared placenta can pose higher risks. I am a little nervous about this, being as I have had two miscarriages in the past. However, I am refusing to let that cause me to worry too much, since I have also had one completely uncomplicated pregnancy which produced an extremely healthy little boy. We continue to pray everyday.
I feel them move quite a bit when I lay down at night. They are still pretty small, so it doesn't interfere with my sleep yet. Aside from me staying awake because I'm trying to feel both of them. One baby has positioned itself under my left ribcage and I can feel it whenever I lay on my left side. The other baby hangs out in the front and up high, much like my son did; so I don't feel that baby as much. Even when I can't feel their movements much myself, my husband can usually put his hands under my stomach when I am laying down and he can usually feel them.
Prayers are appreciated as I am so excited/nervous about tomorrow's appointment.

Pregnancy Nausea

For the first 10 or so weeks of my pregnancy, I was nauseated all the time. I couldn't find anythign that really helped, and I was throwing up all.the.time. Fast forward to the second trimester, and I am still nauseated from time to time, but I have found a few things that help keep it manageable.

1. Eating smaller, more frequent meals. Having too much on my stomach at once causes me to have nausea and hot flashes. I figured this out a few weeks ago, but that didn't stop me from taking a few too many bites at my brother's birthday dinner last night. I was feeling sick before I could even leave the restaurant, and the feeling lasted a few hours.

2. Avoiding high fat or greasy foods. I have noticed that when I eat fast food, something very cheesy/fatty or even low-quality food (canned raviloli was a MAJOR culprit), I feel incredibly sick for a few hours.

3. Lemon water. Several people told me that rubbing lemon on their upper lip helped quell their nausea. I have always loved to drink lemon water, so I started trying that, and it really helped. I just squeeze the juice of half a lemon into the 20 oz insulated cup I keep on hand to make sure I stay hydrated, and it really helps. I currently have a pitcher of lemon and cucumber infused water in the fridge that also really helps, and it was so very refreshing during those hot flashes I experienced after over-eating last night.

4. Taking a time out. I have to sit down and relax for the nausea to go away. If I keep moving, it does not get better. I have to move a lot for my job, and there are a few hours every day when I feel absolutely miserable because I can't quell the nausea.

These are just some simple things that have helped me. I know there are many, many remedies out there, this is just what I have tried that worked for me. I will update if I find anything new.

New Life

About a week after my last blog post, a year and a half ago, I went back to work after being a Stay at Home Mom for 2.5 years. I needed to do something to help the family budget. It was the hardest decision I had ever made, and honestly, it has made me so unhappy. I miss my son so much, and I just really do not like my job.
That being said. Everything has not been horrible. This year celebrates 6 years of marriage to my awesome husband, our little boy is a happy and healthy 4 year old, and come January, we will be welcoming twins!
We are all so excited about that last little surprise. I am hoping that some things will work out and I will be able to stay at home with the twins.
I have decided to blog about this pregnancy, the things I'm feeling and experiencing, it will basically be a journal for me.

God has blessed us with these Little Ones, and I know it is in His hands.