Love this one...

A friend posted something a couple of weeks ago that had a list of 25 things only extroverts could understand... Just reading it made me uncomfortable... Very uncomfortable.  

SO, I had to find one for introverts... 

These just made me laugh out loud... I can relate to both of these lists oh too well!!!

http://www.buzzfeed.com/erinlarosa/problems-only-introverts-will-understand

http://www.buzzfeed.com/erinlarosa/31-unmistakable-signs-that-youre-an-introvert 

Christmas -- Bah Humbug...

Aaaahhhh, the holidays are here again... 

Such an overwhelming and rushed time for me... I start dreading the thought of the holidays approaching a couple of weeks before Halloween... Not only do I dread the weather, I just hate all this "holiday cheer." 

I'm such an introvert when it comes to the holidays.  Well, wait, I am an introvert all year round, it's just the tendencies and characteristics really show during the holidays.  I'm all about celebrating, being merry, family/friend time, and eating good food... I'm not a complete Scrooge, I do enjoy social time and catching up with others!! I just hate the ripping and running and shopping and spending.... This time of year just becomes so rushed and everyone gets into a hurry. You have to get to this place, and that place, order this item quickly before the sale ends!! It's just overwhelming to me.  

As an introvert, I need time to pump myself up to get in the mood to socialize and be out of my comfort zone (i.e. my home).  It takes some time to accept the fact that I MUST get out of my yoga pants and sweatshirt and put on real clothes to leave the house. It takes self pep talks, someone motivating me (or I should say PUSHING ME), and many deep breaths and sighs to get ready for the holidays. I would seriously be just fine, at home, watching National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation for the 4th time that week, then running all around spreading "holiday cheer" in a never ending line at a shopping mall!!

It probably doesn't help growing up as an only child with absolutely NO family in the area to spend holidays with.  Living in a family with 3 people is much different then the average American family. Of course we celebrated the holidays. We decorated, had beautiful trees, listened to Christmas music, ate good food, did all the typical holiday things. The only difference was it was just us, in our home, in our pajamas if we wanted, in our comfort area. It was always a joyous time, I loved it. Fire burning, music playing, a little junk food, good meal, lots of toys, at home!!!

Tis the season... 

These are the days when I KNOW I am my father's child!!!

That didn't last, should have known...

I should have known that I couldn't keep up with the daily giving thanks during November. With smart phones, it's not uncommon for me to go days without being on an actual computer.  Oh well, I gave it a shot.

November 22, 2013

Today I'm thankful it's Friday!!! I'm tired and can't wait to get home, into my sweat pants, and get on the couch!!!

November 21, 2013

Today I'm thankful that my 2 year old son enjoys books and reading!! Love going to the library with him! He just gets so excited with all the books he doesn't even know where to start!! We are lucky to have a nice library, with a good size children's section, close to us!

November 20, 2013

Today I'm thankful for little surprises and reminders that LIFE IS GOOD!!

November 19, 2013

Today I'm thankful for pandora for getting me through the work day!! Pandora has a great play list going on right now!! Great songs!!

November 18, 2013

Today I'm thankful for having patience.  Went to get an eye exam and new glasses from one of the popular/chain eye care places and it was absolutely ridiculous.  I'm just thankful that I have patience and tolerance for that type of nonsense!! It probably helps that I just needed a little break and time away from home so I didn't really mind the lack of organization, professionalism, and staff!!

November 15, 16, 17 2013

I'm thankful for the weekend!! Family time, music class, and some down time!! Laundry is done and folded. Just enjoying our time together!!

November 14, 2013

Today I'm thankful for medical advances and technology. Also, thankful that the lady drawing my blood was more gentle than I thought she would be. Her scowl on her face  made me a little scared -- she looked Nurse Ratchet mean!!

November 13, 2013

Today I'm thankful for a little down time with my husband tonight. Can never go wrong with some Modern Family (although it wasn't quite as funny as it usually is).

November 12, 2013

Today I'm thankful for one of my closest, and longest friends Tracey.  Crazy how we grew up living 3 houses from each other as kids, and as adults we are are only about 10 houses from each other. Always there to support, talk things out, and put some reality back into my life. Always gives me the ability to keep faith, and to not worry, everything will always work out..  Very thankful for her and our friendship!!

Easy Creamy Chicken Tater Tot Casserole

Had a wonderful day off with my Little One yesterday and even though we had leftovers available from weekend take out, I decided to cook something easy.  

This one was so easy my friend texted me the ingredients and I just changed it up a little -- with the help of just looking at several similar recipes. My son ate his, and then asked for some of mine!! My husband took it to lunch with him today so, that's a given that he enjoyed it!!

No picture this time -- this one went fast!!

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 chicken breasts (if they are thick ones), 4 if they are cutlets (cube or shred chicken)
• 8 oz sour cream
• 1/4 cup of 2 % milk (or whatever you have I'm sure??)
• 1  1/2 cups of cheddar cheese (or any cheese you want I'm sure)
• 1 can of cream of chicken soup
• Half to 3/4 a bag frozen tater tots (or more to your liking - as I was stirring I was adding more to the dish)
• frozen broccoli or any type of veggies!

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook chicken at 375 until cooked. Shred or cube the chicken.
2. Grease baking dish. Stir all ingredients above together in baking dish. 
3. Cook for 30-40 minutes on 375 until it's bubbly. If you want -- add more cheese over the top (that's what my friend suggested I do but, it looked cheesy enough for us!!

November 11, 2013

Today I'm thankful for the men and women who have protected us in the past, present, and future. I'm thankful for their sacrifices and also the sacrifice of their families.

November 9 & 10, 2013

These 2 days I'm thankful that I know when to take a break!!

We typically stay busy on our weekends -- but this weekend I just needed a break. I was tired, and needed to get things done around the house. I'm not one to back out of obligations but this weekend I needed it!!

November 8, 2013

Today I'm thankful for Alex being able to have his grandparents in his life.  I didn't live near family while I was growing up.  My paternal grandmother/family lived in California, and my Maternal family was in Delaware.  I saw my grandmothers a couple times a year when I was a child. I didn't get the chance to really get to know my maternal family until I was older, in college. Alex's school had Grandparent's Day, and then later that evening, we went to his other Grandma's house for dinner. He had an all around good day with his grandparents.  Having family nearby has so many benefits.

CREAMY CROCKPOT BEEF STROGANOFF

I can't say that I have ever had Beef Stronganoff before.  The look of the meal just wasn't appealing. Gravy on noodles?? Well, over the years, I have become less picky. Actually, I'm not picky at all when it comes to food. I will pretty much try food at least one time. Unless it's still has it's head, or if it's still breathing.  I'm also not even really into spicy things so, if it's going to have me gagging from the spices of the food, I typically won't try it. 

I have been coming home at least once a week to put something in the crock pot. I try and find something easy so that I'm not late getting back home to work.  This one was really easy! It was so creamy that it can't be healthy!! But, it was really yummmy!!! My husband even said it tasted just like his mom's beef stroganoff. Which is a big compliment!!

INGREDIENTS: 

• 1-2 lbs cube steak, cut into one-inch pieces; or 1-2 lbs stew beef, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (I used stew beef but didn't have time to cut it, something I would definitely do the next time) 
•  2 cans condensed golden mushroom soup (no substitutes!)
• 1 cup chopped onion 
• 1 Tb Worcestershire sauce
• 1 14 oz can beef broth
• 8 oz button mushrooms, cleaned and quartered (optional) (I love mushrooms, and so does my son, so I added this. My husband picked them out and handed them over to us) 
• salt and pepper to taste (I didn't use salt, figured the soups had enough. But I used plenty of pepper)
•  4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature (I used the sour cream and chive cream cheese for more flavor)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
•  cornstartch (optional) 
• Egg noodles or Rice (I used egg noodles)
  DIRECTIONS: 
  
  
  1. In the crockpot, combine the meat, soup, onion, Worcestershire sauce, beef broth, mushrooms, salt and pepper. Stir it all up. Cover and Cook on low for 5-6 hours. 
  2. Stir in cream cheese and sour cream about half an hour before serving, stirring every ten minutes or so to break up cream cheese. If you think your sauce is not thick enough, add cornstarch & water mix to crock pot. It thickens up the sauce. (Didn't really measure the cornstarch mixture -- just took a guess.)
  3.  After the cream cheese & sour cream melted, I stirred the COOKED egg noodles into the crock pot for about 10-15 minutes. 
   

 Original Recipe from Heather's Bytes:
http://www.heathersbytes.com/beef-stroganoff/ 
 
 
  

November 7, 2013

Today I'm thankful for a quick and easy recipes for dinner! I went home on my lunch break and put together a really quick crock pot meal. It was really really good! Jason even said it tasted just like his mom's beef stroganoff! It was good, and even Alex enjoyed it!

November 6, 2013

Today I'm thankful for a relatively "easy" day at work, and the chance to relax with friends after work!! Celebrated a friend's sons 1st birthday and had a wonderful time! Alex had his favorite foods! Pizza and lots of fruit... There were a lot of people at the party and although Alex was slow to warm up, he soon joined the group and after time, was running after the older kids!! Fun day!!

How I know a Toddler is Running My Home.... And more....

These 2 years with my son have been the best years of my life!! There was a time when my college days were considered the best days... And then, my 20s!! How amazingly wonderful they were!! Had my own apartment/house, friends, and freedom. But, I have learned, that for me, there has been nothing better than raising a child.... Here are some things that I have realized since my son has turned two!!

1.  The nurses in the hospital were right. I objected to taking those ugly pink "tubs" home with me! But they insisted, so I took them. They said, "Trust me, you will need it in the future." Thank goodness I took them because when my son spikes a fever, starts getting agitated and yells, "MY BELLY HURTS!!" I am so happy to be able to catch his puke in those ugly pink tubs!!

2.  Our Halloween Trick or Treat pumpkin that holds candy has been in our bathroom for a week! If I move it, my son flips out... Mouth turns down, eyebrows turn up... Tears begin forming!! Who told me as a young adult to pick my battles?? My Mom? My friends? Whoever advised me, thank you. This is one thing I don't have time to fight over. The pumpkin can stay!

3.  A meal that says "20 minute prep time" takes double the time. My independent toddler wants to help with everything. Even it means that he is eating 40 minutes after his scheduled dinner time. (Although better believe, he is demanding teddy grahams or snacks, which is only holding me up even more).

4.  There is just no point of cleaning up clutter!  Yes, keep your bathrooms and kitchens cleaned, but your living space will never go be clutter free with a toddler dragging everything from their toy chest in their bedroom out to the family room.

5. The only way to really get my toddler to eat veggies is to make him think that he is "taking" mommy's veggies!! Now, my son will eat broccoli but anything else... I have to trick him!! Which leads me to # 6....

6.  Get a stockpile of casserole recipes!! You can hide any type of vegetable in a casserole.... Especially if that casserole has marinara sauce in it!!

7. Kids really do say the darndest things!! Watching my son develop and grow his vocabulary is just amazing!! He can make anyone laugh with just his expressions or his imitations!!

8.  Not only can't I remember the last time I was in a club, I also can't remember the last time I peed, pooped, or showered alone!! True, when I'm alone with my son I keep the door open for safety purposes. But we could have a house full of people and sure enough, he will bust the door open at my most private moments!! Note to self:  Need to have my husband fix our bathroom door lock!!

9.  I live in yoga pants. And haven't used an iron since my son was born!!

10.  You learn that the parent you thought you were going to be, before you had your kid, was just too rested, silly, and well.. WRONG!! People without kids make the "best" parents!!

11.  Laundry is never ending. It's never ending yet, nothing ever seems to be clean!! I go to work with oatmeal, yogurt, syrup on my pants every day!! I used to try my hardest to get the stain out. Now, I just walk into work, take my seat, and do my job!! No oatmeal is going to stop me from getting my work done so I can get home to my baby!!

12.  After a year of day care germs, I have learned when my son is truly sick, or just has the sniffles!! No, I will not take my child out and risk getting other kids/adults sick but I do know that not every sniffle, sneeze, or slight drip of the nose is a cold!! If we have something planned, and it's a minor drip, we will now show up to an event!! Mama needs her "mom time" too... And more than likely, half the kids will have the same little drip as my son!!

13. Piggy backing on #12!! I love my mom friends!!! The support, advice, and fun we have is has meant everything to me!! And I love that we all parent differently, yet, I can always learn something from each and every one of them!! I have been blessed with good mamas as role models!!

14. Over time, temper tantrums don't bother me! At this point we don't have many, but, if we do experience them, I'm not bothered! I make sure he is safe, ask him if he wants to talk about it. After it's done, we just have a pep talk and a hug.

15. I can get out of the house in the mornings in 45 minutes. Seems like a lot of time but I fly solo in the mornings!! When I was single I could barely get out of the house in 45 minutes! Now, I can get things done so quickly, most days I'm surprised I got to work on time, with 4 minutes to spare!!

16.  A glass of wine, or 3, can make my evening better!

17. Going grocery shopping by myself is awesome (even though I hate it), yet bringing my son can give me stories to share for days...

18. Sometimes it's just too hard to  not laugh at something funny my son has said or done. We know it's sometimes not the right time to laugh, but sometimes you just have to let go and let live!

19. There is nothing I would rather be doing with my life right now than being my son's mom. I am flawed, I struggle with different things sometimes, but there is nothing that gives me more joy than being a Mom to my son!!!  I do the best I can do!

CREAMY CHICKEN CORDON BLEU CASSEROLE

Found this recipe on pinterest and I couldn't wait to try it. I'm not a ham person but, I thought it would be something my husband enjoyed. So, I get all the ingredients and with my husbands assistance, we attempted to make this dish.

First, let me say, for someone who is not experienced with cooking with multiple ingredients, this took much longer then expected. This was not an easy Monday night meal!! This would have definitely been better for Sunday dinner! The recipe said it was a 20 minute prep time, but I think it took us a little under 40 minutes. I don't know why, probably a few reasons! #1, we had a 2 year old trying to play at our feet and "help." and #2 we just really didn't know what we were doing #3 I didn't truly follow the instructions and didn't get exactly what the recipe called for!!

I think we'll try this recipe again even though it came out a disaster!!! We really really really messed up with the salt!!! Next time we will NOT be adding it at all!!! Ended up scraping off the crust topping because it was too salty.... Top was really just horribly salty, bottom was actually really good!!

One again excuse the non professional picture!! It probably doesn't give it justice because the Italian Panko Bread is GREEN!! Would really do this recipe again, and just make sure I have the plain panko!! 

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE CASSEROLE:

• 1 whole Cooked Chicken, Bones Removed, Meat Diced Or Shredded (rotisserie Chicken Is Excellent used $5 kroger one)
• ½ pounds Very Thinly Sliced Deli-style Honey Ham, Rough Chopped
• ¼ pounds Thin Sliced Baby Swiss Cheese 

FOR THE SAUCE:

• 4 Tablespoons Butter
• 4 Tablespoons Flour
• 3-¼ cups Milk (I Used 2% Milk)
• 2 Tablespoons Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice (Bought the lemon but things got hectic so I used the stuff out of the bottle)
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
• 1-½ teaspoon Salt (not sure if this is necessary, I plan on taking it out next time)
• ½ teaspoons Smoked Paprika 
• ¼ teaspoons White Pepper 

 FOR THE TOPPING:

• 6 Tablespoons Butter
• 1-½ cup Panko Bread Crumbs (This is where I went wrong! I could not find just regular Panko bread crumbs! I have seen it before, so I knew that our Kroger has but this time the shelf was empty. So I got this fancy Italian seasoning panko crumbs. If you use this you will not need the seasoning salt!! I would personally just try and find the regular panko and stick to the recipe!! Meals get ruined when you aren't sure what you are doing and try and improvise!!)
• ¾ teaspoons Seasoning Salt
• 1-½ teaspoon Crushed Dried Parsley (didn't have any)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a 9- x 13-inch baking dish. Set aside.

Put cooked shredded or diced chicken on the bottom of the baking dish. Rough chop the ham and scatter it over the top of the chicken. Lay the Swiss cheese on top of the ham.

For the sauce:
Melt the butter in a large sauce pot over medium heat. When butter is melted, quickly stir in the flour to form a smooth roux. Do not brown! Once the roux is smooth and bubbly, slowly pour in the cold milk while stirring briskly to make a smooth sauce. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens. Stir in the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, smoked paprika and white pepper. Bring sauce just back to a low boil and turn off heat. Pour sauce evenly over the casserole, being certain to get some of the sauce around the edges of the pan.

For the topping:
Melt the butter in the microwave in a medium sized microwaveable bowl. Heat it for 30 seconds at a time and stop once it’s melted. Take the bowl out of the microwave and stir in the panko bread crumbs, seasoning salt and crushed dried parsley. Sprinkle over the top of the casserole.

Bake casserole uncovered for 45 minutes until hot and bubbly throughout and topping has turned a light golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes prior to serving.

Original recipe from: 
http://tastykitchen.com/blog/2012/07/chicken-cordon-bleu-casserole/ 
 

November 4 & 5, 2013

November 4:
Today I'm thankful that I have a job. It was a bit hectic today at work, but I kind of enjoyed it!! It's nice to have things come up out of the ordinary -- change things up a bit! I enjoyed the new experiences and challenges that today's work day brought! Wish we had more of those days!! Although considering we are expecting some huge agency/leadership changes, I should be careful of what I wish for!!!

November 5:
Today I'm thankful for having a patient little boy. There was a time where I couldn't take Alex anywhere with me! He used to cried in stores, and just never wanted to shop!  Now, I can take him to the store, and even when he starts getting restless, he still remains relatively calm. He did an awesome job at the grocery store last night -- and I'm sure we were there for an hour! I was even getting frustrated at some points when I couldn't locate something! But Alex just said, "What's the matter mama, you can't find it?? I find it for you!!" Patient and funny little boy!!

November 3, 2013

Today I'm thankful for being able to spend time with my dad and Connor! When I moved here I thought we would be more involved with each others lives. Time and schedules don't always allow us to do so... Before I moved here, Connor was my little buddy... He is still my buddy, yet, he has grown so much!! Such a kind, gentle, caring little boy. He surprises me with his kindness!! Such a good little boy!! When I first moved here, I started taking Connor out for Halloween... I think maybe the first year my dad came with us. The next year my dad was sick with a cold, so I took Connor. The following year, I think my Dad was just like, aaahhh you can take him!! haha! Always fun!! Last year I know Alex had a fever so we didn't make it over (besides the fact that it was raining). This year, Alex was ready and excited!! I had been telling him for days that we were going to pick up pizzas and take them to Grandpa D's and Connors!! He has been looking forward to it! Fun night, and I'm thankful that I had the chance to spend time with them! If only I had my USB port to show the goodies the kids got trick or treating...

November 2, 2013

Today I'm thankful for new friends, and reconnecting with old ones.

Over a year ago a couple of my husband's cousins, and some former high school friends signed up for Kindermusik classes. Over a short time, and with new moms joining, we have developed a nice, friendly, and supportive group.  All of our children are around the same age (born within months of each other), and it is just amazing to watch and develop together.

I can't say enough about how wonderful Kindermusik has been for Alex and I. It was tough moving to a new town, with only a few friends. I am so thankful that I have had this experience!!

Crock Pot Italian Dressing Chicken

If it's not apparent already, I just love Italian Dressing!! I don't know exactly what it about it but, I just love the flavor! 

My son had his Halloween Parade at his school, so I took a half day of work so that I could attend. I knew I would have time to go home and start dinner, but I also knew I'd be on a time crunch and needed something easy.

So, I find a recipe on pinterest (where else) and head home to start cooking. I have a few other things I want to do before I need to be at Alex's school so I'm hoping to get this food thrown on the crock pot quickly! Of course, there will always be snags in your plans when you are a time schedule, and are on a mission.

I pull up in the driveway, get out of the car, and our very friendly, kind, elderly, and ooohhh so talkative neighbor/friend sees me and yells across the street to say hello!! I thought i was going to get by with just a wake and a quick "hello," but I see he has already gotten his motorized wheel chair ready to head over. 25 minutes later, what can I say, I'm a sucker for good stories, even in a time constraint!

I finally get inside, and get things ready. This reciepe is quite easy. Just 3 ingredients! Well, I should have just kept it at what the recipe called for but as I'm going through the refrigerator I see an opened bag of carrots that need to be used, and then decide to also use the potatoes that were left over from the roast. So, I'm washing, cutting and slicing vegeatables. 

All in all the recipe was easy and decent. I personally prefer the Italian Dressing Chicken that I throw in the oven, but this was good too. If you add veggies to it remember they will take longer than the chicken will to cook so maybe put them on 1 hour before chicken. 

INGREDIENTS:

• 2-3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks (my chicken was frozen, of course, so I couldn't cut into chunks until meat was cooked)
•  16-oz bottle Italian dressing (I did not use a full bottle. I probably used just a half, up to you how much you want to use. I used Kroger's zesty italian) 
•  ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
• Salt, pepper & italaian seasoning to taste (for the veggies, if not using veggies then ignore)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place chicken in bottom of slow cooker and pour dressing over chicken. Stir together gently.
2. Sprinkle cheese on top.  
3. Cover and cook on High for 4 hours, or on Low for 8 hours, or until chicken is tender but not dry. (If you add veggies like I did, I would put veggies into the crock pot for an hour before putting the chicken in. Season veggies with salt/pepper, italian seasoning and coat veggies in Italian dressing)
4. Serve over cooked rice, along with extra sauce from the chicken.  (yes, even with potatoes, we served over rice. I was really just trying to use potatoes before they weren't good anymore!)

Of course I got a before picture, and forgot about the after one... 

Original recipe from Fix-It and Forget-It:
http://fix-itandforget-it.com/blog/2011/05/05/zesty-italian-chicken/ 


 
 

There is always, always, always SOMETHING to be thankful for

It's November already!! It still amazes me how time just flies by when you raising a child! Although it's hard for to remember my son's newborn/infant days, I sometimes just have to stop and think, it's only been 2 years since he was a little baby in my arms. It just doesn't seem like 2 years should have gone that fast! And it doesn't make much sense to me that I can't remember as much as I wish I could.

Since November is the month of Thanksgiving,  I am going to try and challenge myself to be sure to take the time each day and give thanks. Every day I'm thankful, for something but, I probably don't take the time to really reflect on how truly fortunate I am.

I bought this wall hanging a few months ago at Hobby Lobby. I had been searching and searching for weeks trying to find something to replace our current "bread" and "cheese"  framed poster wall hangings from my husbands bachelor days! I took pictures of things I liked, showed them to my husband, and he just shook his head.  I even purchased some things that I really liked, so that we could hold them up again the wall to see what, if anything would work.  Glad we did, because even the things I loved in the store, just looked horrible in our kitchen! Well, finally by chance, I found this at Hobby Lobby!!  I bought it and just hoped Jason would like it. 



Thankfully, he did!  Now, of course 3 months later and we still haven't taken the time to hang it up but, I'm just excited that he liked it!!

So this month I'm starting with this wall hanging's saying. There is always, always, always something to be thankful for. 

Today, November 1st I'm thankful for my little family. I'm very thankful, and fortunate, to have a caring, kind, and funny husband. Although these years have been full of transitions, compromises, sacrifices -- they have always remained loving, fun, respectful, and cherished. Our love for each other grew once we had our son Alex.  Alex amazes us every day! To have someone to share in my excitement and joy has been amazing. Very thankful to have them both in my life!!

 

EASY CROCK POT BEEF ROAST

So, I've been trying to stick to planning meals every 2 weeks. It's working, but I've learned that I need to be flexible. Intended on making a Sunday Roast but, ended up spending more time at the Zoo at the Halloween event! Such an amazing event, and great time with friends!! I'm glad my son got a little into dressing up. Although we had to convince him to put his costume on, and to keep it on we had to do a little bribe. He wouldn't wear the entire costume, but he did keep it on long enough to get some good pictures!

Since I didn't get to the roast on Sunday, I came home on Monday on my lunch break to get it started in the crock pot.  This was seriously one of the easiest meals ever. The only think I would change is to THAW the meat before actually putting in the crock pot. 

I'm coming to realize that you can cook chicken frozen, but beef just doesn't follow that same rule. I mean I'm sure cooking ground beef frozen isn't a big deal, but an actual chunk of beef, probably needs to be thawed out before cooking. Every time we attempt, the meat just is not as tender, doesn't fall apart when you cut into it.  Now last year, I believe, we had a beef roast that was fresh when we put it into the crock pot. It was a stew my husband cooked.  The meat just fell apart. Maybe it was also because the pieces were cut in large cubes?? I don't know. But next time we do a roast, I'm thinking cook fresh, or even in the oven.  If we do the oven, maybe I can even get it to medium instead of medium-well. 

Anyway, the meat was still really good, much better than that manager's special crap I got a couple of months ago. The seasoning and flavor was great! Soooo good!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 packet of ranch dressing (dry)
• 1 packet of zesty Italian dressing  
• brown gravy packet
• 1/2 cup of water
• beef roast
• any veggies you typically throw in your roast. I threw in a full medium sized onion, 1 bag of baby carrots, 6-8 Rossett potatoes - sliced. If you have celery, then that would probably be good too! 
• salt & pepper to taste
• olive oil
• any other seasoning that just sounds good  :o)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Chop potatoes, slice onion, cut celery. Put in crock pot and season as desired. I used italian seasoning and just sprinked it over. I also added some olive oil, seasoning salt, and pepper. I tossed the veggies with my hands so that everything was coated. Season meat with salt and pepper. I cleared a spot in the center of crock pot and placed frozen roast there.
2. Mix packet of ranch, packet of italian dressing, packet of brown gravy packet, and 1/2 cup of water in a mixing bowl. 
3. Pour the packet mixture over the roast. 
4. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.  
5. Throughout the cooking, I kept stirring the dish, and I flipped the roast over probably half way through.

Before

After, ohhhh sooo good!!!

 So, easy and so good -- didn't really know what to expect but this was a great meal!! Yet, my 2 year old son was really enjoying it. He ate a few potatoes, but that was about it!

HOW LONG CAN I KEEP MEAT IN FREEZER??

Found this on pinterest. Thought it was an easy guide on how long food (specifically meat) can stay in refrigerator and freezer. Good to have!! Although I have to say we keep bacon a little longer than a month. Ooopss... 

Guide was originally found on pinterest.
http://web.extension.illinois.edu/meatsafety/storage.cfm 
 

BAKED PARMESAN & GARLIC CHICKEN

This was an easy weeknight meal.  I just wish that I would remember to take chicken out before I leave for work, so I don't have to spend the 15-20 minutes defrosting in the microwave!!

So, while the chicken was defrosting, I loaded up the dishwasher, mixed up the ingredients for the recipe, cut up some veggies, and got the sides together. Thankfully it was still nice outside for my son and husband to go outside for a bit, so I could really hustle and get everything started!

Of course even though I defrosted for 16 minutes, my chicken was still slightly frozen, but no biggie! Made an extra side because I wasn't sure what would taste good with the chicken.  My chicken breasts also seemed to be much larger than normal so, I only used 4, instead of the 6. Although for leftover purposes I really should have made 6. There would not have been enough of the cheese mixture for me to cook 6 though. I would have had to make another batch!



INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 package Good Seasons Italian Dressing mix
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 
• 6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Mix cheese, dressing mix and garlic powder.
3. Moisten chicken breasts with water; coat with cheese mixture. Spray shallow baking dish with cooking spray. Place coated chicken in shallow baking dish.
4. Bake 20 to 25 min. or until chicken is no longer pink in the center. (I had to cook a little longer because my chicken was still frozen in the center.)

Serve with sides.  I steamed some fresh carrots and broccoli, had white rice, and an herb pasta side that my son devoured (of course he did, it came out of a box). Also added some Texas garlic toast as a special treat.

Easy recipe for a busy weeknight, and my husband packed it for lunch. I always know if a meal is good if he packs it for lunch. 

Original recipe is from:
http://www.momswhothink.com/chicken-recipes/baked-parmesan-garlic-chicken.html 

ANOTHER SPAGHETTI SAUCE

Like I said in a previous post, we eat spaghetti probably once a month.  After the same way of making it, it starts to get a little boring.  I didn't necessarily follow a recipe for this one, I just started adding different things in that I typically wouldn't do.  It doesn't even really require a list of ingredients & directions because it was simply me just being a little more creative.

Did my usual and browned the ground beef but this time I added some chopped onions and minced garlic. Drained the grease. Added jar of ragu, and added a can of diced tomatoes. Stirred. Then I just added some italian seasoning and whatever else sounded good. Oregano, pepper... 

So although it was basic and simple, it gave it just a little different taste.  Slightly more homemade tasting, instead of just doing the typical brown the ground beef and pour in the ragu. I let it simmer for about 15 minutes while the noodles were cooking. 

My husband wasn't impressed and was a little bummed because he doesn't like tomatoes! But, he ate it for dinner, and even packed it for lunch so it must not have been that bad!

Just adding some little things can change up a meal a bit... 

 

CROCK POT CHEESY CHICKEN

Yesterday was Columbus Day, so my office was closed for the holiday.

It was so nice being able to relax, and hang out at home, without having a real agenda.  Altough I had a lot of things that I wanted to get done, I chose instead to just chill out.  It was well needed, and deserved! Such a restful day!

One thing I did do though was cook! Well, I guess I prepped food, the crock pot actually cooked the meal for me!  This was another simple recipe, I had pretty much everything already available, except for the rice.  Must have the rice though -- I think it really gave it the flavor that the recipe needed. It didn't seem like it was going to be a lot of food until it was complete. 

Recipe serves 8 so be ready for leftovers! Also, I had never cooked Zatarain's and didn't realize that it took 25 minutes to cook.  So during the last half hour of cooking in crock pot, get the rice started so it does hold you up!

Husband and 2 year old son loved this recipe! Felt bad because I didn't plan very well for this meal. My son had pretty much the same meal for lunch at day care.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 (8oz) box Zatarain’s Yellow Rice, cooked according to package.
•  4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used frozen chicken, of course)
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, or cheese blend
• 1 medium onion, chopped (I used just half an onion only because my son is pretty sensitive to onion -- although usually only raw onion, not cooked -- but didn't want to take the chances)
• 1 (10.5oz) can cream of chicken soup (I used 98% fat free, reduced sodium "healthier" soup)
• 1 (15oz) can of corn, drained
• 1 (15oz) can of french cut green beans, drained (or any kind --this was not in the original recipe but I have had this lonely can of french cut green beans in pantry for what seems years. I just decided to use it to get rid of it)
•  2 cups chicken stock  
• Minced Garlic (original recipe did not call for this but I added it in anyway. I used the stuff in the jar so I just scooped and stirred it in)

 DIRECTIONS:

1. Place chicken into crock pot and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle your chopped onions on top of chicken.
2. Mix together the two cups of chicken broth and can of cream of chicken soup. Pour mixture over chicken (will still be lumpy).
3. Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours.
4.  Right before serving, use 2 forks to shred chicken
5.  Add in cooked Zatarain's yellow rice, cheese, corn, and green beans.

Please, Ignore the messy crock pot splatter lol.

6. Mix well, until cheese is completely melted.


Original Recipe from Family Fresh Meals Blog
http://www.familyfreshmeals.com/2012/02/crockpot-cheesy-chicken-rice.html

CHANGED THE LAYOUT

Changed the blog layout to kind of force myself to take more pictures of the meals I make! 

Even if I don't get the chance to snap my own picture, I will attempt to take from the source I found the dish from. Of course I will give credit to the owner of photograph/blog.

Cry it Out

Facebook has been full of surprises lately.  Not only is my layout different on my phone, but I'm actually getting some interesting articles coming through my news feed.

The article that popped up in my facebook today is in the link below. It's called, "Letting Baby 'Cry-it-out' Yes, No!"

Letting Baby Cry-it-out Yes, No!

It's a Dr. Sears article so of course I knew it would be an interesting (and easy to grasp) article.  Sometimes when I read his stuff, it just amazes me that things just "click."  I may be feeling or thinking the same thing, yet he just puts it into words that is easy to understand and relate to.

Before my son, I thought for sure I was going to follow Dr. Ferber teachings/methods and "ferberize" my baby.  I just knew that when the time came, I was going to control the situation by being the adult, and not let my kid manipulate me by crying, and getting his way. Boy was I wrong! 

Thankfully, it didn't take me reading an article to realize that I wasn't going to be able to let my infant "cry-it-out." It was an instinct, a gut wrenching feeling to go to my infant son when he was crying.  To me, hearing any crying baby is stressful. But when it's my own son crying, I feel a twinge of actual physical pain. 

It is amazing that it only took days, maybe a week, to learn my babies initial cries. I knew the cry of hunger, being startled, needing comforting, being over stimulated, and of course just the I'm bored/fussy cry. When my son was diagnosed with acid reflux at about 5 weeks old, I listened and quickly learned his different cries that surrounded feeding time. Although it was tedious and many nights frustrating, I understood that the only way he could tell me how he was feeling was to cry. He cried when he was done eating, or wanted more food, needed to be burped, going to puke (again), need to be propped up. 

There was a 2 week period during the early diagnosis of acid reflux that all my son did was cry from 5 pm to 9 pm. The doctor called it the "witching hour" -- except as many know, it is typically more than just one hour!! This was a tough 2 weeks. It seemed like forever! My husband was frustrated and didn't know what to do but to just support me by sitting out in the living room with me while our son cried. Although it lasted 2 weeks (maybe longer), I can't imagine just putting my baby down and just saying, "let him cry it out." Now, I know I have heard that in some situations (e.x. babies with severe colic or babies born addicted to drugs) that there is just nothing you can do soothe them. I haven't done the research, but, maybe putting them down in a safe place and allowing them to cry is all that can be done.  But, for me, and our situation of knowing that my baby was in discomfort, it felt only natural to hold him, and interact with him, even through his loud screaming.

Fast forward to "sleep training." Oh wait, we didn't have to do "sleep training," my kid must have realized that mama had to go back to work and needed to get good sleep! He started sleeping through the night, although waking up early (5 - 530 am) at around 10 weeks old.  Not that I haven't had my fair share of rough nights.  There were time periods when my son wasn't going down as easy as he typically did. So, guess what, I tried the cry it out method.  I was getting desperate!! I work outside the home, tired, and wanted my son to get back on schedule. So, I tried to let him CIY. It was so ridiculously draining and stressful that I just couldn't do it. I followed the "rules" and let him cry, checked on him at 5 minute intervals, patted him on the back yet never picked him up. The few times I attempted to CIY, I never made it more than 40 minutes.  And guess where my kid ended up on those nights that he was having a difficult time sleeping???  Yep, in my bed!  And after what ever he was going through (i.e. teething, growth spurt, fever, head cold, or maybe even just wanting to be close to his mama) was over, he went right back to sleeping through the night, like he never skipped a beat!! He never spent more than 2 or 3 consecutive nights with me, but, he seemed to be more comforted with me then in his CIY.  And at his age now if he is struggling with sleep, it usually only takes a few minutes of quiet time on the couch or even in my bed.  There is usually no need to stay in mama's bed overnight, 10 - 15 minutes of comforting and he is typically ready to get right back into his crib. 

Definitely enjoyed this article and made a lot of sense to me.  Not that I disagree with what other parents have done with their own kids.... I just know that the CIY method (which I swore by before having a child) just didn't work with me. 



 
 

So far so good...

Well, I've been sticking to the meal planning which makes me feel good!! 

It's been easier to stay focused in the kitchen, and save some money!!

Not only is it saving money, but it feels good not to have to come home from work, and try and quickly figure out what to make for dinner. It makes me feel a little more organized, less frazzled!! If we get off track, and our evenings change, it's nice to have the meal planning schedule available to fall back on. 

Still sticking with planning 2 weeks in advance, and trying to only grocery shop every other week (unless we need the necessities of milk, bread... ). 

Spaghetti Sauce with Ground Beef

We have spaghetti at least once a month! What can I say, it's a go to meal that is always good and leftovers are likely. It's something that the entire family enjoys, and really, who doesn't love the comfort of pasta!! Well, for some reason I decided to change things up a little bit with the spaghetti. Not going to lie, we don't get fancy with our spaghetti. Boil the noodles, brown & season the ground beef, throw some Ragu in it and bam, it's done! But this time I wanted something different. I didn't just want the plain ole' spaghetti... So I searched for a recipe and the first one that popped up sounded good (considering I already had all of the ingredients).

This was an easy recipe to prep, yet the actual cook time was long. My kid was so hungry that I ended up giving him his fruit before dinner. Which in our house fruit is dessert so that was huge for him!!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound ground beef (I use 90/10)
• 1 onion chopped (Although my husband I love onions. I didn't use an entire onion because my son can pick up the taste and will immediately let you know, "No like it!!")
•  4 cloves, garlic, minced (I know all great cooks say that you have to use fresh garlic, that it makes all the difference. Well, I have never used it, I use the stuff out of the jar.)
•  1 small green bell pepper, diced (I also had a red one so I used that too)
• 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (16 ounce) can of tomato sauce
• 1 (6 ounce) can of tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons of dried oregano (what else would it be but dry?? wet?? who knows)
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 teasponn salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper   

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine ground beef, onion, garlic, and green pepper in a large saucepan. Cook and stir until meat is brown and vegetables are tender. Drain grease. (I did this a little different because I had pots/pans that were not available. My ground beef was frozen too which caused some issues.)
2. Stir diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste into the pan. Season with oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Simmer spaghetti sauce for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

All in all this was great! It definitely had a different taste and more flavor. Wouldn't do this on a go to meal because I didn't realize the cook time was going to be so long -- even though the recipe mentions it right on top!  When my husband realized that I was getting frustrated at how long it was taking to cook, he even questioned why I decided to change things up with the spaghetti sauce. He is one to say, spaghetti is spaghetti no matter what you do to it. He doesn't even like to acknowledge that there is a difference between penne, spaghetti, ziti. You can forget farfalle because in his mind that's just silly! 

Will definitely cook it again though because it was tasty and a nice change!! 

Allrecipes.com
Spaghetti Sauce with Ground Beef

Crock Pot Creamy Italian Chicken

What can I say... The days are shorter, the weather is cooler, and I am just too excited to try out the many crock pot recipes I have stored away!!

This was another quick & easy recipe! I came home on my lunch break to put it together and start cooking. Unlike many recipes that require the "cream of ______" Campbell's soup, that tend to be bland, this one had a lot of flavor and quite tasty!! I really thought that my 2 year old son would also enjoy this recipe since it had noodles and was creamy.  Unfortunately he took just a few bites and then said, "I all done, Mommy."  I think it was more the fact that I gave him his drink before he started eating which filled him up. We will find out tonight with the leftovers!  My husband loved it, and I think that it will be a recipe we try again, with just a few modifications!!


 
Picture is from The Girl Who Ate Everything Blog
http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2009/07/crockpot-italian-chicken.html 



INGREDIENTS:

• 4 Chicken Breasts (I cook with what I have, and yesterday t it was frozen tenderloins. I probably used about 8-10 of them)
• 1 packet of DRY Zesty Italian Dressing (the more chicken, the more seasoning - I used 1.5 packets)
• 1 (8oz) package of cream cheese, softened
• 1-2 Cans of cream of chicken soup (I used 2 cans of the reduced fat kind. If you want it to be less creamy then use less cans)   
• Noodles or Rice (I used egg noddles)

INSTRUCTIONS: 

1.  Place chicken in crock pot and sprinkle the Zesty Italian dressing over chicken.  Like I said, my chicken was frozen. Even though it didn't look like it was getting stuck onto the chicken it was. I flipped the chicken over and did both sides on most pieces.
2.  Combine cream of chicken soup and cream cheese in a small pot over low heat. Poor over chicken. 
3. Cook on low in crock pot for at least 4 hours. Once chicken is done it's up to you how you want to serve it. Chop, shred, or keep it whole. I got the cutting board and chopped it up and placed back into crock pot. I tossed the chicken in the creamy sauce and let it sit for another 15-30 minutes while I cooked the noodles.
4.  If you feel that the sauce is too thick you can add milk to it -- I was all good with the consistency. 
5.  We had opened bag of egg noddles so I wanted to use them up. Boil according to directions. 

I served with a side of green beans but next time I will more than likely add the green beans (and maybe some corn) into the crock pot about 10-15 minutes before we are ready to eat. That way I can just hide the veggies. 

This recipe was on many different sites but I took it from this blog.  The picture was pretty on target with what mine looked like!! Except for the different noddles.

http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2009/07/crockpot-italian-chicken.html 

Changing Things Up in the Kitchen...

My husband and I took an early anniversary trip to Chicago last month, and although it was well needed (and deserved), it was a little pricy! It was both of our first times in downtown Chicago and we went with a more trendy hotel!! We ended up only spending about 1 hour in the hotel room (besides sleeping). Although it was modern and beautiful, the hotel room was a complete disappointment! It wasn't break the bank expensive but now that we have a better feel for the city,  we will be much more thrifty on our next trip to Chicago and go cheap since we are really there just to see the sites!  

I'm not the one to spend frivolously. I hate clothes shopping, eat out once a week, barely buy extras.  I'm one of those people who wants to buy things but never does because I don't want to spend any money.

After our trip, I started going through some bank statements and decided that I needed to spend some time rearranging my budget.  I started flipping through the pages and realized that I'm just spending way too much money at the grocery store!! I am at Kroger's just about every week spending anywhere from $40 - $140. At first I couldn't believe that I was spending so much on groceries. I thought about it a little longer and it's true. I can make plans to run to Kroger's after work for milk, bread, and cheese, and unfortunately come out spending anywhere from $50-80 more on other stuff!! 

I sat down and started reading some quick budgeting articles and realized that spending too much at the grocery store is a common problem for many people!!  I kept reading the same common thing. Make a list, and if it's not on the list, you don't get it. Other articles suggested meal planning to save money because you actually know what you will cook and only buy the ingredients needed for those recipes. 

So, after reviewing the articles I made an effort to stop spending as much money at the grocery stores. My first project was to clear out the pantry, so that when I am grocery shopping that I'm not just buying things "just in case" we don't already have it at home. Not only did I get rid of expired and not needed items in the pantry, but now I have a mental note of what we need, and what we definitely don't need any more of (i.e refried beans & ranch beans --ewwww?? must be my husbands).

I so wish I had the before and after pictures of the pantry still. I had to reset my phone and lost those pictures but the difference was ridiculous!! Even just getting things organized and in order is helping us out with knowing what we need and don't need!

After the pantry was cleared out, I went back to making grocery lists of things that we needed from the store. One thing is, even though I was spending a lot on food, the food wasn't going to waste. It was more of not needing the food -- buying 2 bags of gold fish instead of one. Buying 2 jars of apple sauce instead of just one. I will have to admit that those Kroger 10 for 10 or whatever deals makes it difficult not to purchase your favorite items when it's on sale! Yesterday when I went to the store I stuck to the list! It wasn't even that hard!

I also started making the meal plans again. And instead of just going week to week, I did it for 2 weeks at a time. I also coordinated meals around my son's school lunch menu so that we weren't repeating meals for him. I have decided to go home on my lunch break at least one time a week and put something in the crock pot to cook. That way it will be less stress in the evenings and I won't have the urge to stop at the store after work.

The biggest change is not going to the grocery store every week!! I am proud to say that last week I did not go to Kroger. Literally a full week!! I found out that our rite aid has milk for the same price as Kroger so, I stopped there after work when we were close to running out. That way I was in, and out, and didn't pick up any other things. 

I know that some weeks there will be larger grocery bills. But, I am trying to make myself more aware of my grocery shopping habits. I always have a stockpile (at least 10-12) of lean cuisine dinners because that is typically what I grab for lunch every day at work.  

Was really surprised at how much I was spending -- even more surprised at how much I probably saved by just cutting out that one week at the grocery store!