Attempting to be a Super Mom

Once again, this is another recipe from I found on Sandra's food blog.  You can find her recipe right here,  Full Bellies Make Happy Kids . I have to tell you up front, I've never done slow cooked beef or beef stew at all because I was under some misconception that stew meat was expensive.  When I went to the store, I found that it's no more expensive than ground beef.  I'll be doing lots more with it since it's so cheap and yummy. Slow Cooked Beef And Veggies Ingredients: 2 lbs boneless beef stew meat 1 onion, chopped baby carrots (I used about 3 or 4 hand fulls) 1 can stewed tomatoes, undrained worcestershire sauce salt and pepper 1 bay leaf 1 tsp minced garlic 1/2 cup water cornstarch Directions: Spray your crock pot with non stick spray.  Add the stew meat, onion, carrots, stewed tomatoes, worcestershire sauce, some salt and pepper, miced garlic, bay leaf and water.  Give it a stir to mix up all of your ingredients and cook on...

I was looking around on Sandra's food blog,  Full Bellies Make Happy Kids , when I found this recipe for Root Beer Pulled Pork Sandwiches . I personally have become a Root Beer-aholic over the past couple of years and when I saw this I couldn't pass it up. Root Beer Pulled Pork Sandwiches Ingredients: 2 lb boneless pork roast (I used a pork tenderloin since the smallest shoulder at our store was about 7lbs.) 1 bottle of BBQ sauce 1 can of root beer Directions: Put the roast, BBQ sauce, and root beer in the crock pot on low for 6 hours.  Since I used a pork tenderloin, which is more dense and less fatty, I cooked mine on high for about 4 hours and then on low for about 4. Shred  the roast, put back into the sauce, and mix it well before serving. It's so yummy, my kids didn't even want the bread on theirs.  They just ate the meat.  I'll be repeating this over and over and over again.

I feel like everything gets in the way of my blog time.  I need to just get a new lap top and make the time for it.  My husband's computer seems to be the only option I've had lately.  I have a desktop in the bedroom but it's not easy to escape there with my children.  Also, I've been so busy that I feel I've hardly been at home for the past week or more.   The end of December and January are full of important days that keep us running to Kansas City and back.  Also, with the baby coming in a little over 3 weeks, there are plenty of doctor's appointments to attend.  I feel like I'm so exhausted and have no time to sleep.  Even now, as I type this, I should be sleeping.  It's 1:30 in the morning here and I'm so sore I cannot get comfortable to sit down, lay down, or sleep.   I'm pretty much the size of a planet... The worst part about this picture, is that it was taken a couple of weeks ago, so I'm even bigger now.  I don't walk,...

When I asked my husband this weekend, if he had any specific dinners he wanted me to fix this week he requested enchilada casserole.  I haven't made it in at least 3 years so I was nervous as to whether I would remember how to make it even.  It turned out great and it was another meal that even Ben (my picky little boy) ate. Enchilada Casserole Ingredients: 1 small onion, chopped 1 green pepper, chopped 1 can black beans, drained 1 tbsp butter Salt Pepper Garlic Powder 2 chicken breast, cooked and shredded 1 can enchilada sauce flour tortillas shredded cheddar cheese Directions: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a skillet, over medium heat, saute the onion and green pepper in the butter for about 5 minutes.  When done, pour the onions and peppers into a mixing bowl and season with the salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then mix in the black beans. In a separate mixing bowl, mix the shredded chicken with most of the can of enchilada sauce. I...

The weather::: 50 degrees today!   On my reading pile:::    Finally started Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert last night! On my TV::: Tonight, last night's Downton Abbey with the husband.  Today, probably last night's Mob Wives. On the menu for this week::: Monday  - Enchilada Casserole with fruit Tuesday  - Pulled Pork Sandwiches and fries  Wednesday  - Spaghetti with Meatballs and bread Thursday  - Slow Cooked beef and mashed potatoes Friday  - Some restaurant more than likely.  Saturday  -  Sunday  -  On my to do list::: Folding laundry and Grocery shopping What I am sewing, crocheting, knitting or creating::: Nothing at the moment, but looking for a good project. Looking around the house::: My house is clean! From the camera:::   Something fun to share::: We've been exploring with new restaurants and food types with Ben, since he's never been able to eat at most restaurants because...

I thought I posted this a while back, but when I was looking through my recipes, I wasn't able to find it.  It bummed me out.  I came up with this recipe when I was wanting something a little different.  It's a great fall recipe and I do really love using my crock pot any chance I get. Crock Pot Apple Pork Chops (I apologize for the picture.  My husband accidentally bought pork chops with the bone in them and when pulling them out of the crock pot, the bone fell off and left me with pork chunks.  They still tasted phenomenal.) Ingredients: About 6 pork chops (I prefer them with no bone) 1 onion, sliced 2 apples, peeled, cored and sliced 1/4 cup brown sugar 2 tbsp butter 1/2 cup apple cider 3 tbsp soy sauce 1/8 tsp black pepper 1/2 tsp garlic powder Directions: Melt the butter in a pan.  Saute the onions and apples in the butter for about 5 minutes. Put the pork chops in the the crock pot.  Pour the onion and apples over the p...

Last night, we got Sydney to sleep around her actual bed time, but Ben wanted to stay up and party.  Finally he crashed at about 10:30.  If only I could have gone to bed at this time.  Too bad that wasn't the case.  Shawn and I had a lot left to do.  He had spent the evening ironing his clothes and we still had so many to fold and put away.  I finally got to bed a little after 12:30.  To a lot of people, this may not be a big deal, but I'm not a night person.  I'd rather be up nice and early, than be up late at night. Luckily, my kids decided to sleep all night in their own beds.  They didn't get up, not once until 8:15 this morning.  This is not common here.  Ben is usually up coughing or wanting someone to come snuggle him.  Lately he's even been sneaking into our bed, only for us to wake up about 15 minutes later, being kicked or knocked out of bed.  Sydney usually climbs out of her crib and joins us in bed, anytime f...

The weather::: Chilly!  I think it got up to 39 today, but it's been in the 50s and 60s. On my reading pile:::    I've been meaning to get started reading Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert On my TV::: I haven't watched any TV yet today but maybe something off of the DVR tonight. On the menu for this week::: Monday  -  Boss Hawgs (Late lunch/Early Dinner out with my Grandpa) Tuesday  - Egg Sandwiches Wednesday  - Mexican (Restaurant for my Father-in-law's birthday) Thursday  - Creamy Rotini with Ham and Asparagus Friday  - El Mezcal probably (we usually go out on Friday nights as a family) Saturday  - At my in-law's house Sunday  - At my in-law's house On my to do list::: Finish folding laundry and vacuum. What I am sewing, crocheting, knitting or creating::: Nothing at the moment, but looking for a good project. Looking around the house::: The house is finally getti...