baby blues

sketch

sketch feature of photo grid 

so dang cool 

menu

tonight: get your own/McDonald's :)

monday:  TB appt...... josh make breakfast?

tuesday: new shredded pork recipe with broccoli slaw and chips

wednesday:  halloween--grab something or order pizza

thursday: grilled chicken and veggie kabobs, plus wild rice

friday: ..............

saturday: hotdogs and chilli at the farm for our fall festival party

sunday: meijer broasted chicken

monday:



Pulled Pork:

Ingredients

Dry Rub:

• 3 tablespoons paprika
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon dry mustard
• 3 tablespoons coarse sea salt
• 1 (5 to 7 pound) pork roast, preferably shoulder or Boston butt

Cider-Vinegar Barbecue Sauce:

• 1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
• 1 cup yellow or brown mustard
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Pan drippings from the pork
• 12 hamburger buns
• 1 recipe Cole Slaw, recipe follows
• Pickle spears, for serving

Directions

Mix the paprika, garlic power, brown sugar, dry mustard, and salt together in a small bowl. Rub the spice blend all over the pork. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Put the pork in a roasting pan and roast it for about 6 hours. An instant-read thermometer stuck into the thickest part of the pork should register 170 degrees F, but basically, what you want to do is to roast it until it's falling apart.
While the pork is roasting, make the barbecue sauce. Combine the vinegar, mustard, ketchup, brown sugar, garlic, salt, cayenne, and black pepper in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer gently, stirring, for 10 minutes until the sugar dissolves. Take it off the heat and let it sit until you're ready for it.
When the pork is done, take it out of the oven and put it on a large platter. Allow the meat to rest for about 10 minutes. While it's resting, deglaze the pan over medium heat with 3/4 cup water, scraping with a wooden spoon to pick up all of the browned bits. Reduce by about half. Pour that into the saucepan with the sauce and cook 5 minutes.
While the pork is still warm, you want to "pull" the meat: Grab 2 forks. Using 1 to steady the meat, use the other to "pull" shreds of meat off the roast. Put the shredded pork in a bowl and pour half of the sauce over. Stir it all up well so that the pork is coated with the sauce.
To serve, spoon the pulled pork mixture onto the bottom half of each hamburger bun, and top with some slaw. Serve with pickle spears and the remaining sauce on the side.

Cole Slaw:

1 head green cabbage, shredded

2 carrots, grated
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 green onions (white and green parts), chopped
1 fresh red chile, sliced
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 lemon, juiced
Pinch sugar
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
Several dashes hot sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Combine the cabbage, carrots, red onion, green onions, and chile in a large bowl. In another bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, and sugar. Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss gently to mix. Season the cole slaw with the celery seed, hot sauce, salt, and black pepper. Chill for 2 hours in the refrigerator before serving.

3 years

3 years ago at 9:00 this evening, we got a phone call from my mom that forever changed our lives. tom had been in a car accident and did not survive. time has helped heal the wound but this month has been particularly  rough on me. not sure why more than before but guess that is not for me to know :) i have to have faith that tom is where he is supposed to be.

comparisons

an honor

jack received quite an honor over the weekend when he was invited to play on a U-10 soccer team for a tournament. he has been in U-8 this year and his coach felt his skills were good enough to move up for the practices this week and the tournament. unfortunately, turns out that they don't let 7 year olds play with U-10 and that is "all that jack" is :) instead of being bummed, he was honored to even get to practice with the big kids and i am amazed by his skill level. he is a smart, level headed soccer player! he has mad skillz :) keep up the ambition buddy--it will take you places :)

this mom.......

who has two thumbs and thought it was a great idea to refill bean bag chairs instead of purchasing new ones........... this mom!

Recipe for 2 full Bean Bag Chairs and a HUGE foam ball Mess:
Purchase a $4.99 "bag o beans" refill, combine with two silly and rambunctious boys 5 and 7. Add in one mom who is not coordinated and one dad who is trying to help said mom. Mix all together for 25 minutes.

necessary use of shop vac when done for clean up..........

bless you

as maxie sneezed near luke today, "oh mom, maxie just got her bless yous on my foot!"

nope, i cannot make that up :)

thing 1 and thing 2 thursday

thing 1
2nd grade

thing 2
kindergarten

caramel apple salad

thinking i should try this :)

When I think of Fall, two specific foods come to mind…

1. Pumpkin Pie
2. Caramel Apples

I’ve already made a bunch of pumpkin recipes, so I figured it was time for the Caramel Apples — but since I didn’t feel like creating a sticky mess in my new kitchen, I whipped up this delicious (and super simple) recipe for Caramel Apple Salad instead.
I’ve had variations of it at different potlucks and church picnics throughout the years… but of course, I like mine the best
So if you’re in the mood for a caramel apple but don’t necessarily feel like going through all that work; take 10 minutes to make this delicious, light, fluffy Caramel Apple Salad instead!

Recipe for Caramel Apple Salad:

{print this recipe}

Ingredients

• one 3 oz. box Butterscotch Instant Pudding {just the dry mix and it MUST be instant}
• 8-10 oz crushed pineapple with juice {I just dump in about 1/2 of the big 20 oz. cans
• one 8 oz. tub Cool Whip {or you can make your own whipped cream}
• 1 c. salted peanuts
• 1 c. mini marshmallows
• 1 c. chopped Snicker’s bars {optional — we only add this if it’s going to be a dessert}
• 3 medium Granny Smith apples {minus one slice for my loyal helper!}

Directions

• In a medium bowl, mix the butterscotch pudding mix with the crushed pineapple until the pudding thickens
• Fold in Cool Whip until combined
• Stir in the nuts and marshmallows {and Snickers if applicable}

• Core and chop apples into bite-size pieces {I leave the peelings on, but you could also peel them}
• Stir in chopped apples and mix until everything is combined

• Eat immediately or cover and refrigerate for later
• Enjoy your “Caramel Apples” without all the mess!

I made this salad for the first time last week Monday, and I made the second batch this weekend already! It’s a great side dish, snack, or dessert for almost any meal… and if you bring it to a potluck, you probably won’t come home with leftovers!

Original content from Simple Organized Living: http://www.simpleorganizedliving.com/2012/10/15/caramel-apple-salad/#ixzz29PrEMdUa
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives

quack quack

jack's new talent is quacking.... real quacking...........  

and at school today he had to flip his card for "quacking" in the library today........... I had to chuckle a little bit :) He so sweetly and innocently said, "well mom, at least it was just a warning. I was not really in big trouble"....then he quacked at me :) REAL duck noises! Not FAKE quacking....talent :)

menu

the weekend was fast....and meals changed so i will back up :)

friday: mad dogz in comstock part with my sis :) and the boys

saturday: rice krispy chicken, roasted broccoli and asparagus (see below), mashed potatoes, bread with oil

sunday: farm (round steak in the crock pot, roasted potatoes, peas and hot biscuits with honey)

monday: taking my boyer family out

tuesday: leftovers (rice krispy chicken)

wednesday:  spaghetti (frozen sauce that i made) and steamed broccoli with herbed butter

thursday: josh make dinner for boys if i shop..... :)

friday: chicken patty sandwiches, chips and fruit

saturday: josh gone............ take boys out?

sunday: meijer broasted chicken

monday: tacos

tuesday: french toast and bacon



roasted broccoli and asparagus
NEED:
asparagus (broken in halves)
broccoli (cut into bite sized pieces)
olive oil (i used seasoned oil--herbs de provence--old world olive)
salt (kosher)
fresh ground pepper

DO:
toss all together and roast on a pan at 500 degrees until "browned" and yummy

rice krispy chicken:
NEED:
thin breasts (or halved breasts)
butter
salt
pepper
italian herbs
rice krispies

DO:
dip breasts in butter, then rice krispies. place on foiled pan. sprinkle with herbs, salt and pepper. drizzle with lefter over butter.

bake 400 degrees until done and krispies are brown (20-30 minutes)

mmmmmm

mass....

Luke is convinced he heard the priest say star wars during Mass today......:)

menu

I LOVE "FALL" foods :) mmmmmmmmmmmm my house smells amazing right now. i have petite lasagnas ready to go (chock full of fresh veggies..........peppers, onions, shallots, tomatoes, mushrooms...........and lots and lots of white wine), chex mix in the oven, garbanzo beans ready to roast and the extra sauce from the lasanga ready to freeze. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

sunday: make your own

monday: petite lasangas, salad, garlic bread

tuesday: kielbasa and wild rice

wednesday: el rancho :)

thursday: rice krispy chicken

friday: GRIFFINS home opener--eat out and then off to the hockey game

saturday: off to my in laws for supper

sunday: pork tenderloins

monday: out?

tuesday:tacos



NEED: can of garbanzo beans (chick peas), salt, olive oil, seasoning you love (i used an emeril southwest)

DO:
drain and rinse beans, toss in oil, mix with salt and seasoning. place in hot oven (400?), roast until they are crunchy. i kept tasting them. :) took about 45 minutes to an hour?

not super low in calorie but HIGH in fiber!



petite lasangas
actual recipe....but i used beef :) and my own variation of sauce with veggies....
12 oz raw ground turkey
¼ tsp salt, divided
¼ tsp pepper
1 cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped mushrooms
14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes, or tomato sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tsp dried oregano, divided
½ tsp dried basil
1 ½ cups part skim ricotta cheese
24 small square wonton wrappers (the kind near the tofu in the refrigerated section of the produce dept)
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the turkey, onions, mushrooms, salt, and pepper. Crumble the meat and saute the mixture for about 10 minutes, or until the turkey is cooked through. Add the garlic and stir constantly for 30 seconds.
Add the crushed tomatoes and 2 tsp of oregano. Bring the pan to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, a pinch of salt and pepper, the remaining teaspoon of oregano, and the basil. Stir to mix well. Set aside.
Coat a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Place 1 wonton wrapper into each of the 12 cups, pressing firmly in the bottom of the cup and up the sides.
Using half of the ricotta mixture, divide it among the 12 muffin cups. Next, using half of the turkey tomato sauce, spoon it evenly over each of the ricotta filled cups. Sprinkle with 2 tsp of mozzarella.
Gently press another wonton wrapper on top of the mozzarella layer.
Repeat the process by distributing the remaining ricotta, then the remaining tomato sauce, and finally the rest of the shredded mozzarella.
Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
Let the cups cool, remove them from the pan, and serve!

new recipe to try

Potato-Mushroom Smothered Pork Chops

Yield – 8 servings
Preparation Time – 30 minutes
Cooking Time – 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. baby red potatoes (about 16), quartered ($1)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil ($.05)
• 8 oz. sliced mushrooms ($1)
• 1 small white or yellow onion, chopped ($.20)
• Salt and pepper
• About 3 Tbsp butter or margarine ($.10)
• About 1/4 cup milk or sour cream or cream cheese ($.25)
• 8 pork chops ($3.51)
• Salt and pepper
• Broccoli or other vegetable side ($1)

Directions

• Boil the quartered red potatoes. (I left the skins on because I was feeling lazy…and small red potatoes are tough to peel.)
• Saute the mushrooms and onions in the olive oil in a large skillet for 10 to 15 minutes, over medium heat.
• Preheat the oven to 350.
• Once the potatoes are done, drain and add to bowl and mash with the butter, milk or sour cream or cream cheese (whatever you like to use to make mashed potatoes.) Gently fold in the sauteed mushrooms and onions. Season with salt and pepper.
• Place the pork chops into an 9×13 baking dish and sprinkle salt and pepper over the top. Top with the potato-mushroom mixture.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until pork chops have cooked through.
• Prepare the broccoli or other vegetable.
• Serve Potato-Mushroom Smothered Pork Chops with side of veggies.

Read more: http://www.5dollardinners.com/potato-mushroom-smothered-pork-chops/#ixzz28lGJ78OJ

wordless wednesday: painful

giddy

i am a nerd. a geeky nerd. i am 25 blog posts away {make that 24 now that i am writing this one} from tying my posts from last year and i STILL HAVE all of october, november, and december to blog! :) dork. i know. but it's me :)

menu

sunday: make your own

monday: burgers, fries and fruit

tuesday: go green chicken sammies, simmered black beans in white wine with cilantro and peppers, chips/salsa

wednesday: roast, potatoes, bread and corn

thursday: chicken nuggets, fruit and chips

friday: make your own

saturday: OUT

sunday: petite lasagnas 



go green chicken sammies
**i don't measure. i didn't follow exactly. i used foccacia bread instead of bun..... but they are YUMMY!

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 scallions, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
• Grated peel of 1 lime plus juice of 2 limes
• 2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
• Salt and pepper
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 4 deli slices pepper jack cheese
• 2 avocados
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 1 small plum tomato, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 jalapeno chiles, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 large clove garlic, grated or finely chopped
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 4 hamburger buns or crusty rolls, split and toasted
• 1 head bibb lettuce or green leaf lettuce
• Tortilla chips, for serving

Directions

1. In a shallow dish, combine the EVOO, cilantro, scallions, thyme, lime peel, half of the lime juice, and the hot sauce; season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken and let marinate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. Grill the chicken until cooked through, 12 minutes. Just before the cooking time is up, top each breast with a slice of pepper jack cheese.
3. In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados, red onion, tomato, jalapenos, garlic, lemon juice and remaining lime juice; season with salt.
4. Top each bun bottom with lettuce, a chicken breast, a mound of guacamole and a bun top. Serve with the tortilla chips. 

football

 bright lights. a new stadium. homecoming for the town we live in and call our own. a gorgeous fall evening. catching up with our old high school counselor on a fluke. snuggling up with our little boys. hanging out with our most fabulous neighbors. 60 degree temps. a roaring fire at the legacy field fire pit. hot dogs, popcorn and sno cones. 

yup. that's september for ya. 

darn it....

darn it all....lukers has pnuemonia. again. this is the third time in a year. poor kiddo! our biggest worry is the balance between getting better (antibiotics) and NOT getting c-diff from the meds that will make him better. we have him on z-pack plus 2 tablets florastor (top of the line probiotic), we are hoping the florastor puts in any good bacteria the zpack wipes out. in addition, buds is also on an inhaler. we found good results with that today to ease the coughing.

surprise: go kart

GOAL!

luke made his first soccer goal EVER on saturday!!! way to go U6 AYSO lukie :) we are so darn proud of you!!!!!