Way outside of my comfort zone...

It has been a while since I have stepped this far outside of my cooking comfort zone, Im not even sure if it is edable, and I am sure as anything not going to eat it.  But, oh the things that we do for our hubby's!  

My Hubby will eat almost anything, he really isn't picky.  He really likes Rubins and Corned Beef.  When we go to Busch gardens he always wants to eat in Ireland, so that he can get the Corned Beef.  So while we were in BJ's on Saturday he saw corned beef and asked if I would make it.  I didn't get home in time to make it yesterday so I promised that I would make it for him today, along with cabbage.  Both of which I have never made.  I'm a little worried that the will not be good at all.  But, to be honest I don't know how they are supposed to taste because I don't eat either thing.

For the Corned Beef you bring water to a boil and simmer not boil for 3 hours...um okay I guess that I could do that.  But the meat is still pink.  Was it supposed to be?  As far as the cabbage goes I just put water in a pot that was for the oven, and my grandma said add pepper, butter and salt.  It smelled yucky, so maybe that was right.  Hubby hasn't gotten up to eat it yet.  So, I still don't know if it was okay for him to eat.  

Hubby will probably tell me that it tasted fine.  I hope that is the case.  Though there isn't very good bread to eat it on at the house, and I don't know if he will eat it plan.  I don't know if he needs sauerkraut  cause I am sure that I have forgotten to buy it.  I am so nervous!  Yikes...maybe I should stick to things that I know.  

Oh yeah..one more thing!!! This week is his birthday and I am supposed to me making him a cake in my new mixer...that is out of my comfort zone too.  Lord help me!!!

My next big adventure

Hello Bloggers!!

I have been a little bit reluctant to share this information with you, as you might not be interested in this idea, but considering it is my blog I though that I would get it a shot.  Last year I began selling Scentsy, I have done well with this and the people that I sell to seem to be enjoying the products and coming to the house for get togethers.  I am still selling Scentsy, but now I am selling Thirty-one.  Which is more than just purses.  Thirty-one helps you organize your office, even aspects of your life.  You may not think that you need it, but in some ways you do!  

Who wants to buy an Easter Basket that in a few years you will have to toss out?  (No ONE!!) So instead buy this, personalize it with your child's name and it could last for years on end!!



Do you have an office?  If you are like me your office is the bag that you carry around, before Thirty-one the bag that I carried around was a mess, so was the binder that I carried it all in...I solved that problem with two bags...



I thank you all the time over and over for following this blog, and I really try and entertain you!!  I would love if you would support me a little bit more and order Thirty-one from me!!! Thanks in advance!!

https://www.mythirtyone.com/286373/

The above is where you can order from!!!

Seems like I always have an excuse not to Blog (cook)...

Talk about a crazy start to the New Year, I just seem to run out of time!  I look at my calendar and it goes from January to March in the blink of an eye.  Pretty soon it will be July...

I guess that I should stop calling THIS job my new job and just say my job.  As I am getting more committed to this job I am finding out that I am working later and longer days.  Not what I intended, but I will take that pay check any day.  Anyways, on Monday's I have been working about 12 hour days.  It wouldn't be so horrible if I would get a break in there some where.  But last week it was like 45 minutes and the week before it was only 15 (this includes drive time, because that is a major part of my job and I don't considering anything but not driving work.)  Plus, I have to pick the furkids up from granny and pappy's house so I usually don't get home until 10pm.  So I am usually out of the house by 7am and not there again until 10pm.  Where is the time to cook?

So, I am making this blog as a plea...a plea to have faith in me and stick with me.  I promise that I will be cooking.  I also promised the Hubby that I would cook to, so I can't break them right?!?!  

Let me tell you about my latest miss...So the Hubby asked me to make lunch yesterday.  And we don't have a lot of things in the house (the other day when I heard that we are getting snow..I bought Bagels, like 3 bags of them), so I made him a bagel.  But he only really likes the plan ones.  Well, we cleaned out the toaster because I noticed that it has been burning our toast (when we made our wedding list we asked for a really nice one, and we got it I LOVE THAT THING!!).  I burned the only plan bagel that we had in the house.  Hubby was so upset.  He picked off the seeds and such of the everything bagel.  I turned the setting down and toasted away for him.  Poor thing!!  Lesson Learned: buy more than one thing of plan bagels!!! 

Please add two packets of Ranch....

I'm not the type of person that needs to add ranch to everything, however I am the type of person, that when it is there I want to taste it.  If I don't there needs to be more!!  One day when I either make money from cooking or blogging (this will never happen :(..) I will write to all these people and tell them how their recipes could go from good to awesome!!  
Anyways...this is a crock pot recipe true and true.  I didn't do much to make dinner tonight!  I put this in the crock pot at 2:30 and by 7:45 I had a meal.  I boiled some pasta and did a steam bag of broccoli in the microwave!  This is really a simple recipe...it took me about 10 minutes to put in the crock pot...

So as always...you can find the recipe here: http://picky-palate.com/2012/09/20/pesto-ranch-crock-pot-chicken-thighs/

or here:

Crock Pot Pesto Ranch Chicken Thighs

Ingredients

• 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 6 ounce jar of pesto
• 1 package Ranch Dressing Seasoning Mix
• 1/2 cup chicken broth

Directions

1. Turn crock pot to high setting. Place chicken thighs, pesto, ranch dressing and chicken broth into crock pot. Stir gently to combine all seasonings. Close with lid and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.
2. Serve with a side of mashed potatoes and a simple salad.

Makes 8 servings

And now what I would change or did change... I did four pieces of chicken, most of the time it is only hubby and I eating.  Next I would do packets of the ranch.  Hubby put ranch dressing on his and said it tasted a lot better!!!  I would also use veggie broth instead of chicken, it was just salty.  Well let me know what you do!!  <3

Too much broth for chilli

What a week it has been...I am glad that it is over and tomorrow is Monday (whoever says that??).  This recipe was meant to be made on the stove top, but I am doing crock pot recipes so that is where it went.  Hubby liked the fact that every few bites you got a bite of cheese.  I was just happy that I didn't have to cook all day.  Even though I LOVE cooking, I don't always like standing over the stove.  

So there isn't much to this recipe, but the 4 cups of broth make it rather soupy.  I drained everything, beans, corn etc.  However there was a lot of broth.  My grandpa will love it.  He believes that a good broth makes a great soup.  I like my soup thick.  

You can find the recipe here: http://www.landolakes.com/recipe/3740/white-chicken-chili

or here:

Cheese is the star of this favorite white chili recipe that comes together in a snap!

25 min.prep time 50 min.total time

8 servings

5 Stars3 Ratings

Chili

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 large (1 cup) onion, chopped

1 medium (3/4 cup) red bell pepper, chopped

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh garlic

4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth

3 (15-ounce) cans cannellini or great Northern beans, drained

1 (11-ounce) can whole kernel corn with red and green peppers

24 (3/4-ounce) slices Land O Lakes® Deli White American Cheese, quartered

Garnish

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 lime, cut into wedges

Heat oil in 6-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add chicken, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper Cook, stirring occasionally, 5-7 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove from pan; set aside.

Add onion, bell pepper and garlic to pan. Cook over medium heat 3-4 minutes or until softened. Return chicken to pan.

Stir in chicken broth, beans and corn. Cook until mixture comes to a boil. Cover; cook over low heat 15 minutes. Add cheese; stir until melted.

Garnish each serving with cilantro and lime wedge.

Calories: 500

Fat: 22g

Cholesterol: 90mg

Sodium: 2010mg

Carbohydrates: 38g

Dietary Fiber: 9g

Protein: 35g

Recipe #15787©2012Land O'Lakes, Inc.

Too much take out....

To be honest with you...I really LOVE takeout food.  Especially, Tacos, and I have been eating a lot of it lately.  Hence why I have not made Icrock pot meals like I said I would.   I'm sorry that I have been MIA and I do promise to return to blogging and getting all the good stuff in, in this shortened month.  Sometimes, when you get home late, you just want to go to bed.  So, cooking stuff in a crock pot would be so much easier than what I have been doing.  

So, to whoever reads this...do you have a crock pot recipe that you are willing to share with me?  I would love to know what you like making in your crock pot.  I know that I LOVE mine, and since getting it in October, I have probably used it more times than I can count.  

I am trying to think of something to make in it right now.  I am enjoying this snowy weather that we have been having.  I'd love some more of it.  It really makes we want to move somewhere, where we get more snow!!  Any ways.  Happy blogging :D

Well Crap...I've been a little busy!!

I want to say that I am really sorry for not blogging or making my crock pot recipes.  I have been busy.  I am making repeat #4 tonight!  Well right now!  It's from Rach!  So try it!!


Steak 'Em Up Pitas (Courtesy of Rachael Ray)

serves 4; prep 15 mins; Grill 15 mins
(The brazen kiss of horseradish wakes up a gorgeous filet Mignon draped in sweet grilled onions.)

1/4 cup 2% greek-style yogurt
2 tbsp. mayonnaise
2 tbsp. prepared horseradish, drained
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
EVOO, for brushing
2 onions, cut into 1/3 inch thick slices, rings left intact
salt and pepper
1 1/2 lbs filet Mignon ( I didn't have that so i used flank steak), cut crosswise into 4 even pieces
4 plain pitas
1 bunch spinach-stemmed, thoroughly washed and dried (last time it did not taste good with spinach, so we skipped it this time).

1. preheat a grill to medium. In a small bowl, mix together the yogurt, mayonnaise, horseradish and garlic.
2. Lightly brush EVOO on the onions. Place them, rings intact on the grill (if you have a grill topper, use it here). Season with salt and pepper, cover the grill and cook, carefully turning once, until softened and lightly charred, about 5 minutes; transfer to a bowl.
3. Pat the beef dry and brush with EVOO; season with salt and pepper. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before thinly slicing crosswise.
4. Grill the pitas, turning once, until just warmed through, but not crisp, about 1 minute. Slice off the top third of each pita and spread the insides with 2 generous tsp. of horseradish sauce, then stuff with the spinach, sliced meat and grilled onions. Finish with a dollop of remaining sauce and serve immediately.