This is the recipe I'm trying out tonight. It smells really salty. Well see. It is from Pioneer Woman again:)
4 pounds Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
½ teaspoons Salt
½ teaspoons Pepper
1 teaspoon Paprika
½ teaspoons Garlic Powder
6 ounces, weight Tomato Paste
6 ounces, fluid Beer
1 jar (about 6 Oz. Jar) Pimiento Stuffed Olives With Juice
8 whole Sourdough Rolls ( I just used rhoades rolls and let them rise for a couple hours)
¼ cups Olive Oil
8 slices Provolone Cheese
Preparation Instructions
Place chicken in a slow cooker. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Combine tomato paste and beer and pour over chicken. Pour olives with their juice in on top. Cook on low 7-9 hours. Remove chicken and olives from slow cooker and shred, adding tomato sauce from slow cooker to taste. Brush each sourdough roll with olive oil, pile high with pulled chicken and top with fresh provolone. Delight in each and every bite!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
So there's lots going on these days in this household! The funny, scary, crazy part is that a lot of what is going on is in me, like in my head, my heart. It's breaking, in a good way, my heart that is....it's changing and the crazy part is I have nothing to do with it, nothing! I don't know what is coming in the future, or what the "big picture" looks like, which is terrifying and exciting all together. I'm starting to get that HE is in control! HE's got my back! I don't handle change well, Period. And not being in control.....yeah not really up my alley either. God has shown me so much over the last couple years, I can cope with change, with His help. HE is doing a great work in me, something much bigger than me....something I don't even understand or "get" yet, and actually probably will never understand here on this earth. Like I said absolutely, terrifying. There is comfort there too though. 3 years ago I would have never thought I would be in the place I am. I would have laughed in your face if you would have told me that I would be impacted by people who are complete strangers, or that some of the people that have taught me so much about being selfless and loving others would be someone I'm not related to, and didn't even know 2 years ago. Life is crazy like that...we serve an AMAZING God. Who loves me and shows me his unending grace on a daily basis........it.blows.my.mind. But I'm so grateful for what HE has done and continues to do in me! And the people he has placed here on earth that have literally believed all these truths for me and had faith that, one day, I would too believe them for myself! For that I am ETERNALLY grateful! So thank you to ALL of you! Yeah HE had to use and is still is using you, I'm a slow learner/listener, but I'm making progress!
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
What's for dinner!
Since someone is coming to buy my furniture tonight, that means my projects are funded, and I won't be cooking dinner for a week day. So I thought I should cook one last real a meal that won't be served outta a bowl and with milk before the building commences and nothing else gets done. So here goes! :)
Ranch Style Chicken
Ingredients
½ cups Dijon Mustard
½ cups Honey
½ whole (juice Of) Lemon
½ teaspoons Paprika
½ teaspoons Salt
Crushed Red Pepper (optional To Taste)
6 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 pound Thick Cut Bacon
Bacon Grease
Sharp Cheddar Cheese, to taste
Canola Oil
Preparation Instructions
To begin, make the marinade. In a large bowl mix together ½ cup Dijon or country/grainy mustard with ½ cup honey, juice of ½ lemon, ½ teaspoon paprika, and ½ teaspoon salt and whisk until smooth. Sprinkle in some crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne if you like things a little spicy. Set aside.
Next, rinse the chicken breasts, place between two sheets of waxed paper and pound to around ½ to ¾ inch thick with a mallet. Next, add the chicken to the bowl with the marinade, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 1 to 3 hours.
While the chicken marinates, fry up some bacon. When finished cooking, reserve ¼ cup of the bacon grease and clean out the skillet.
When the chicken is done marinating, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the chicken from the fridge and pour off excess marinade. Heat half of the reserved bacon grease with an equal quantity of Canola Oil in the clean skillet over medium-high heat. When the grease is nice and hot add two or three pieces of chicken to it. Cook until brownish/blackish, about 1 to 1 ½ minutes per side. Remove chicken to a large baking sheet. If cooking many pieces of chicken, repeat skillet process and remove finished chicken to baking sheet. Place chicken in preheated oven and cook for about 10 minutes. Remove from over.
Lay a few pieces of bacon over each chicken breast. Sprinkle shredded sharp cheddar cheese over the top of the chicken as generously as you like. Return pan to oven for an additional five minutes until cheese is melted and bacon is sizzling. Serve immediately.
Crash Hot Potatoes
Ingredients:
12 whole New Potatoes (or Other Small Round Potatoes)
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Kosher Salt To Taste
Black Pepper To Taste
Rosemary (or Other Herbs Of Choice) To Taste
Preparation Instructions
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add in as many potatoes as you wish to make and cook them until they are fork-tender.
On a sheet pan, generously drizzle olive oil. Place tender potatoes on the cookie sheet leaving plenty of room between each potato.
With a potato masher, gently press down each potato until it slightly mashes, rotate the potato masher 90 degrees and mash again. Brush the tops of each crushed potato generously with more olive oil.
Sprinkle potatoes with kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper and fresh chopped rosemary (or chives or thyme or whatever herb you have available.)
Bake in a 450 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
Both recipes are from http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen-blog/
Ranch Style Chicken
Ingredients
½ cups Dijon Mustard
½ cups Honey
½ whole (juice Of) Lemon
½ teaspoons Paprika
½ teaspoons Salt
Crushed Red Pepper (optional To Taste)
6 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 pound Thick Cut Bacon
Bacon Grease
Sharp Cheddar Cheese, to taste
Canola Oil
Preparation Instructions
To begin, make the marinade. In a large bowl mix together ½ cup Dijon or country/grainy mustard with ½ cup honey, juice of ½ lemon, ½ teaspoon paprika, and ½ teaspoon salt and whisk until smooth. Sprinkle in some crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne if you like things a little spicy. Set aside.
Next, rinse the chicken breasts, place between two sheets of waxed paper and pound to around ½ to ¾ inch thick with a mallet. Next, add the chicken to the bowl with the marinade, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 1 to 3 hours.
While the chicken marinates, fry up some bacon. When finished cooking, reserve ¼ cup of the bacon grease and clean out the skillet.
When the chicken is done marinating, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the chicken from the fridge and pour off excess marinade. Heat half of the reserved bacon grease with an equal quantity of Canola Oil in the clean skillet over medium-high heat. When the grease is nice and hot add two or three pieces of chicken to it. Cook until brownish/blackish, about 1 to 1 ½ minutes per side. Remove chicken to a large baking sheet. If cooking many pieces of chicken, repeat skillet process and remove finished chicken to baking sheet. Place chicken in preheated oven and cook for about 10 minutes. Remove from over.
Lay a few pieces of bacon over each chicken breast. Sprinkle shredded sharp cheddar cheese over the top of the chicken as generously as you like. Return pan to oven for an additional five minutes until cheese is melted and bacon is sizzling. Serve immediately.
Crash Hot Potatoes
Ingredients:
12 whole New Potatoes (or Other Small Round Potatoes)
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Kosher Salt To Taste
Black Pepper To Taste
Rosemary (or Other Herbs Of Choice) To Taste
Preparation Instructions
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add in as many potatoes as you wish to make and cook them until they are fork-tender.
On a sheet pan, generously drizzle olive oil. Place tender potatoes on the cookie sheet leaving plenty of room between each potato.
With a potato masher, gently press down each potato until it slightly mashes, rotate the potato masher 90 degrees and mash again. Brush the tops of each crushed potato generously with more olive oil.
Sprinkle potatoes with kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper and fresh chopped rosemary (or chives or thyme or whatever herb you have available.)
Bake in a 450 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
Both recipes are from http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen-blog/
Saturday, March 26, 2011
A whole lotta projects going on around here!
Projects make me HAPPY! Yes, I realize that there is something very wrong with me! :) I currently am selling our living room furniture, a desk and hopefully soon, our front bench on my dear old friend CL.
I have a million projects swirling around my head, and have found a few really good deals on paint, and ran across some super, duper, awesome plans for some furniture pieces, I.can't.wait, but I keep promising my sweet husband (the man who puts up with all the crazy) that I won't spend a cent until I fund a project!
So thankfully we have good 'ole CL and people who want to buy my old stuff, which will then fund my project, and ensures I don't spend 1 penny more! :) Hopefully soon I will be posting some before (I promise, if I remember, to take pictures before I start construction/sell everything) and afters.
I have a million projects swirling around my head, and have found a few really good deals on paint, and ran across some super, duper, awesome plans for some furniture pieces, I.can't.wait, but I keep promising my sweet husband (the man who puts up with all the crazy) that I won't spend a cent until I fund a project!
So thankfully we have good 'ole CL and people who want to buy my old stuff, which will then fund my project, and ensures I don't spend 1 penny more! :) Hopefully soon I will be posting some before (I promise, if I remember, to take pictures before I start construction/sell everything) and afters.
Friday, March 11, 2011
sneak peak
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Thursday, March 10, 2011
The boys' floor is done:) now i just have to install jakes bed and make three more rolling carts, a small desk and chair for caleb and i think the room is done. I promised caleb it would be before spring break! Cuttin' it close but i think tomorrow should be productive! Goodnight:)
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Monday, March 7, 2011
Baked Chicken Parmesan
This recipe got emailed to me from Real Simple magazine. Another super easy, very yummy recipe that most of the kids ate with little complaint. I have a couple that hate massive amounts of cheese (weirdos) and this is super cheesy. They just picked it off. Like I said weirdos.
Ingredients
8 thin chicken cutlets (1 1/2 pounds total)
kosher salt and black pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, beaten
2/3 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 24-ounce jar marinara sauce
1 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced
Directions
Heat oven to 400ยบ F. Season the chicken with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
Place the flour and eggs in separate shallow bowls; in a third shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs and Parmesan. Coat the chicken with the flour, then dip in the eggs (letting any excess drip off), then coat with the bread crumb mixture, pressing gently to help it adhere.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken in batches until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.
Pour the marinara sauce into a large, shallow baking dish. Top with the chicken and mozzarella.
Bake until bubbling and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
By Kristen Evans, March 2010 Real Simple
Ingredients
8 thin chicken cutlets (1 1/2 pounds total)
kosher salt and black pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, beaten
2/3 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 24-ounce jar marinara sauce
1 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced
Directions
Heat oven to 400ยบ F. Season the chicken with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
Place the flour and eggs in separate shallow bowls; in a third shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs and Parmesan. Coat the chicken with the flour, then dip in the eggs (letting any excess drip off), then coat with the bread crumb mixture, pressing gently to help it adhere.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken in batches until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.
Pour the marinara sauce into a large, shallow baking dish. Top with the chicken and mozzarella.
Bake until bubbling and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
By Kristen Evans, March 2010 Real Simple
Fried Round steak
These were for my "meat loving" man. He loved them and so did the kids and they were super easy. This is from the Pioneer Woman.
Ingredients
3 pounds Cube Steak (round Steak That's Been Extra Tenderized)
1 cup All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Seasoned Salt
3 teaspoons Ground Black Pepper, Or To Taste
Salt, For Seasoning Meat
½ cups Canola Oil (more If Needed)
2 Tablespoons Butter
Preparation Instructions
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Mix together flour, seasoned salt, and pepper.
Season both sides of steaks with salt and pepper. Dredge each piece in flour mixture, pressing to coat with as much flour as possible.
Add butter to pan right before frying.
When butter is melted, fry pieces of steak in butter/oil mixture. Flip when sides are deep golden brown and cook about 1 minute on the other side.
Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve immediately.
YUM.
Ingredients
3 pounds Cube Steak (round Steak That's Been Extra Tenderized)
1 cup All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Seasoned Salt
3 teaspoons Ground Black Pepper, Or To Taste
Salt, For Seasoning Meat
½ cups Canola Oil (more If Needed)
2 Tablespoons Butter
Preparation Instructions
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Mix together flour, seasoned salt, and pepper.
Season both sides of steaks with salt and pepper. Dredge each piece in flour mixture, pressing to coat with as much flour as possible.
Add butter to pan right before frying.
When butter is melted, fry pieces of steak in butter/oil mixture. Flip when sides are deep golden brown and cook about 1 minute on the other side.
Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve immediately.
YUM.
Peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies
I've been cooking and cleaning ever since I started my projects, I Promise.....Well sorta it's on a "as needed" basis:) Like no one has clean underwear, I better dig through the mountain and wash some, or we are outta snacks I should feed them something not out of a box. I made these one day last week and everyone in my house loved them.
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups of semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup of peanut butter chips
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups of semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup of peanut butter chips
Friday, March 4, 2011
My project is funded!
The gal showed up, my projects are funded!!!!!!! I'm soooooo excited:)
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I'm anxiously awaiting the gal to come pick up the bed, that is now in my family room. She is supposed to be here by 4! I think I have the boys' room completely planned out and my supply list compiled. I can't wait to get started and am kicking myself for promising Andy that I wouldn't work on anything until I had actually sold their bed set. Stupid...I know! Who does stuff like that? Wait until they have the extra money to actually pay for the project, before you start, or plans ahead exactly what you want to do.....Crazy I know! I guess there are people out there like that......:) What's even crazier......I'm becoming one.....sorta!
Here's what I've been up to while I've been waiting.
It's not perfect and I'm trying to decide if I should paint part of the bench black to coordinate. But my children have already "moved in" so I have a little time to decide! I also need to tape the top off on the underside and paint the aprons but you know...minor details!
The first table I built just....bothered me. I learned through it, then took it apart and redid it. I'm much happier with this one, but even this isn't perfect. For once I'm kinda hoping the kids will distress it a little:) I'm definitely hooked on this woodworking business!
We went to the ReStore and got stain. Brand new for $2.00 a quart! The same stuff is $11.00 at the store! And I found a mini faucet for the next project...well after the beds, accessories, etc...........
And I'm almost finished priming/ painting the easel. I'm painting one color then another on top and distressing the edges to show through. Hopefully it turns out ok! Both the colors are from the girls wall.
Hopefully I have a busy weekend full of building in my future! I only have a short time before the girls start softball and Caleb has already started baseball practice. So I'm hoping I can get lots done before our weekends are full of running around crazy.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Thanks for praying!
Tonight at 6 was Andy's job bid. There were 40 routes and he was number 41 to pick. So we were thinking he had a decent chance. (there had been lots of rumors that someone was stepping down) Then I got a text this morning saying there had been some changes and he was bumped to 43. : (
I've been praying for weeks that regardless of what happened we would have peace and realize that God is in control and will provide. I prayed all.day.long. It felt like every moment I was praying.
Andy's work called at 3:30ish and told him they were running ahead so he left around 5:00. At 6:15 he sent a text saying he wasn't getting a route but he had to hang around because now they were running behind and they wanted to give him a pep talk, after the last guy picked his route. I think then my prayer turned to I thinking I'm trusting in you Lord but please help me in fully trusting you and encouraging Andy in that too.
Instead of still believing that God could still provide in the original way we had hoped. 40 min later he called and said he was on his way and he had gotten a ROUTE!! "WHAT?!!?!?" One guy is probably going to quit because he couldn't get the days off that he wanted, so he passed and another person stepped down. Then the last guy that was before Andy passed the route up because he didn't want Wednesday and Sunday as his days off. Yay!!!! I don't know that Andy is for sure going to be coming to church but at least (in my mind) it is way more likely since those will be his days off!
He starts his new route April 17th and it will be in the metro area so not a lot of extra commuting/driving! Which means far less worrying for me during bad weather! Thank you God!!!!! Literally :)
And on an extra side-note...I think the boys bed set is sold! They are supposed to come on Friday! :) Which means their room remodel is funded + some and I.CAN'T.WAIT!!!!
I've been praying for weeks that regardless of what happened we would have peace and realize that God is in control and will provide. I prayed all.day.long. It felt like every moment I was praying.
Andy's work called at 3:30ish and told him they were running ahead so he left around 5:00. At 6:15 he sent a text saying he wasn't getting a route but he had to hang around because now they were running behind and they wanted to give him a pep talk, after the last guy picked his route. I think then my prayer turned to I thinking I'm trusting in you Lord but please help me in fully trusting you and encouraging Andy in that too.
Instead of still believing that God could still provide in the original way we had hoped. 40 min later he called and said he was on his way and he had gotten a ROUTE!! "WHAT?!!?!?" One guy is probably going to quit because he couldn't get the days off that he wanted, so he passed and another person stepped down. Then the last guy that was before Andy passed the route up because he didn't want Wednesday and Sunday as his days off. Yay!!!! I don't know that Andy is for sure going to be coming to church but at least (in my mind) it is way more likely since those will be his days off!
He starts his new route April 17th and it will be in the metro area so not a lot of extra commuting/driving! Which means far less worrying for me during bad weather! Thank you God!!!!! Literally :)
And on an extra side-note...I think the boys bed set is sold! They are supposed to come on Friday! :) Which means their room remodel is funded + some and I.CAN'T.WAIT!!!!
Projects
Since last Thursday...I've gotten a few projects started. None quite complete cause that's how I roll....I thought I had a picture of my sawhorses and picnic table, but I can't find them right now so you're just going to have to believe that I really did make them! :)
This last week Ash spent some time at her 2 of her friends' houses and they played lots and lots of "school", her birthday is on Sunday and she decided she really wants and easel (like her friend's) for when she plays school at home. Like I said I still haven't completed it I still have to sand and paint, but it only took me about 2.5 hours to get this far. I'm overall happy with the project....I had to modify it from the two sets of plans that I had available, but I think it turned out pretty good. I have a little under $10.00 (including wood and hardware) into the easel not counting the dry erase board which I had already it just had a broken frame, and I have left over paint from her bedroom that I'll paint it with.
I also made this little table for Jake/Jocee mostly because I wanted a practice piece. Which from the looks it is definitely that. I still need to paint a little more and then I think I'm going to distress it, in hopes of it looking a little better and to beat Jake to the punch! The table I think was around $11.00, which would be a deal except it didn't turn out quite as well as I had hoped. I also had left over paint that I used. I may actually just sand the whole thing down again and start over with my finish but we'll see.
I also need to get a better (electric) sander, cause the more projects that are built the more sanding needs to be done...and I'm turning into a wimp:)
All these plans came from or were adapted or taken directly from http://ana-white.com/ she is AMAZING go check her out and you'll be building too:) You know you want to!!
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