Crockpot Goodness

I love my crockpot. It's so easy to throw stuff in and have it cooked and ready to eat at dinner time. Sometimes, though, whatever hunka meat I put in there comes out dry...and still edible, but you just know it would could be better if it weren't so dry.

I have found the absolutely perfect recipe for pork roast in the crockpot. Hands down this is the best tasting thing that has ever come out of my crockpot!

Here's the recipe:

Perfect Pulled Pork

Now, she talks about how she made it in the oven. And it took over night and then all day. That makes way too much heat!

I think the secret to the moist pork is the overnight brining. I used a 4ish pound pork roast. And the next morning I dried it off (like the recipe says) and rubbed the dry rub all over it and plopped it into my crockpot. It cooked on low for 10 hours and by dinner time, it was all I could do to not just eat the whole thing! I was so hungry after smelling that all day!!

I just ate mine plain, but TC had his on some bread with some barbeque sauce on it.

Yummy!!

Great Granola!

I came across this granola recipe on a blog I read regularly (she's the one with Freebie Fridays and a great list of freebies to request!).

I have been looking for a good granola (that's not going to cost an arm and a leg) and this one looked like it would be easy to add to.

I used the recipe she posted and then added 1 cup of toasted coconut and 1 cup of chopped dates. Yes, I'm not usually one to eat coconut. I love the flavor (pina colada, anyone?) but I just don't like the feel of the coconut flakes. I learned, though, that I've apparently missed out on the deliciousness of toasted coconut! X-man and I both had a taste after toasting it!

The granola turned out wonderfully! It was a touch too sweet (and I have a sweet tooth) which I'm sure is due to the fact that the dates and the coconut are both sweet. I bet the next time I make it (this afternoon) I can leave the 2 tablespoons of sugar out. It did stick to the pan (but that's because I forgot to spray it and I mixed it all up in the pan. I'll probably use a big bowl for the mixing and make sure to spray the pan this time).

And this granola didn't cost me anywhere near the cost of some of that stuff you buy in the store!

Chow Hound

We started Buttercup on "solid" foods Sunday. That's if you can call rice cereal flakes mixed with mommy's milk a solid. She wasn't so sure about the stuff on Sunday, but now? Oh, man. Shovel it in!! If she knew how to lick a bowl clean, she would.

She likes the rice cereal much better than her brother. He didn't like it at all. In fact, I think that Buttercup has now had more rice cereal than he ever got. Now the single grain oatmeal was a different story. X-man loved that mixed with pineapple juice! But she almost needs a bath after each meal. She'll get cereal all over her face, on her hands and on her feet and legs. Because everyone knows that rice cereal goes great with toes!

We're probably going to head right into green beans this weekend. Let's hope she doesn't raspberry them all over me!

Anything and Everything

Buttercup had a long few nights without being swaddled (read that: mamma had a long few nights). She's sleeping much better, but not as good as she was during the swaddling days. She's not waking up every thirty minutes or every hour all night, but there are stretches where for one hour, she's crying every 15 minutes. We've actually had company a majority of the days that we've been unswaddling her so I didn't really want to try to let her cry it out. She's just a few days away from being 6 months old and I think she can probably handle it. I might see how it goes tonight with letting her cry for several minutes before going in to give her a pacifier (and you mammas know how hard it is to just listen to your baby cry!).

X-man is just a hoot! He says the funniest things and he's not really trying to be funny. Today at lunch I had a diet caffeine-free coke (I know, it doesn't taste anywhere as good as a real coke, but I don't want the calories or caffeine. I like the bubbles). X-man asked for a drink (and he says, "Have one please, mommy"). He took a little drink, made a painful little face (you know, that one where you swallowed your carbonated drink too fast?) and said, "That's enough for now." Ha!

While my parents and sister were here, we had to go to the grocery store to get some ice cream-makin' ingredients. TC wanted me to make ice cream for his office's monthly birthday meeting today. Anyway, it turned out delicious (yes, I had a little taste from both batches). Want the recipe? It's super easy. And there's no cooking. And it's NOT fat-free...

(I have a 4 quart ice cream freezer)

Vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla (the recipe called for 1 1/2 T, but I love vanilla)
2 quarts heavy whipping cream
2 large cans evaporated milk
2 quarts half-and-half (or enough to fill it up to the fill line)

I poured the first three ingredients and then poured in all the milks. It turned into a very rich ice cream. The first batch based on this recipe had some chopped, frozen cherries (and a smidge of almond flavoring) in it and it was just fabulous! So, the amount of milks will adjust depending on what else you put in it. I can't wait to hear how TC's office liked it!

Buttercup has a new trick: tripod sitting. I've been trying every few days to see if she'll sit up and everytime, she just folds over in half. Pretty cute, but not too comfortable looking. This morning I put her on the floor right in front of me and she leaned over and proped her cute little self up on her hands! And she stayed that way for several seconds! Yea Buttercup!!

Egg Pie

I've started making something for lunch that X-man really enjoys...

Egg Pie

Or to those more in the know, Quiche. But I figured that for a two year old, egg pie was a much more descriptive word (and would remind him of the pies that Pig makes in his favorite cartoon, Word World.)

It's essentially eggs, some cream, cheese, salt, pepper and whatever protein and veggies you have handy in a blam crescent roll crust.



So, the first time I made them, I had X-man stir the eggs (I used 4 eggs since I was making 4 egg pies), cream and cheese. He loves to stir, so this was great!



And I put the crescent roll triangles into a muffin pan along with some steamed "trees" that we had for dinner the night before.



I cut up some precooked bacon and put that in the little pies and then poured the egg/cheese mix over everything. So, of course, I found out that 4 eggs were way too many. I cooked them about 30 minutes and boy, were they tasty!

And they reheat really well, too. Today I made egg pies for lunch and instead of using one crescent triangle per muffin cup, I used some mini springform pans and put two triangles into each pan and just made two egg pies. And instead of cracking some eggs and probably having too much egg for the pies, I used egg beaters and just poured that straight into the pies. No waste! I used some precooked diced chicken and some frozen broccoli in there, too. I was going to use some precooked sausage, but X-man said that he didn't want sausage. X-man ate just over half of his pie...so I know he did get some veggies in him.

What is with this kid and veggies? He'll eat just about anything I give him if it's a taste while I'm preparing for dinner (so, if I'm cutting zucchini, he'll eat a little piece or two and he's even been known to eat frozen broccoli pieces). But when it's cooked an on the table, he doesn't want to touch it! I really don't want to give him a crudité plate at the kitchen island just to get him to eat his veggies!

Serious Munchies!

When X-man takes a nap and I don't have much to do during that time, I tend to get the munchies...which isn't necessarily good!

I've eaten a 3 Musketeers mint with dark chocolate...have you tried these? They're like a York Peppermint Patty only better! The Yorks are just too minty for me. I always feel like I've just brushed my teeth with some ultrastrength mint flavor. These 3Musketeers are delicious!

Then I had the last brownie...I made some last weekend when my parents were here.

Then I had a little bowl of bread and butter pickle slices.

And I've still got the munchies! Those giant olives are lookin' pretty good...

Taco Bueno Run

It's 9:45 on Saturday night and I just finished a B.O.B. (for those unfortunate ones that don't have a Bueno nearby, the Big 'ol Burrito is a "monster flour tortilla filled with your choice of beef or chicken, plus cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream"...it weighs in at a whopping 10.6 oz and packs in 772 calories...for comparison a regular bean burrito is 6.4 oz and 490 calories).

Yep, I have left the morning sickness behind me and have entered the "uncontrollably hungry" stage. Last night after we got in bed, I kept telling TC that I couldn't believe how hungry I was. He must have asked me 10 times if I wanted him to run to Bueno. Each time I said no. We were already in bed. It was 10:30. I certainly would survive until morning.

And I did.

But tonight, even after dinner (which admittedly was only waffles), by 9:00 I was starving! TC gave up valuable Harry Potter reading time (we got the book this afternoon) to make a trip up to Bueno. I really wanted a BOB but knew it was ginormous. I went ahead and had him order that for me knowing that I wouldn't have to eat the whole thing.

I ate every single last bit of it...including the pieces of cheese that fell out onto the wrapper.

It was delicious. Jelly Bean loved it.

Puddin'

Banana pudding, anyone?

I made this for a party last night. The jazz band and concert band at our church had a little summer party and my offering was my "famous" banana pudding. And this isn't pudding that comes out of a box! It's the real deal...sugar, flour and that most delicious sweet treat Sweetened Condensed Milk! Who invented sweetened condensed milk? I could just hug them!

Anyway, this banana pudding tastes most like what I remember my grandmother's banana pudding tasting like. It's a recipe out of the Southern Living Annual Recipes from 2000. I was telling my sister yesterday that I can't believe I've been making this stuff for 7 years!

On with the recipe!

Best-Ever Banana Pudding (appropriatly named if you ask me)

2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
dash of salt
1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk
2 1/2 cups milk
4 large eggs, separated
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (12-oz) package Nilla Wafers
6 large bananas

Now here's where the recipe and I differ. The recipe then calls for 1/3 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla that gets mixed into the egg whites to make a meringue topping that is baked in the oven. I skip the meringue in favor of a nice topping of Cool Whip!

Combine the first 3 ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Whisk together milks and egg yolks; stir into dry ingredients.
Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until smooth and thickened. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
Layer Nilla wafers, bananas and pudding then repeat.
After the pudding has cooled, top with a good slathering of Cool Whip.

I will warn you, the pudding is super-rich but very delicious. It took quite a bit of control not to eat what was left in the pan after taking the picture!

Quick Question

Does ketchup count as a vegetable or a fruit? It's got to be one or the other, right???

When is a waffle not a waffle?

When it turns into a tasty snack!

Last night we had waffles for dinner (I love breakfast for dinner...it's quick and usually involves syrup!). I generally make the waffles and keep them warm in the oven while I make the whole batch in my little waffle maker. My usual MO is to forget that I have these waffles in the oven and then I end up with crispy, dried-out waffles.

And as much as I tried not to forget last night, I did.

But do not dispair, I didn't let that waffley goodness go to waste.

They taste incredibly delicious with a slather of Nutella and a nice glass of milk!

Best Bake Sale Item!

The Children's Day Out Program that X-man is in is having their annual bake sale in two weeks. I saw the sign up sheet this morning as I took X-man in and they put another flyer in his diaper bag when I picked him up.

All kinds of delicious thoughts are going through my head. Then I realize I really want to package it nicely and neatly.

So now I've got it all backwards. I've got an idea for a little box to stamp and even how to decorate it for the bake sale. But now I need ideas for what to bake!

What delicious things do you bake for bake sales?

My fall back is going to be these chocolate chip wonders over on Anne's blog.

Are you hungry?

I don't even remember how I came across this blog, but if you like cupcakes or like looking at pretty pictures of cupcakes, check this out...

All Cupcakes, All the Time

Man, I wish I had some icing in the fridge...

Do you know what this is?

This, my friends, is my very last Creme Egg (wrapper)...from last Easter! Last year after Easter I was strolling through Hobby Lobby and they had their Easter candy on 50% off. I can't resist the chocolaty/creamy goodness of these things, so I picked up several (read that: 6) 4-packs. I've been almost hoarding them in the fridge; not wanting to eat one because that would mean one more gone! This weekend on a Target shopping trip, we walked by the Easter candy display and TC just reached over and picked up a 4-pack for me. What a dear!

The Cadbury Creme Egg is probably my most favorite chocolate candy ever. Sure I love dark chocolate (but the 85% dark was terrible...had to see how far I could take it!) and pretty much anything from Ethel M's, but I will turn into a little kid asking for a Creme Egg!

A few years ago for the anniversary of our first date (which was on February 24, 1995) TC got me a little gift of a coloring book, some crayons and a dozen of the little tiny creme eggs. It was so sweet! And the mini creme eggs were good, but you just didn't quite get the sugar rush as you do with the big ones!

But don't try to tempt me with any of the other flavors. It won't work. One year, I ended up with several 5-packs with the fifth egg being a caramel one. I like caramel, too, so I figured this would be delish. Not so. The caramel inside did not compare at all to the white and yellow creme in the original. But I couldn't throw them away. And when they were chopped up and mixed up inside a brownie mix, they were pretty tasty!

So, on this Fat Tuesday, indulge on something delicious and Laissez les Bonne Temps Roulez!

Saturday's Birthday Dinner

Roast Chicken, steamed broccoli, potatoes, salad and the all-important cupcakes! I made my own butter/powdered sugar icing. With the blue food coloring and yellow butter it turned out more teal than blue, but they tasted fabulous regardless of what color they were!

Truffle-ated

I was watching Ham on the Street last week and George showed frozen bananas coated with honey (or corn syrup) and then rolled in cereal and then frozen again.

It made me think about the chocolate-covered bananas my dad used to make. But then I could only remember one time that he actually made them. But they must have made a big impression!

I got some good chocolate (62% cacao) and melted that on the stove. I didn't have any shortening so I used a little butter.

After the chocolate was all melted I took my first frozen banana and started to cover it with the chocolate. It was working pretty well, but I wanted the chocolate a little thinner.

So I added a little cream.

That was not good. It turned the chocolate into a kind of truffle-like consistency. I didn't want to waste the chocolate and it still tasted good, so I ended up molding it with my hands around the bananas.

What should I have done? Should I have added more cream? Should I have added a bit more butter?

It's still chocolate...around a banana...still tasty!

Recipe Rut

I absolutely love staying home with X-man, but there is one thing that I do not enjoy...

Making the weekly menu. I want to make good meals but I don't want to spend hours cooking over the stove. I'd prefer things that go together quick and then bake or crockpot things or quick stove top stuff.

I get stuck with the same old same old...chicken and veggies, steak and veggies, beans and cornbread.

I've been getting a Kraft Foods magazine for several years and everytime one comes in the mail, I always get great ideas for meals (and then forget to go back and look at them when I'm stuck for ideas!).

This season's magazine has a great recipe for lasagna and I'm going to try it this week. And since there will be leftovers, that's two meals already planned!

It's a free magazine and if you're interested, you can go to www.kraftfoods.com/free and sign up for it. It is a big 'ole advertisement for Kraft Foods, but if you can get over that, you can get some great recipes!

And if you have any ideas for a great meal that won't have me locked up in the kitchen, please share!

He eats that stuff?

TC went with us to the grocery store today. Since we've been having a particularly hard time getting X-man to eat any of the baby food meat (but who could blame him?), TC asked if he might be able to eat the meat sticks that gerber makes.

They're little sausage-like pieces of pressed meat. Yum.

We went ahead and got a jar of chicken sticks and meat sticks. We skipped on the Turkey.

Can you believe that X-man just ate up those sticks? The first one we gave to him whole and he just squished the heck out of it. We cut up the rest of them and he really enjoyed feeding himself.

We went to Target and got a few more jars of the stuff.

I told TC later that I would have never thought to get that for X-man for several reasons:

1. Yuck! They just look gross.
2. I would be too afraid that X-man would choke on them while I was at home by myself.
3. There is no way in heck that X-man is old enough to eat that stage of food.

I'm glad that we've found some other food that he'll eat since he's been pretty unexcited about anything but fruit since his month-long ear infection.

But did it have to be this pressed meat stuff? Oh, well. Whatever works!

Peanut Butter Jelly Time!

To celebrate a new era in mamma-hood, I just enjoyed a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

It was delish!

Forgotten Cookie Recipe! {updated}

Forgotten Cookies

I just pulled these out of the oven and tasted one. Man are they yummy!

2 egg whites
pinch of salt
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 6-oz package chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat egg whites with salt until stiff but not dry. Add sugar one tablespoon at a time. Add vanilla. Fold in chocolate chips and pecans by hand. Drop by teaspoonsful onto cookie sheet lined with foil (or parchment paper). Cookies will not spread. Place in oven and turn off oven immediately. Do not open door for at least 8 hours. May be made the night before and removed from oven the next morning. Makes 22 large or 42 small cookies.

There is another recipe that's the same except for baking. The other recipe calls for 20 minutes in a 300 degree oven. I'm going to try that this morning for my second batch.

Unless pecans are snuggled in a pecan pie, I'm not a big fan of them in my food, so I left them out of this recipe. Also, TC's not into chocolate (gasp!) so I also left that out (but I have made them with the chocolate chips and they're even more sinful!). So these are just plain little puffs of clouds.

I probably make mine too big and that's why they're crusty on the outside and chewy on the inside. If I made them smaller, they'd probably completely dry out. Oh well. They taste good how ever...even straight out of the mixing bowl!

***Here's what happened with the second batch:

After baking at 300 for 20 minutes, they were still soft-feeling, so I turned the oven up to 350 and waited on the preheat light to go off. When it did, I turned off the oven and let the cookies sit until the oven cooled off. Those cookies were crispy all the way through. And wouldn't you know it, I like them this way and TC likes them chewy in the middle.

Forgotten Cookies

I promise I won't forget these cookies! They're meringue cookies and are fabulous. They're called "forgotten," I think, because you put them in a 350 degree oven and then turn off the oven and forget about them for 8 hours. They dry out and get all crispy yummy.

TC's boss is having a party tomorrow so this is what we're taking. I'm going to have to make another batch tomorrow morning because I don't think this will be enough. We'll see how the morning goes. And in my psycho* cookbook, the next page after this recipe has the same basic recipe but you actually bake them at 200 degrees for some time. That might be quicker than the 8 hour deal since I won't have over night for them to dry out.

*I have a cookbook that was put out by the psychiatrists' wives from where I grew up. My sister dubbed it the psycho cookbook.