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Monday, March 12, 2012

Menu Monday

This week is getting off to a great start. The sun is shining, shopping is done, windows are open, dinner is prepped in the fridge and off to the park we go for some FUN in the SUN!!! 

I always seem to get more things done when the weather is good outside. Something about sitting in a nice clean house with the windows open and drinking a glass of ice tea just makes me happy :)

 Menu Monday 

 Monday-Bacon wrapped chicken, potato salad, corn and salad

Tuesday- French dips and waffle fries

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
approx 3 1/2 lbs beef chuck roast
16-oz. beef broth (1 1/2 cans)
1 10.5-oz. can condensed French onion soup
6-oz red wine
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste
4-6 French rolls
sliced provolone cheese, optional
Trim excess fat off of beef roast and season meat all over with salt and pepper.
Pour beef broth, condensed French onion soup, red wine and garlic powder into slow cooker and place beef roast into liquid.
Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Slow cookers have different time intervals that you can select, so work with your cooker. Depending on how the settings on your slow cooker work, the time will vary. Since this is cooking in liquid, you don’t have to worry about the meat drying out in the same way you might if you were roasting the meat in the oven. Mine took 7 1/2 hours and was falling apart tender.
Take beef out and rest it, covered with aluminum foil, for about 15 minutes. Slice beef and return to slow cooker on low or very low for 30 minutes.
Lightly toast the bread and evenly distribute cheese between rolls, if using. Divide beef onto rolls and spoon the beef juice* into ramekins or other small bowls and eat everything while it is hot. Serve each sandwich with its own dip.
Wednesday- Leftovers for the hubs,kidgit night for myself and Isabella

Thursday- Sour cream noodle bake, broccoli and garlic toast

  • 1.25lb ground chuck
  • 15oz tomato sauce
  • 1/2 t. salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 8oz egg noodles
  • 1/2 c. sour cream
  • 1 1/4 c. small curd cottage cheese
  • 1/2 c. sliced green onions (less to taste)
  • 1 c. grated sharp cheddar
{1} Brown meat in large skillet. Drain and add tomato sauce, 1/2 t. salt and plenty ground pepper. Stir and simmer while preparing other ingredients.
{2} Cook egg noodles to al dente. Drain and set aside.
{3}  Combine sour cream, cottage cheese, and plenty fresh ground pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in noodles and green onion. (I totally forgot the green onions at the store, so I just added some chopped yellow onion to my meat while cooking. I'll try it with the green next time though.)
{4} To assemble - spread half of noodles in to a baking dish. Top with half of meat mixture, then half of cheese. Repeat each layer once, ending with a final layer of cheese. (So  - noodles, meat, cheese, noodles, meat, cheese.)
{5} Bake for 20 minutes at 350, or until cheese is melted.

Friday-Dinner at G's, I am making dessert

Saturday- Leftovers

Sunday-Braizilian chicken stroganoff

 Have a great week!!!

Menu Plan Monday!!

Well good morning everyone! Hope you all had a great weekend.  I spent mine cleaning, spending time with Kateena, a new show- Grey's Anatomy- late to the party on that one I know!- and a lovely day out with the hubs and manlet.  I made the DIY febreeze that is featured on http://fakeitfrugal.blogspot.com/ which is FABULOUS!!! (both the spray and the site!).  I finished off the weekend making my meal plan and shopping list whilst watching all my Sunday shows, Once upon a time, Jerseylicious, Big Rich Texas, and the new GCB- which is awesome.  So here is the meal plan for me- and remember if you don't see anything you like hop over to Menu Plan Monday at www.orgjunkie.com .


Monday: Crock pot ranch chops, smashed potatoes, spinach


Tuesday: Chicken Pot Pie


Wednesday :  Kidgits night!


Thursday: Raviolis


Friday: Friends house Friday ( my week) Bliss@home night.  (Bliss is a favorite eatery of Kateena and I and the kids, I am going to recreate it)


Saturday:  Happy St. Patrick's Day!!  After we get home from the parade with the kids, I am making... you guessed it... Corned beef and cabbage, with potatoes and carrots.  Nutty Irishman cupcakes for dessert courtesy of Cupcake Charlie himself!


So that is the plan for the meals this week.  Definitely check out the fake it frugal site, she had TONS of great ideas! 


Have a great week, talk to you later!!

Thursday, March 8, 2012

KONY 2012

In NO way am I trying to spark a debate. I simply  think this needs to be shared.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Super Tuesday, super confusing???

I promise this is not a political post- least not in which the good and ills of candidates are discussed.  In fact, I promise no candidates, parties, referendums, or partisan arguments will be made here.  I am me, and I support this message.  Ok.... today here in Massachusetts it is SUPER TUESDAY!


For the first time in my voting career, I honestly am confused as to who I want to vote for.  On one hand is the guy-because they are all guys this year- who I was really behind for some time and I think has the chops to run this country and do it well.  On the other hand is a guy who I see looks very sincere and concerned about this country.  I don't know much about his background, but something in me whispers " this guy?  This is good guy, he wants the best for us" but I wear my heart on my sleeve and it very well could be that clever campaigning was designed to speak to that part of me.

WHAT am I to do?  Ugghhh I have to go vote in less than an hour.  If I wait till I am in the booth am I just letting panic take my vote?  Or is it instinct then and should I go with it?

I am going to vote- for who, will not be revealed, because I know people with their own political views feel they need to defend them fiercely-  I know this because I am one of them.   lol


So if you are in a participating Super Tuesday state, go vote!  Voting is our most precious right.  People die for that right, both here and abroad.  Please send me good thoughts, I still have no idea what I am going to do, well except for vote.

Monday, March 5, 2012

TGIM!!!

Seriously, I find the weekends exhausting!  I am getting ridiculously attached to routine in my old age.  Not for nothing, I do love the craziness that Saturday adventures with Kateena bring, because having to pull over on the side of the road because you are now laughing so hard you can't see where you are driving is good times! Come Monday though, I am grateful for the return of the boring predictability.  


This week will be a bit busy as I am prepping to host my first Lia Sophia Party.  Actually it's the first kind of these parties I have ever done.  I hope everyone has a good time.  BTW if you are into Lia Sophia jewelry, feel free to hop onto this site  www.liasophia.com/xtina and purchase to your hearts content. ( shameless plug I know, but hey I had to try.)


Question!  I am hosting a bachelorette party in a few months.  The bride to be wants nothing really wild, so I am going with a sort of cocktail sort of party thing, drinking, dancing etc. etc.  I have never thrown a bachelorette party before, are favors given out at something like this?  


Now, with out any further adieu..... MENU PLAN for the week!!!






Monday: Parmesan crusted Tilapia


Tuesday: Cowboy casserole - link here ( my pinterest project for the week- thanks to The Cutting Edge of Ordinary!!)


Wednesday: Paula Deen's Chicken pot pie


Thursday:  Honey Baked Chicken Legs ( thanks to Hot Eats and Cool Reads for the recipe here )


Friday: Friends house Friday at Kateena's  I have to make dessert, I am thinking Pineapple cupcakes??


Saturday:  Maybe grilled something?  It's supposed to be nice out?


So that's menu Monday for me.  Hope you all had a great weekend,  don't be shy about checking out the Lia Sophia link and letting me know what you think about the bachelorette party question! And like always if you don't like my menu, check out our friends at Org Junkie http://orgjunkie.com/category/menu-plan-monday .





Saturday, March 3, 2012

Friend's house friday

Last Friday night indeed.  Kateena came over and I made ravioli and home made sauce with garlic bread.  The kids ate it really well, which surprised me, I thought the homemade sauce would be too strong for them.  Ice cream sodas for dessert, yum!

We ordered the Leo Dicaprio movie J Edgar and found it very tough to watch.  We both had the same feeling that we were watching a show that kept switching channels intermittently.  We eventually gave up and started watching the showtime show Shameless.  Really good- little shocking as some of it was quite racy- but the story line and acting was great.   

We painted our nail with the new China Glaze polishes were picked up on Friday and Kateena did my hair.....

Kateena did my hair..... DID IT IN is more like it.  I sat there trustingly whilst listening to the sprays of aerosol and Teena mumbling something about high hair and God.  GOD?!  Hold up, I just agreed to let you give me a new style.  I took a look in the mirror- the first time...... I had been Snookied.  You  know, Jersey Shore big haired bimbo?  Yea, not good.



Literally, my head looked like this.  Amidst her giggling I sat down again so she could fix it.  I kept awaiting to see my old high school 80's hair re emerge, instead next I heard " hmmm bozo the clown?"  WHAT!?!?!  OH HELLL'S NO!  At that point she started taming it down giving me a respectable small poof in the front. I have awoken this morning to empty ice cream soda glasses around the living room, torn up bits of paper towels soiled with nail polish and hair, well, I just wish I had gotten to enjoy the party that my hair apparently   did.  Holy mother of pearl,  it is a HOT MESS!

LOL, Kateena said that it will be a breeze to style today.  Good grief.  lol

Have a great day! Be kind to you hair!!!

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Missing Person. Have you seen this guy?

Hi everyone.  I am posting this because I hope someone who reads this may be in the area and have seen this man.  He is a very talented and well loved poet, whose family and friends want him home desperately.  Please take a look and be on the look for him.  His vehicle is sporting Rhode Island plates, hopefully this is something that will stick out deep in the heart of Texas.



Thank you guys.  If you click on the pic above a larger version of the insert can be seen more clearly.