Hello. Remember me? Tired of the Boston Butt yet? I have been tired, very tired or as Tony’s ex-wife has on her MySpace page, tried because she is smart like that.

Things have been happening since I posted last. My job has completely changed and now I am busy. Too busy to write a blog post and after being on the computer all day, too tried tired (he married up) to access my laptop. After I get home I haven't got the will power to do anything else while keeping my butt planted on the couch in front of the TV. My lovely husband is making my home life too easy I guess. He has taken care of everything by the time I get home and I have been taking advantage of having a stay-at-home dad. Love it!

The best part about him becoming a SAHD is that my daughter is different. Not so different that I can pinpoint exactly what it is, but different enough that after I put her to bed I realize we haven’t argued the whole night. She has loved being able to come home right after school. Tony says that she won’t walk next to him when he picks her up but he can tell she totally digs not going to daycare anymore. And Tony has loved seeing all the mom cliques when he goes into the school to wait for Anna. Goes into the school!! Is that not awesome or what? Her own mother drops her off on the corner across from the school because I am too lazy to find a parking spot. Dude, I am so lucky it almost negates the powerlessness I feel when dealing with his ex-wife, almost.

My step kids will soon be coming home right after school too. Just as soon as his 30 day notice at the sitter's is up. What a cluster that turned out to be, which could have filled many blog posts, and probably will. They will all be home with their dad for the entire summer. You would think that would make the ex happy but uh, no you would be wrong. Hello, family court. Good times, good times.

One of the biggest changes in our family has been in my extended family, my family from California. We have had a Grapes of Wrath, in reverse, and now two of my cousins, 21 and 24 year old male cousins, are living with us. My uncle is staying with my mother 45 minutes away but in March, when my aunt leaves California, they will both be moving into our house. The boys each have their own rooms; one is in the guest bedroom downstairs, and the other in my sewing room-that never was sewn in-upstairs. I think my aunt and uncle will stay in our living room that we currently use as the kids playroom/Wii area/storage dump/just go put it in the living room, room. We are going to paint it this weekend and I will have to clean the carpet due to all the kids that have eaten in that room.

With all the changes we have not gone out to dinner once, lunch yes but dinner no. Since this was suppose to be a cooking blog I am going to list links to some of the recipes that were in constant rotation around this here boarding house. Personally, I have loved all the changes, all except the divorce saga drama, but that is another post all together. (If I had time, and wasn’t so angry right now, I could really tell a story but I have horrible grammar anyway much less if I was/were to write while pissed off)

The Best Stroganoff Evah

Tri-Tip in the Crockpot

Creamy Chicken and Noodles (kids and cousins LOVED)

The soup that brings 50 hits a day, Taco Soup

Sunday dinner with family has been the traditional Pot Roast with my mashed potatoes that are better than my grandma's or aunt's according to my cousins. Someday I will share my secret.

Simple, easy, no brainer, Crockpot Chicken Burritos

My cousin heard me say I was going to make this and he told Tony that he doesn't think he will like it and is afraid I will get mad but he doesn't like beans and he for sure hasn't ever had a lentil, Moroccan Lentil Soup. Oh, he will eat it because I have found out that if they are hungry enough they will eat anything and man, oh man can they put away some milk.

No school, no work, no driving about town but we still need to eat. These mini meatloaves are super easy and very good, even for people that are not particularly fond of meatloaf, me. They take only three ingredients: 2lbs ground beef, 1 bag/box chicken stuffing, and 1 egg.

Mix all three, count 'em three, ingredients together and spoon into a muffin tin.

Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Time varies due to your comfort with the 'doneness', is that even a word? of hamburger meat.

Freeze the leftovers as individual portions in sandwich bags put in a large freezer bag. Perfect kid meal and just the right portion. Plus each person can doctor their meatloaf as they wish with BBQ sauce, ketchup, or just plain. The chicken stuffing mixed with ground beef is so good even I can eat this without doctoring it up. Condiments are my reason for eating.

Every Thursday Sandra at Diary of a Stay Home Mom has recipes for Slow Cookers from other readers. She calls it Slow Cooking Thursdays and you can find some really good recipes. She also just got back from visiting her family in South Africa where she is from. She hadn't been back in over ten years! The pictures of her trip were great.

I made this Tuesday night and our kids loved it! Great flavor, tender meat, and super easy. No one in our family is a fan of mushrooms so this recipe does not include any vegetables commonly found in Beef Burgundy. Plus, I used inexpensive meat and had wine with dinner since I didn't want the bottle to go to waste.

Ingredients

• 2lb package of cute up stew meat
  
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup


• 1 package of Dry Onion Soup Mix (I used the Golden Onion mix)


• 1/2 cup of dry red wine (I used Columbia Crest Merlot because I have no idea what is "dry" and what is "non-dry" but my husband who actually reads our subscription to the Wine Spectator told me it would work)


• Cooked Egg Noodles
  

That's all!

Lightly grease your crock pot and then mix the cream of mushroom soup together with the red wine and place the meat on top. Sprinkle the entire packet of dry soup mix over all. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4.

*Tip*
When I came home from work I gave this a good stir. I thought it seemed a little thin. In a 2 cup measuring cup I added a 1/2 cup of cold water and 2 spoonfuls of cornstarch and mixed it together to get out all the lumps. I poured this into the crockpot and stirred. I let it cook for another 1/2 hour. I thought the consistency was perfect.

On Wednesdays Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer hosts Works For Me Wednesday and I find some of the best ideas, like cleaning my shower while I am taking a shower-duh, but somehow I had never thought to try that. This Wednesday the theme is a 5 ingredient or less meal and I thought I had the perfect one for that. My recipe for chicken burritos is only FOUR ingredients including the tortilla and then you can add all the toppings you want. The chicken is so good sometimes only a little cheese is added. (I originally wrote this post on February 12th)

The kids absolutely love these burritos! The reviews were fantastic tonight. The four year old ate TWO!! The nine year old said, "I love these. This is the best night". The seven year old was overheard saying to her sister, "The chicken was the best tonight, the juicest, moistest, yummiest that we have had".

If only I could get this praise for the meals I actually work on. I made the chicken when I went home for lunch in less than FIVE minutes. Let me show you how.

Take 2-4 frozen boneless skinless chicken breast, Rotel, and Taco Seasoning. That is it!! Easy peasey.

Pour a can of Rotel over the chicken and generously sprinkle taco seasoning over all. Normally I use McCormick or Pace Taco Seasoning but we went to Sam's this weekend and I got this. I noticed no difference.

***If using more than 3 chicken breast add a 1/4 cup of water to keep moist.

Set your Crock Pot on Low to cook for 5 hours. Yes, most slow cookers will say 4 hours is high so I set mine to 8 or 10 hours so I get a low setting. You could also start this in the morning just put it on the lowest and longest setting. Today I only used 2 breasts because I didn't want leftovers.

After coming home from a long day put the kids to work. Get the table set and get out the next ingredients: Refried Beans, Tortilla (burrito size for adults, taco size for kids), sour cream, shredded cheese, salsa, lettuce, and any other condiment your family likes or you have on hand.

Refried Beans can be optional but our family likes them and I tend to think it makes the burritos/tacos more filling. I added Taco seasoning to the beans as the seven year old was cooking them.


If you do not own a comal then wrap your tortillas in foil and put in the oven at 300 degrees for 10 minutes to warm them up. (My friend Carol would call me a guera if I put tortillas in the microwave)

Shred the chicken, there should be just enough liquid to make it perfect. Take the tortillas out, put all the condiments out and call them to the table!!


Did I mention he ate TWO??!!

Their burrito folding skills do not stand in the way of devouring these chicken burritos!

Yes, the nine year old was right, this was a pretty perfect night.

Last Friday night we were invited to have dinner at my dad's and I was a little stressed about it. (you can read about it here) But I shouldn't have been. It was a great night!

My dad's wife was so incredibly sweet and she made sure we had anything we could possibly want. Plus it doesn't hurt that she kept our wine glasses full.

That is what is so different about being around my dad now, openly drinking a glass of wine or a beer. I grew up in a family where drinking alcohol was not tolerated. At all. (I did, for sure, A LOT, but never ever in front of or in anyway where they would have known) I do not think my mother has ever, ever had a sip of alcohol. I know that is hard to believe but it is true. When she was young my grandfather drank a lot. I think he might have been an alcoholic but it is hardly ever discussed, and with my mother's view on drinking being so skewed-two drinks and you are inebriated- I am not sure. But she has never tolerated drinking and assured us that when Jesus turned the water into wine it was just grape juice. I always thought my dad felt the same way and I think he does not like to drink but he doesn't freak out if someone has a glass of wine before their meal, during, or after. His wife has no problem with it and neither do her new stepdaughters or their husbands.

Last Friday night was the first time my dad's wife saw my sister and I interact with each other. Things had been so tense during their courtship-so soon after the divorce, and it was especially crazy and tense when they were planning their wedding. Their wedding and the aftermath is what eventually led to none of us speaking to one person or the other. But my dad's wife always kept positive and she didn't get bogged down with all the crap. For that I am so thankful.

I am also glad we went Friday night. Dinner was great, the steaks were fabulous, better than my dad has ever made. She made this wonderfully light lemonade pie that was a perfect ending to our meal. My sister's little girl played with my stepson and my daughter was able to soak up as much attention as she could.

There were a couple of times I caught my dad watching all of us and smiling with a faraway look on his face. There were no arguments, no talk of politics, no debating religions, only this small portion of our family getting together to share a meal and spend time together. Time really is helping ease my parents 36 year marriage breakup. It is softening the edges that is for sure and it is showing me what kind of stepmom I should aspire to be when my stepkids are grown.

My younger sister is in the area visiting her friends and staying with my mom who lives only five blocks from my dad's house. The same house my parents remodeled, downsized, and moved to while preparing to build on their lake property. Before they divorced after 36 years of marriage.

My dad and sister are finally on cordial speaking terms since my parents divorce 3 years ago. Now my sister can no longer avoid visiting my dad in the house he shared with our mom. Something I tried to do for as long as possible but since I live only 45 minutes away I ran out of excuses.

My dad and his wife have invited her and her daughter for dinner. They have asked my family to join them. At their house. For dinner. At the antique table that always wobbled a bit until my dad fixed it after my mom moved out. The table that will be set with plates my mom bought to match the kitchen. Prepared on the same island counter that I sat around watching my mom as she cooked. Things sitting on the stainless steel countertops my mom loved but that I thought were a pain to keep clean yet now realize how great they would be in my own home.

Even though it is not something I look forward to, going to the house my parents lived in together, I actually like the place better now. Without my mom my dad has less "stuff" and it looks more like a model home you can tour in a new suburban development. My dad's wife has a great sense of style different from my mother's but nice and comfortable all the same. She has made it feel open and airy.

It is just very hard to spend time in that house. It is the place where the arguments ended in apathy more than a true compromise. Where my dad spent his time in his office and my mother in the kitchen or sun room. Away from each other. It is where I spent my pregnancy crying over my divorce and the place I was sleeping the night I went into labor.

Watching my step mom cook using the pans and utensils my mother left for my dad is hard. Actually gut wrenching since it makes me physically clench my stomach and will the hard knot in my throat to go away so I won't cry. Much like watching Little House on the Prairie when I was younger.

Everyone means well. No one is intentionally trying to wound anyone. We are all just dealing with the reality like it is all normal and has always been this way. My dad is proud of what the place looks like and what they have done to it. They spend most of their time in San Antonio at his wife's house but for business reasons my dad has to come back to Oklahoma during the mid week. This is the first time in his life he has had to clean up after himself and he has done a great job. I think he is lonely too. I think he misses having us in the house. But it is hard. Very hard.

The eggshells we walked on while my parents were married have, for the most part, been swept away. There is no longer this undercurrent of tension and anger charging the house. That is nice.

But the memories are still there, and to be polite and kind to my dad's wife, my sister and our families will be having dinner tonight at my dad's. Steak. Divorce sucks. As a kid and as an adult. I think, like everything, time is the only thing that can help. Or a restaurant.......

Look what I got this weekend, machinery. I am taking my bread making to the next level. Homemade Pasta Noodles. Obviously, it was just the next step in my evolution of Hannah Homemaker. My husband is Italian and if this wasn't the internet I could tell you our last name and you would immediately know we are from the Boot country. Modena to be exact, where Balsamic Vinegar is made.

Because I wanted to put off cleaning our shower in the master bedroom I decided attempt homemade pasta noodles Saturday afternoon. Two weekends ago I had purchased a new Crockpot. It allowed you to brown your meat on the stove in the same bowl that you used for the Crockpot. If you needed to brown the top of something you could also put the pot in the oven. The pot was pretty enough to take straight to the table. How awesome I thought, and it was on sale at Tar Jay. But two weeks later it was still just sitting there waiting to be used. The Crockpot I use now is just fine. In fact, I really like it. It has temperature settings and a range of times to cook and a warm setting. Oh sure there is Crockpot envy, I have broken the handle on the lid and had to replace it with one of the knobs we took off our kitchen cabinets during the makeover. But it still worked just fine even though it will circular brand on your palm if you do not use a oven mitt to lift the lid.

But I wanted to be Italian. It was no longer good enough for me to just be married to one. I needed to become one. Enter, Allrecipes.com and boredom at work. I found this recipe that had great comments and looked simple. I doubled it and added 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

After I made the dough I was ready for my new machinery. But TD had to help me because I could not hold the contraption and insert the dough at the same time. While he was trying to convince me that it had to be clamped down and that he could not hold it in place and help me pull the dough he told me stories of his mother making her own pasta noodles and how she used to do it. I have no idea how someone can operate this simple machine by themselves but somehow she did. I wish she was still alive because I would really like to hear her advice and how she did things. We ended up clamping it down to our kitchen table. I didn't want to (because of the flour mess on the floor that I had just mopped) but TD insisted. He was right, hear that? R-I-G-H-T.


I put a pastry cloth down and lightly floured it. It was so cool to watch this pasta form and get all skinny. (Wish I could run my thigh through one of these) We decide to be all Alton Brown so once we had it as thin as we wanted, we rolled the pasta from the longest end up and then cut through about 1/4-1/2 inch apart. Can I just tell you? this was amazing. I just kept thinking, how in the world did I get here? When did I become this person? No way would I have ever in a million years thought I would have ever made my own pasta. I was going to party like it was 1999 until 2020.

How would I have ever thought that the drying rack from my college dorm room was going to dry pasta noodles one day? Kids, ya gotta love 'em.

The noodles were the last stop on the Crazy Train of homemade. The sauce was store bought Garlic and Olive Oil. We grilled some balsamic marinated chicken breasts to top it off. So incredibly good. The noodles cooked so fast and tasted completely different than store bought ones (even the Amish I sometimes buy).

Mama Mia! Store bought pasta noodles? Forgettaboutit.

These pork chops were so good! Super simple and quick this smelled so good while it was baking. I served it with a side of spaghetti noodles. This would make an excellent meal to serve for a family get together.

All three of the kids loved it. They didn't even notice there were chunks of tomatoes sabotaging the kid friendly dish. My step kids are not the most adventurous eaters but they are getting better and this was a winner!

I need a name for it though, something that conveys the Italian breadcrumbs, the Parmesan cheese, the tomato pasta sauce, how moist and tender this was and easy! Too many adjectives and not enough time or creativity.

The ingredients:

• Bone in pork chops 1 1/2 inches thick, do not trim
• Italian dressing
• Italian style bread crumbs
• Dry Ranch dressing
• 1/2 a jar of Pasta sauce (I love Paul Newman's Stockarooni)
• 1 can diced tomatoes
  
• grated Parmesan cheese
• Cooked Spaghetti noodles
  

Heat the Italian dressing in a skillet and brown the chops. This took no time at all and I salt and peppered as I was browning.

With a fork mix breadcrumbs and dry Ranch dressing mix in a pie pan. When each chop is finished browning coat each side in the bread crumbs.


Pour the 1/2 jar of pasta sauce and the entire can of diced tomatoes, undrained. If you do not want to risk the tomato hatred reaction then skip this and add more pasta sauce and 1/4 cup of water.

Cover with tin foil and place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.

After 45 minutes turn the oven up to 400, take the tin foil off and generously sprinkle Parmesan cheese over all. Cook uncovered for 15 more minutes.

Make the spaghetti noodles during this time. Spoon some of the sauce over all when plating. Yum!

Bread and salad would make this dish perfect. So simple and so delicious. What shall we name it?

I think I was able to do it, I took an authentic curry recipe from India and adjusted just a few things to be a successful crock pot dish. The recipe comes from a local Indian resturant, Indian Palace. They published their recipe about year or two ago and I saved it and I made just a few adjustments. I served this with Basmati Rice and homemade Naan. We loved it and the flavors were even more pronounced after marinating in the crock pot for a few hours. When we came home from church the wonderful smell coming from the Crock Pot was a really cool thing to come home to.

I had reserved six balls of dough from my first attempt at Naan and I was able to take the dough straight from the fridge and roll out without a second rise. Perfect. You can find the Naan recipe here. I did not add garlic and I lightly sprayed each side with buttery cooking spray instead of melted butter. Turned out perfect once I realized I needed to roll out the dough very thin.

For the Chicken Curry:
3 Black Cardamon seeds
4 Green Cardamon seeds
4 whole cloves
2 large pinches of Cumin seed
2-3 large pinches of Coriander seeds
1 tbls of Chili powder

**Grind the above ingredients in a coffee grinder and set aside. You will also need Turmeric Powder and Garam Masala after dish has cooked and before serving.

4 cloves of garlic, chopped
4-5 slices of raw ginger, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 green chiles, chopped
2-3 tbls of Canola Oil

** Heat the oil in a saute pan and add the above raw ingredients and half the ground seed mixture. Saute until onions are translucent. Pour into bottom of Crock Pot and leave saute pan on the stove, do not rinse.

1 can of diced tomatoes
4 boneless skinless Chicken Breasts
Garlic Salt and Chili Powder
***lightly brown, until white, the chicken breasts in the saute pan, add more oil if needed. Once browned place chicken in Crock pot. Pour entire can of tomatoes into saute pan, scraping the bottom to get all the pieces, heat through until warm. Pour tomatoes into crock pot on top of chicken. Sprinkle with Garlic Salt and Chili powder.

Cook on high 4 hours or low for six. 15-30 minutes before serving add 1.5 tbls of ground Turmeric and stir then sprinkle with Garam Masala. The turmeric will give the curry a nice yellow coloring that is common in traditional Indian dishes. Add some cilantro for garnish. The chicken just falls apart. Next time I am not going to cut/shred the chicken just let it fall apart on the plate (it will look more appealing I think).

YUM!!! We loved this and I doubled my recipe so we would have leftovers for lunch. Anna wanted more and talked about how good it was today when I took her to school.

This is a family favorite. Some of us could eat this soup every single day. The chicken stays moist and the flavors blend together nicely, making leftovers almost better than the first serving. It can be made spicy and hot or it can be toned down to satisfy even a delicate palate. (I actually used palate, I think that is the first time I have written that word outside of a spelling test)

I should just call this Multiple Can soup due to the simplicity of this recipe, just open cans and dump. It really is that simple.

I use the following ingredients:

• 3-4 frozen, boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 cans Cheddar Cheese soup
• 1 can Mexican Corn
• 1 can white beans
• 1 can spicy beans, I used Ranch Style with jalepano peppers
• 1 can Rotel, I used the Lime and Cilantro flavored and we loved it!
• 1/2 can Chicken broth
• Generous dashes of Taco Season, if using a packet the whole packet
• Several dashes of Cumin
• Several dashes of Garlic Salt
  

Dump all the canned ingredients into the Crock Pot. Stir and add the Taco Seasoning and Cumin. Before I put the white beans into the mix I rinse them over and over.

See all those bubbles? Yea, if you don't want those bubbles inside your intestinal tract, I found that it really helps to rinse canned beans. Otherwise, enjoy this soup on a night when you are alone or wanting to be alone.

Lay the chiken breasts on top of the soup mixture. Generously sprinkle the Garlic Salt and again sprinkle the Taco Seasoning.

Cook on high 4-6 hours or low for 8. After cooking take the chicken out and cut up into small bite size pieces or shred. Put chicken back into the crock pot and mix with the soup.

Serve with Fritos and cheddar cheese. I love to add a spoonful of sour cream too. TD sometimes adds more salsa but the Lime and Cilantro Rotel was perfect.

These pork chops are moist and delicious after braising in the crock pot all day. They have a slight Asian flare that kids will love. Serve with brown rice and a green salad and you will have a dinner that will tast like it took a couple of hours to prepare.

The ingredients:

• 4 thick bone-in pork chops
• 1 can Pineapple chunks in juice
• Soy sauce
• Thai sweet chili sauce
• Garlic powder
• Ground ginger
• Salt and Pepper
• Lemon juice
• Onion
• A bell pepper (red, yellow, or orange are sweeter than green but green will work)
• French or Catalina Dressing (not pictured)

Coarsely chop the pepper and onion. Put them in the bottom of the Crock Pot. Season the Pork Chops with fresh cracked peper and garlic salt. I do not trim the fat off the pork chops in order to keep the moisture and liquify the fat while cooking.

Brown the pork chops on both sides in a little bit of oil. I used bacon grease.......of course. After they are nice and seared place the pork chops on top of the peppers and onions.

In a separate bowl mix the juice from the pineapples (keep the chunks), 2 tablespoons of Lemon Juice, 4 tablespoons of soy sauce, 4 tablespoons of Thai Sweet Chili Sauce, several dashes of ginger, several dashes of garlic powder, and salt to your taste. Whisk this all together and pour over the pork chops.

Place the pineapple chunks on top of the meat and drizzle Catalina/French dressing over all. (this is the secret ingredient for the sweet moist taste) Depending on your timing for when you want to eat, set the Crock Pot on Low for 8-10 hours--the meat will be fall apart tender or High for 4-6 hours--meat will still be tender and moist but stays on the bone. Cook brown rice in chicken stock and prepare a salad.

Be sure to reserve the juice with the onion and pepper mixture and place over the top to serve. So good!!

I love making a roast for Sunday dinners. They remind me of home and make me feel all Hannah-Homemakerish. Sometimes it is pork loin and sometimes I choose beef, but my family likes them both. We just refer to it as "Meat" since all three kids are miniature carnivores.

My dad and his wife took us to a very nice restaraunt here in T-town, Mahogany's, for our pre-Christmas dinner. TD and I had already reviewed the menu and we knew the kids could almost eat an entire steak on their own. So when we ordered the 12oz filet for the three of them to split. My dad was not sure we had ordered correctly, "Don't you think that is too much for them?" he asked. We told him no, while thinking to ourselves they will still ask for more from the rest of us.

They did not disappoint---well unless you think we should be raising vegetarians---then yes, it would be disappointing because they ate. it. all. And just like we thought, wanted more. OH! the parmesean corn! Total hit! The kids even asked the waitress for the recipe.

Sooooo, back to the roast, it is simple, fall apart tender, and smells so good while cooking you might be prone to eating your arm-----but that is cannabalism not to be confused with carnivores.

This particular Pot Roast recipe (I have several different variations that I make up) calls for the following ingredients:

• 3-4lbs Bottom Round Roast
• Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
• Steakhouse seasoning (I LOVE this stuff, and the garlic pepper grinder--WOW!)
• Minced Garlic (you can mince fresh but who has time on Sunday morning?)
• Packet of Dry Italian Seasoning mix
• 2 tbls Seasoned Rice Vinegar
• 1 heaping tbls of beef base (if you have a can of beef broth use it instead, I didn't)
• one small onion cut into quarters or thick rings
• Last but not least BACON GREASE!!!
  

In a bowl, that will fit your roast, mix together equal parts, enough to coat, kosher salt, cracked pepper, and the steakhouse seasoning--I bet any type of steak rub would be great too. Coat all sides, even the ends.

Since I am sure everyone feeds their family a fabulous breakfast of bacon and eggs each morning then use the bacon grease from breakfast.

Oh I am soooo kidding!! I told the 4 year old to get some peanut butter crackers out of the snack drawer when he asked for breakfst Saturday morning. But I am pathetic and wanted another cup of coffee while I watched Landscapers Challenge so I couldn't possibly make him anything.

TD had cooked an entire package of bacon for me the night before so I used the bacon grease from that. If you do not have bacon grease you can use vegetable oil. Get the oil pretty hot, I would like to say real hot but what if someone burns themselves am I liable???

With tongs carefully put the seasoned roast into the pan and sear on all sides, keep track of which is the fatty side. This normally take 2-3 minutes on each side depending how hot your oil is. When it is seared on each side, turn down the heat a bit and add the onions to sweat, about 3-5 minutes.

Take the meat and make 'X' cuts in various places on the meat. I like to add quite a bit of garlic if your family doesn't care for it then do 2 cuts on each side.

If using store bought garlic scoop about 2-3 tablespoons into a small bowl. This is to avoid contamination. Using your finger and a spoon stuff the minced garlic into the 'X' cuts. Push the garlic down into the meat as far as you can.

In the Crock Pot pour in 1 1/2 cups of water (or can of beef broth) add the beef base and stir, this will break apart more as it cooks. Add the rice vinegar and stir.

Place the seared roast, fat side up, into your Crock Pot. Pour a packet of Dry Italian Seasoning mix over all and in the water/broth. This will make the gravy even more delicious. Place the onions on top of the roast. If some slide off no bigee, still wonderful in the gravy.

Turn your Crock Pot to Low for 8-10 hours. This can be made to be ready for after church. Change the setting to High for 4-6 hours.

Remove and slice. Pour some of the au jus on top and take some out to use for gravy. Thick brown gravy can be made from the au jus, but who has the time???

This was scrumptious and so worth the time in the Crock Pot. The wonderful smells, the anticipation, the company for dinner...............

the mountain of dishes. Now I know why my mother looked forward to going out to eat for Sunday dinner.

Pot Roast recipe to come. And just to wet your appetite, it includes BACON.

This is a quick and fabulous dinner. Add a green salad and the meal is complete. You will need 50 minutes (5 for prep, 45 for cooking) and the following ingredients:

• 4 Chicken breasts. I cut mine in half because the kids can't eat a whole breast and it makes for faster cooking time.
• Stuffing mix for chicken
• 1/2 -1 cup Shredded Parmesean cheese
• Basil, Garlic, and Oregano diced tomatoes
• Garlic salt and pepper
• Italian dressing
• Shredded Mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash and prepare your chicken breasts that is best for your family. Lay the pieces of chicken in one layer in a baking dish. Season with garlic salt and cracked black pepper. Drizzle Italian dressing over all.

In a separate bowl dump the entire contents of the stuffing mix. Add the entire can, with the juice, of diced tomatoes. Add the amount of parmesean cheese you would like. Stir until stuffing is coated and moist.

Spoon the stuffing mixture on top of the chicken. Spread evenly. Drizzle a little more Italian dressing, just to give a little more moisture. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 40-45 minutes. Let stand for another five and serve. YUM!!!!

**I would have included a picture of the dish, fully cooked; but we were all too hungry after smelling this for the last 30 minutes.

The kids absolutely love these burritos! The reviews were fantastic tonight. The four year old ate TWO!! The nine year old said, "I love these. This is the best night". The seven year old was overheard saying to her sister, "The chicken was the best tonight, the juicest, moistest, yummiest that we have had".

If only I could get this praise for the meals I actually work on. I made the chicken when I went home for lunch in less than FIVE minutes. Let me show you how.

Take 2-4 frozen, boneless, skinless, chicken breast, Rotel, and Taco Seasoning. That is it!! Easy peasey.

Pour a can of Rotel over the chicken and generously sprinkle taco seasoning over all. Normally I use McCormick or Pace Taco Seasoning but we went to Sam's this weekend and I got this. I noticed no difference.

***If using more than 3 chicken breast add a half cup of water to keep moist.

Set your Crock Pot on Low to cook for 5 hours. Yes, most slow cookers will say 4 hours is high so I set mine to 8 or 10 hours so I get a low setting. You could also start this in the mroning just put it on the lowest and longest setting. Today I only used 2 breasts because I didn't want leftovers.

After coming home put the kids to work. Get the table set and get out the next ingredients: Refried Beans, Tortilla (burrito size for adults, taco size for kids), sour cream, shredded cheese, salsa, lettuce, and any other condiment your family likes or you have on hand.

Refried Beans can be optional but our family likes them and I tend to think it makes the burritos/tacos more filling. I added Taco seasoning to the beans as the seven year old was cooking them.


If you do not own a comal then wrap your tortillas in foil and put in the oven at 300 degrees for 10 minutes to warm them up. (My friend Carol would call me a guera if I put tortillas in the microwave)


Shred the chicken, there should be just enough liquid to make it perfect. Take the tortillas out, put all the condiments out and call them to the table!!


Did I mention he ate TWO??!!

Their burrito folding skills do not stand in the way of devouring these chicken burritos!

Yes, the nine year old was right, this was a pretty perfect night.