Low and Slow (All Day Pork)

My coupon-er friend let me know about about pretty good pork roast sale. I don't typically care for pork, but my family does. I told her to pick me up about whatever she got herself. I ended up with about 13 lbs. She suggested that I cook it all at once, divide it up and freeze it for quick dinners. I rubbed it down with what I deemed the BEST RUB EVER! and cooked it at 200 degrees for about 11 hours. My hubby was concerned that was too long, but when I stuck my fork in, it literally fell right apart. I ate it two days in a row, and I would say that is pretty good for a non pork lover.

BEST RUB EVER!

1/2 Cup salt
1/2 Cup chili Powder
1/4 Cup garlic powder
1/4 Cup onion powder
1/4 Cup black pepper
1/4 Cup sugar
1 TBS dry mustard
2 bay leaves crushed

Mix it and rub it on any and everything! Store leftover in the freezer.

Skillet BBQ Pasta

1 T olive oil
2 chicken breasts cut into bite-size chunks
1 red onion, diced (I didn't have one on hand so I used a regular yellow onion)
3 cups water
2 1/2 cups chicken broth(I used one 14 oz can and used more water for the rest)
1/2 tsp salt
12-13 oz penne pasta
2/3 cup bbq sauce(recipe for homemade found here.)
1/3 cup sour cream(use nonfat or lowfat if desired)
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup sharp cheddar Cheese

In a large skillet or pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When hot add the chicken and cook until no longer pink. Add the onions and cook till tender. Remove the chicken and onions to a plate. In the same skillet add the water, brother, pasta, and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 12-15 minutes, until the liquid is almost absorbed, the pasta is tender and the mixture is thick and syrupy. Stir in the bbq sauce,and sour cream. Once mixed, add in the chicken onions, and shredded cheeses. Stir to combine and cook until everything is heated through.

Step One in Achieving Serenity

Frank Costanza -  "SERENITY NOW!"

Hubby and I went on a weekend trip last week for our anniversary. He surprised by picking the best hotel ever. It was a like a B&B but we had our own bathrooms (a must!). Just a handful of rooms that each had a different theme, free snacks and drinks (wine!) all day long. It was simple and quiet. Everything was clean and cool. I didn't want to leave. It really felt like you were in someone's guest bedroom and not a hotel room. It was wonderful to just hang out with Hubby in a peaceful place.

Then we come home. I pretty much instantly started feeling down. I couldn't really figure out why. I mean, yes, it is great to just have one on one time with the spouse, knowing the kids were safe with grandparents, but there was something else. I finally figured out that my house is not peaceful. When I come home, I see chaos. There are toys here, papers there, stuff everywhere. I just can't seem to keep on top of it. I need a system. I need a home for everything so it's not just sitting somewhere.

SO. That is my goal. I will go room by room and make it peaceful. My first room is our bedroom. I really think it makes me the most crazy. It tends to be the catchall room. My dresser is typically littered with school papers and stuff that no one knows where to put  it. "Hey, let's just put it on Mom's dresser, SHE will deal with it." Also clothes. Clean clothes, but not put away clothes. It's just simple things that don't get done that would make a big difference. So I am starting there today. SERENITY NOW!!!

Cajun Sausage Alfredo

Tonight I made something that I never thought I would make, and I got the recipe from an ad in a magazine, which I also never do. Not sure why, but I just don't. I came upon this recipe and thought it was something different and quick and I would get the stuff to have on hand for a night I don't really feel like cooking. Throughout the day, it just started sounding good, so I decided to give it a go. It was so good. It tasted almost identical to a dish I get at Jazz. Son number 1 loved it. The other two were just kind of eh about it, but Hubby and I both loved it. And the best part.... It is so easy and quick. Literally, the time it takes to boil noodles......


Cajun Sausage Alfredo

1 pkg. Smoked Sausage
8 oz. pasta, cooked, drained
2 c. heavy cream
2 t. Cajun seasoning (I used Weber. SO GOOD!)
1/2 c. grated Parmesan


~ Cook noodles 
~ Saute sausage for about 5 minuets
~ Add cream and Cajun seasoning and boil. 
~ Reduce heat, simmer 4 minuets.
~ Stir in Parmesan.
~ Add pasta and toss

You can also add veggies to this. I added peas (cause that is what was in the picture....). Yum!!!

The Little Things

Hubby has a band that he loves. I wouldn't say they are his favorite, but they are probably his second or so. I, on the other hand, don't so much care for them. They are Metal, they are loud,  and I am pretty sure they worship the Debil..(a cookie if you got the Waterboy reference). All that aside, I let him talk me into going to see them in concert. He has been so excited for the past week about tonight. This particular band has somewhat of a mascot. He is a ghoulish looking, zombieish something guy that is featured on all of their album covers. His name is Eddie. He is a creep O.

The opening band was on stage and I noticed that they were only using front half of it, and they other half was filled with big, bulky items covered by tarps. I realized they were props for the main band. I was looking and noticed one rounded tarp looked sort of familiar. I leaned over to Hubby and pointed at it and said "I bet you that's Eddie."  My husband looked at me like I had just handed him a thousand dollars. I said what?? He said, I can't believe you knew that. I thought you didn't care about these guys at all.... Well, I don't. But, he does. Just paying a little bit of attention, I seemed to give him a little gift today.  He was touched that I cared enough to remember that freaky looking guy's name. It didn't take much. I didn't have to listen to hours of crappy music that is so loud that I can't even understand  what the heck they are saying (wow, how old am I??). Just paying the slightest attention is all it took to make a happy hubby for today. :)

CHAOS

Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome. Do you have that? I do right about now. I learned this acronym from a home organization website. It hit the nail right on the head. Yes I live it CHAOS most of the time. You know when you are walking thru your house and you pray that no one shows up unexpected to see the crazy that is your house. There are toys here, clothes there, papers EVERYWHERE, and when WAS the last time you dusted??? Sigh. On top of living in CHAOS, I am also the queen of procrastination. Which brings me to today. The most dreaded of all days. The mecca of stressful days. The Colosus of Clout of horibleness...... People are coming over...... (du du duuuuuuu) Cue scary music and tornado like cleaning (praying no on opens THAT closet, or that drawer and PLEASE OH PLEASE, don't open that box!) 

Why do I do this to myself? I hate it. I yearn to be organized. I have tried several times to have a cleaning schedule and feel like I am constantly on the kids to pick up after themselves, but it never seems to be enough. Then I get frustrated and feel overwhelmed and then nothing gets accomplished. Sigh.  So like many other areas in my life, I am a work in progress. It takes time. It takes patience. I will get there. :)

Stand Up

 I am straying WAY away from my "food/craft blog" for this post. So bear with me and I will be back to regularly scheduled programing shortly.

Did you know, that when you are at a parade or some event in which a color guard walks past you, you are supposed to stand as our flag passes? I hope you do know, and if you don't, now you do and please teach it to your children.

My grandpa served in the Korean War.

 

That's him. Second from the left. Isn't he handsome. :) He never said much about it and honestly I was pretty old before I knew he was a military man. I do know that my grandma waited at home for him in a tiny un-airconditioned apartment with a baby and one on the way.

This past weekend we went to a city celebration. They had the usual, a parade, carnival, car show and all the nasty carnival food you can eat. I took my kids to the parade first thing in the morning. I prepared them as we waited. "OK, when you see the guys coming carrying the flags, you do what?" "Stand until they pass." :) Yep. And they did. What was disappointing was, there was only a handful of us standing. One being a very old man, in a wheel chair, who could barely lift himself up, but he sure did stand, took off his hat, and remained standing until the flag past. It made me tear up. All these able bodies just sitting there and it took everything he had, but he did it. Maybe they don't know they are supposed to? Maybe they do know, but they don't care. I'm not sure which is worse. Regardless of how you feel about our government, that man carrying that flag was a veteran. He went to war. He was in an unfamiliar place, missing his family, missing his friends, missing all the little things we do everyday that we take for granted. Please, stand up and show respect for him and all of the other men and women who fight so that we can watch a parade on a Saturday morning with our kids.