Feedback :-)

Well... it appears that despite my inconsistent posting, people are at least looking at my recipes and reading my ramblings!  However, I'd really appreciate some feedback.  So please feel free to comment.   Besides I really need some encouragement to continue posting!  I would love to hear from you.

Giving Away Secrets...

While there aren’t many recipes I’m reluctant to share, there is one that I’ve been holding back and wowing crowds with for the past few years.  Recently we had a big cookout for family and friends.  Everyone had a great time and LOVED the potato salad.  My potato salad has been my “go to” recipe for any potluck, cookout or need to please.  So with great hesitancy and pride I am posting my recipe.  Rachel and Dina… this is for you!

Half Hog Potato Salad

(A close replica to the Whole Hog potato salad served in Conway, AR)

Ingredients…

• 3.5 lbs of red potatoes
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbl sugar
• 1 package of dry ranch dressing mix
• ½ cup of chopped green onions
• 1 package of bacon cooked and crumbled
• 2 cups of sour cream
• 2 cups of mayo
• Splash of vinegar

To Make…

1. 1.   Bake your potatoes.  I do mine in the microwave because it takes less time.  Remember you don’t want your potatoes to be super mushy, need to retain some firmness to them.
2. 2.   Let the potatoes cool and cube them up.
3. 3.   Mix in spices one at a time.
4. 4.   Mix in bacon and onion.
5. 5.   Mix in sour cream and mayo. 
6. 6.   Cover and refrigerate.  The longer you can keep in the fridge the better!!

Ok so there is my secret famous potato salad.  It really is easy and by no means do you have to follow the recipe exact.  If you aren’t a big bacon fan, YEAH RIGHT, you can cut back.  Don’t like onions, leave them out, etc…

I hope you all enjoy it; I’m off to find another secret recipe that you all will be asking me for next year.

Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili

Crock pot cooking is amazing. It gives me the free time to accomplish tasks like laundry, cleaning, reading and napping, while still having a yummy dinner. I've made this chili before and it's a nice variation to all those other chili recipes. I like to add a little sour cream, cheese and fresh cilantro to my bowel. A slice of avocado would be nice too. Also included with this recipe are the Weight Watchers points. Enjoy!

Servings: 10 • Size: 1 1/4 cups • Old Points: 3 pts • Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 203.7 • Fat: 1.4 g • Carb: 33.3 g • Fiber: 10.0 g • Protein: 16.9 g

Ingredients:
1 onion, chopped
1 16-oz can black beans
1 16-oz can kidney beans
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
10 oz package frozen corn kernels
2 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes w/chilies
1 packet taco seasoning
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
24 oz (3-4) boneless skinless chicken breasts
chili peppers, chopped (optional)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:
Combine beans, onion, chili peppers, corn, tomato sauce, cumin, chili powder and taco seasoning in a slow cooker. Place chicken on top and cover. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours (I cooked mine for 5 hrs and it was perfect). Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in.

A Freezer Full...

I have this dream of being able to serve hot, home cooked meals to my family every night. No dinner from a box or fast food in this house. I dream of fresh veggies, unprocessed meat and healthy servings. Now the fact of the matter is, I don't feel as if I'm dreaming "too big". I've been doing some research lately on freezing and crock pot recipes. My search led me to a post on Pinterest that led me to yet another great blog.

I'd like all of you to meet Jaima... she's someone I think I could be great friends with. Her blog is wonderful and full of lots of goodies, including her journey of freezing and crock pot recipes. It's thanks to her that tonight my family enjoyed and her recipe for "Teriyaki Chicken".

Today was the perfect day for it. I was home from work with Austin because he has strep and this gave me a great meal at the end of the day with very little effort. It also got me thinking that it would be wonderful to have a freezer full of healthy, home cooked meals for days when life is just too crazy. Jaima had lots of great ideas and I'm using some of hers and mixing with other resources to come up with things that I know will be "Fat Man Approved." I think we're going to need a bigger freezer.

So I challenge you... all of you, especially those that say life is just too busy to cook, to take the time to plan. Do it for your family...

FYI... tonight's dinner is both Fat Man and Kid approved. :-)

Mrs. Clean...

Ok ladies and gentlemen I am by no means a nature freak, but there is something about using a cleaning product in your house that you know is safe. A product that you make yourself and can use daily. For the past few weeks I've been using my own homemade cleaner in the bathroom and kitchen and I love it. I love it so much I have to share. Now for those of you on Pinterest, I'm sure you've seen it, in fact I repinned it!

All you need is a spray bottle, white vinegar and dawn original soap. Heat the vinegar to boiling, add it to your spray bottle and squeeze in roughly equal parts dawn. It's not rocket science by any means but the vinegar must be hot in order to mix with the dawn. That's it!

The great thing about this mix is that there are no harmful chemicals to try not to inhale or get on your skin. The other great thing is that it really works. You can spray this in your yucky microwave, let it set for 5 minutes and all those food bits come off with a damp washcloth. I use it in the shower, the toilet, sinks, counters, etc... I'm truly in love and I've stopped using all those chemicals!

Try it! Dawn and vinegar are in expensive and it never hurts to try. Trust me you'll love it!

Apples to apples...

Ok after today I will no longer waste money on expensive bags of organic dried apple chips. These were so easy to make and yummy! Anyone that knows me well knows I'm a snacker. Always snacking, but always trying to snack healthy. I reccommend taking the time to make these.

What you need:

• Apples!! DUH!
• Cinammon

What you do:

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
2. Wash your apples and core them. I just happen to have this nifty little apple corer. It wasn't inexpensive and a great kitchen gadget to have.
3. Slice your apples thin, but not too thin...
4. Place apples on cookie sheet. I used my cookie sheet and a pizza pan... I made lots of apple chips.
5. Sprinkle with cinammon.
6. Bake for one hour then turn them over and back for another 30 minutes to an hour. It depends on how crispy you want your apples.
7. Enjoy! They also make your house smell yummy!

Just Dessert...

As anyone will tell you, dessert is the most important part of a family dinner. So while I left the minor cooking to mom, I took it upon myself to do dessert for Sunday dinner. Now I'd like to say that I slaved all day baking some amazing confection, but truth is it took about 30 minutes and I made it about 3 hours before we had to leave.

This dessert is courtesy of Pillsbury and rarely has that little chubby dough boy let me down. I've seen different versions and variations but this recipe is a hit every time.

"Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars"

**Caution, the sugar content of this is outrageous, diabetics beware!

What you need:

1. 2 cans of crescent rolls
2. 1 8oz box of cream cheese
3. 1 cup of granulated sugar
4. 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
5. 1 cup of granulated sugar with cinnamon to your liking
6. 1 stick of butter melted

What you do:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray 9x13 pan with nonstick.
3. Use one can of crescent rolls to cover bottom of pan. Pinch together all edges to create one sheet.
4. With mixer, combine softened cream cheese, 1 cup of sugar without cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of vanilla until creamy.
5. Spread cream cheese filling over crescent rolls.
6. Use second can of crescent rolls and cover cream cheese mixture, making sure to pinch all edges together creating a sheet.
7. Drizzle top with melted butter followed by cinnamon and sugar mix.
8. Back for 30 minutes.
9. Cool on counter for 15-20 minutes.
10. Refrigerate until cool and cut in squares.
11. Enjoy!