Guilty Pleasures

I'll be honest. I genuinely get annoyed by how early stores begin selling seasonal/holiday goods. Especially because more often than not, the material goods completely ignore the actual reason for the season. It didn't even take until February 17th for our local grocer to have its shelves completely cleared of Valentine's Day goods and fully stocked with Easter goods. Nevermind the fact that a "little" holiday called St. Patrick's Day falls right in between those two.

But, I'll be honest. There is a teensy-tiny part of me that is okay with the length of time certain seasonal goods spend on the shelves. And it's the part of me that obsesses over these little treats every spring.

Thank goodness these little gems are on the shelves for nearly two months (plus a whole extra day this year thanks to Leap Day!). And thank goodness we only go to the grocery store once a week.

Dinner on a Budget

Last April I mentioned that the area we have the biggest difficulty sticking to our budget is our grocery spending. We like buying quality ingredients and we like cooking nice meals, but we also don't want to break the bank in order to allow ourselves those luxuries. So, we allotted a grocery amount that was probably a little lower than we would have liked, and forced ourselves to stick to priorities in the kitchen. We've gotten more comfortable with our budget, though, and have even found ourselves having extra at the end of some months, which we use to stock up on wine and spirits. Other months, however, we're stuck scraping by during the final days and are stuck raiding our pantry (which, all in all, is not a terrible thing) to minimize expenses so we can stay under budget.

This month? Definitely the latter. Here's our dinner from last night:

A half-used box of pasta (tossed with olive oil and some Italian seasoning), a piece of chicken from the freezer (breaded and baked), cauliflower left in the fridge from last week, and a sweet potato. Certainly not extravagant, certainly not gourmet, but you know what? It kept us under budget for the month, and it even ended up being pretty tasty. Don't get me wrong, I'll still always pick Steak au Poivre or Cajun Chicken Pasta over a meal like this, but every once in awhile a hodge-podge meal like this works. Just as long as it's only every once in a while  :-)

A Wonderful Wedding

Darrell and I celebrated the wedding of one of my dear friends from high school up in Duluth, Minnesota, this past weekend. While we had an incredibly good time, we both feel like we need a weekend to recover from our weekend.

Friday night we drove as far as Minneapolis and met up with some friends. Even though we were spending the rest of the weekend with them at the wedding, we couldn't help but open some wine and spend some time catching up. Thankfully we were able to sleep in Saturday morning before cramming five people into Darrell's Saturn Ion for the trip up to Duluth. The wedding itself was beautifully traditional (no photos because I left my camera in the car when we got to the church!), and the reception was fantastic. Not only was everything so perfectly reflective of the bride and groom, but the food was to die for. I'm not even kidding. Seriously the best beef tenderloin I've ever had. If I had been smart I would have taken a picture of it, but I was so busy eating as much of it as I could that the thought never crossed my mind. They also had pie for dessert instead of cake, which was equally as good. At the end of the night they put out "to-go" containers for people to take the leftover pie home in, and I may or may not have left with an entire raspberry cream pie (made with a meringue crust!). I did stop eating long enough to get a few pictures at the reception.

Our friend Kristen giving a fantastic toast to the Newlyweds, Amy and Matt

Amy and Matt sharing their their first dance to the fabulous jazz quartet that provided the music

All the girls from high school that were able to make it--half of which are now married! (Whitney and I on the ends, and Amy in the middle.) Katie (in the red scarf) is getting married in two months so we're excited to have another reason to get together so soon!

We may have celebrated a little too late into the night, so I was really grateful to have additional passengers on the way back to Minneapolis from Duluth because it meant that someone else could ride shot-gun while I napped in the back, at least for the first few hours. Once we dropped off our passengers in Minneapolis it was my job again to entertain Darrell from the shot-gun position, and thanks to plenty of caffeine and a few stops we had no issues making it home. Major props to my dear husband for driving the whole fifteen hours--although that's one of the consequences of taking his far more fuel-efficient manual car!

Now if only we had been able to sleep in until ten this morning life would have been great. Only four more days until another weekend--and hopefully one with a lot less driving!

Apology to Southerners

Dear Residents of the South:

Winter can be a touchy subject between Midwesterners and Southerners. Residents of the Midwest take pride in their ability to tough-out months of freezing temperatures, sub-zero windchills, and feet of snow. They scoff when they hear reports of Southern towns all but shutting down when a mere two inches of snow falls. Two inches in the Midwest isn't enough to bat an eye at.

I know these things happen because I'm guilty of them. I make fun of Darrell when schools near his hometown in North Carolina close when there is just a threat of snow. I laughed when a Christmas snow in Georgia (all inch and a half of it!) caused churches and everything else to close their doors for the day, especially since Darrell and I left Minneapolis a few days earlier in four inches of snow (and it was still coming down).

But, I'm here today to say that I stand corrected. I have no choice but to eat my words (and you can believe Darrell was quick to point that out to me). Our winter storm warning yesterday only produced two to three inches of snow on the ground (although probably closer to six inches fell), but schools let out early and evening activities across the city closed. And it wasn't just because this was one of the first actual snow storms we've had all winter and people have just forgotten how to handle it. It was because we got genuine Southern snow.

Now, hear me out. I'm not totally crazy. There is definitely a difference between the "normal" snow that the Midwest gets and the snow that the South gets in the winter. I've been both places enough to see the difference for myself. Most of the time, Midwest snow is a very dry snow. In fact, Darrell didn't know that it was possible for snow to blow across the interstate like sand until he came to South Dakota. And sure, it can be nasty because it blows around and causes whiteout conditions, but it takes a lot of it for anything to happen since it's pretty easy to drive through. But in the South, every time they get snow it's the big, wet, sticky flakes. Plus the ground temperature is usually above freezing, which can cause the first few inches to melt. And as more snow falls, the roads get covered in a slushy mess. Pair that with no salt trucks, few (if any) snow plows, and windy, hilly roads, and it's easy to see why towns in the south shut down with a few inches of snow.

In fact, with the fleet of snow plows around here, the prevalence of salt trucks, and the flat, straight roads, I'd say that it reflects poorly on the Midwest that a few inches of slush caused as many closings and cancelations as it did. Maybe the South isn't so wrong in their fear of snow after all. I have learned my lesson and I apologize for speaking ill of you.

Sincerely,

A Slushy, Wet Midwesterner

4-Star Texas Chili

This has been what you would call an unusual South Dakota winter. Most of the days in November, December, January, and February have seen highs over thirty (and many over forty), which has subsequently meant very little snow on the ground from the few storms we've gotten. While I'm quite enjoying the change from the "normal" winter weather, it's caused us to (inadvertently) avoid many of our typical winter dishes. Hearty stews and other comfort foods just don't seem as appealing when the temperatures aren't below zero and the wind isn't howling.

But, since we're actually in a winter storm warning today (and I have to drive into town and work until eight--boo), I figured that it would be a good day to post one of our favorite winter soup recipes. We actually got this recipe years ago from Darrell's mom; one of the first years that we were dating she gave me a nice recipe binder with some favorite family recipes in it, and many of them have since became favorites of ours (including her delicious lasagna!) We love the simplicity of this recipe, and the Texas-inspired touches (like serving it over rice) make it stand out from many of the standard chili recipes. Enjoy--and stay warm in this last month or so of winter!

4-Star Texas Chili
(I think Darrell's mom originally got this recipe out of a Kraft cookbook, but I could be mistaken)

1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup Italian dressing
1 14 oz can beef broth
1 16 oz jar salsa
1 tbsp chili powder
2 16 oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups hot cooked rice

Brown meat and onion in dressing in a large pot on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Add broth, salsa, and chili powder; stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer for fifteen minutes. Stir in beans and cook uncovered for thirty minutes. Serve over rice and top with cheese and sour cream if desired.

This recipe makes enough to feed a crowd (we usually get about eight servings out of it), but even if you aren't serving a crowd the leftovers are plenty tasty when they are reheated!

Need to Vent? Apparently, I'm All Ears

I'll be totally honest. Working with high school students can be draining. And challenging. And there are definitely days when I can't wait to get home so I can unwind with a nice glass of wine. It comes with the territory, and I'm totally okay with that.

But today? I'm seriously looking forward to a glass of wine because of my co-workers. Which never happens. I genuinely love my co-workers and love the work environment, and although the size of our staff causes some general differences in opinion, it's never really enough to cause any major issues. But for whatever reason, today I've been a sounding board for multiple staff members. Dealing with multiple stressors and issues. And while I'm totally okay with being there for people (because it often puts my own "issues" into perspective), something about today is just rubbing me the wrong way. Maybe it's just Darrell rubbing off on me--he's very much a take action kind of guy, so whenever I try to vent to him he is full of suggestions of ways to fix the issue, even if all I want to do is complain about it. And fixing problems was all I wanted to do today, although I could clearly tell that's not what my co-workers wanted (something about not being able to get a word in edgewise kind of gave that away). So I held my tongue and kept it inside. And ended up leaving the conversation feeling like I had just dealt with a seventeen year old who told me that he didn't need to do his work and pass his classes because he was just going to end up in jail anyway, and hopefully not for something stupid like petty theft (true story). If that's not enough to drive you to having a glass of wine, I don't know what is.

Happy Wednesday folks--I'll raise my glass tonight to the (hopefully!) downhill slope after the hump!

Cheesecake Success!

Just before Valentine's Day I posted about the Rich Heath Bits Cheesecake that I made my family for Christmas. While it certainly wasn't perfect (we won't mention the fact that when I was removing the hardened crust from the fridge I accidentally sprung the latch on the spring-form pan and dropped my crust all over the floor and had to piece it back together), I did manage to accomplish my biggest goal regarding the cheesecake--and cross another item off my "101 in 1001 list" in the process--my cheesecake came out of the oven with no cracks!

I know the Heath masks the top a little bit, but trust me, no cracks under there!

I'd always heard of a bunch of different methods that people use to keep their cheesecakes from cracking (water baths, parchment paper, etc), but I foolishly thought that I was "above" those methods and that if I just prepared the cheesecake correctly and followed the steps carefully that the cheesecake would come out crack-free on its own. I fully realize that the reason those techniques exist is that without them, a cheesecake is very susceptible to cracking. Now, that doesn't mean it's impossible to make a crack-free cheesecake without any modifications, but when they are so easy and don't affect the cheesecake, what's the point in not doing them?

Here's a rundown of what I did:

Per most cheesecake recipes, I brought my ingredients to room temperature before mixing. I used my stand mixture (on medium speed) to beat the cream cheese and sugar, and then turned it down to "stir" as I added each egg. After that point, I took it off the stand and mixed the remaining ingredients in by hand (I've read that working too much air into the batter is one of the main culprits of cracks). Once I poured the filling into the crust I let it settle just a little bit to see if any air bubbles would rise to the top and then I popped them. To bake the cheesecake, I placed the oven rack in the middle of the oven and on the rack just below that I placed a jelly roll pan of water. Once the cheesecake had finished baking, I turned the oven off and left the cheesecake in there with the door cracked and allowed it to slowly come to room temperature. Additionally, before making the crust, I lined the bottom and sides of my spring-form pan with parchment paper. 

Truthfully, I think the parchment paper made the biggest difference. My cheesecake filling always ends up coming up over the edge of my crust, and as it cools the filling would want to pull inward. However, the outer edges of the cheesecake would be stuck to the pan, which would cause a crack to form as the cheesecake settled and pulled away from itself. Although you can bet I'll still be using the water bath next time I make a cheesecake--if it ain't broke don't fix it!

Story of My Day

The Good


Two loads of laundry completed, three more in the process. Two pieces of clothing mended and back in the closet. Dishwasher loaded and running.

The Bad


I'm still in my pajamas

The Ugly


I'm in the middle of my fifth episode of Bones. I'm mildly becoming obsessed with this show. Netflix may have been a bad idea.



I love me some days off!!

A "Tight" Issue

As a midwesterner, I've learned to combat the necessary winter evils. I always wear a scarf, and have no issue wrapping it over my nose to keep the wind out. My "everyday" winter coat is mid-thigh, wool, and fully lined. My hair is low maintenance enough that I can easily pull a stocking cap on over top. I have no qualms about wearing long johns and get regular use out of my two pair. And, as of recently, I've started making boots an everyday part of my wardrobe. Not the "mountain-hiker snow boots", but just regular, everyday dress boots. Because there is nothing worse than walking through three inches of freshly fallen snow and having it pour into your pump or flat. Or--even worse--walking through slush on a warm day and having that get into your shoe. I know some people wear the heavier winter boots on their walks into work and then change into more work-appropriate shoes, but I'm comfortable enough walking in winter conditions in heels that I'm too lazy to take the time to change. Plus that would just be one more thing I'd have to remember in the morning. And besides, I love my boots.

In fact, I love my boots so much that I went out and purchased a handful of tights this winter so that I could wear my boots with skirts and dresses instead of just hiding them under my pants (even though I swore to my mom as a kid that I hated tights and that she was the meanest mom ever for making me wear them. I may have been a difficult child). Plus, it was a much cheaper way to add some variety to my wardrobe--buying tights to go with the skirts and dresses I already owned was way cheaper than buying new dress pants and/or sweaters.

However, I've lately been discovering an issue with my boots/tights/skirt or dress ensemble:

I'm not sure if I don't walk straight or if these boots just aren't tight friendly. Either way, it's a pain. And an expensive problem to fix. Sure, individual pairs of tights aren't all that expensive, but if I can't get them to last more than one month, then the cost will add up pretty quickly. But buying new boots isn't any cheaper, especially since I don't know how to guarantee that my next pair won't do the same thing.

Any thoughts/suggestions? Am I the only one this happens to?

Oh, and fun fact: By the time I got home after work the run had spread all the way down to my ankle. Awesome.

Chores

Fact: I have used the snowblower more this winter than Darrell has. Quite a bit more, actually. It has nothing to do with Darrell being lazy--just poor timing on when the snow falls. He will always get up and clear the driveway in the morning before work, but this year we've only had snow overnight once or twice. Most of the snowfall has occurred during the day--and most often on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays, which are the days I beat Darrell home from work. And since my car isn't exactly a beast, I usually end up having to clear the driveway just to be able to get in the garage without fear of getting stuck (especially if the plows have gone by!). Plus, the one time it did snow on a Wednesday, Darrell had a late meeting, so even though I didn't get off work until six I still beat him home. And had to clear the driveway.

Can you tell that I'm a little annoyed by this fact? I really do not enjoy clearing the driveway, our snowblower is somewhat large and unwieldy (especially when maneuvering it around our excessively uneven and cracked driveway), and no matter what direction I blow the snow, I always end up with it blowing back in my face (and, inevitably, into the garage. I've actually had to shovel snow out of our garage after I cleared the driveway. I'm convinced that the location of our house creates a weird wind tunnel that just causes the snow to circulate and blow all over the place).

But?!? It's totally worth it to make my husband happy. When he comes home after I've cleared the driveway he's giddy like a kid at Christmas. Major thanks to "The Five Love Languages" in helping me to realize that Darrell's love language is "Acts of Service"--I may not enjoy doing the work, but he sure appreciates it!

Last Minute Dessert

Well, it's here. Happy Valentine's Day! You ready for this? Gifts wrapped? Flowers being delivered? Dinner reservations made? Heath Bits Cheesecake made and seasoning in the fridge?

Nope? Well, you aren't totally out of luck. There's still time to impress your Valentine with a nice a homemade treat. And unlike the cheesecake, it doesn't need any time to "rest". In fact, it only needs approximately five minutes of your time. No joke. I mean, it's no cheesecake, but it's still a pretty rich chocolate treat, and it's homemade, which means it earns more points in my book than one of those boxes of truffles from the store (actually, that's not entirely true. I love me some Russell Stover's. But this time of year, those things are ridiculously overpriced. You best believe I'll be at the store this weekend though, hoping to score some of the heavily discounted loot).

So, here's a quick and easy recipe to impress your Valentine with today. And hey--even if you did pull out all the stops and arrange for flowers and jewelry and dinner and the whole nine yards, why not put the icing on the cake (no pun intended) with this five-minute Cake-in-a-Mug? I promise you'll have all the ingredients in your kitchen right now--and if you don't, well, then you should, because they are all pretty basic staples!

Five Minute Cake-in-a-Mug
(I think one of my college roommates gave this to me--it's brilliant!)

4 tbsp flour
4 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp cocoa
1 egg
3 tbsp milk
3 tbsp oil
3 tbsp chocolate chips
Splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug

Combine flour, sugar, and cocoa in mug; mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil; blend completely. Stir in the chocolate chips and vanilla. Microwave for approximately three minutes on high. Allow to cool slightly and enjoy!

I will say that one is generally enough to share with two people, especially after you load it up with ice cream and homemade chocolate topping. Plus it just looks prettier that way; let's be honest, baking something in a mug isn't going to win you any prizes for presentation.

Whether you like Valentine's Day or not, I hope you all have a great day and have someone in your life (be it a significant other, friend, or family member) to remind you that you are loved--today and always!

Just Another Day

Valentine's Day is what I would consider a low-priority holiday around our house. Which really means we don't do anything for it (Christmas is the only holiday we decorate for, and while we hand out candy on Halloween and try to have a mini-"just us" Thanksgiving dinner, we don't really do anything else at our house to recognize the passing holidays). We didn't even bother with planning a "special" meal (although we did plan something delicious--Panko Crusted Pork--yum!).

However, we do always do one thing to commemorate Valentine's Day. For the past fifteen years (although we've only been attending for five--see last year's post here), the fabulous Johnny Holm's band comes to Sioux Falls to put on a show at the El Riad Shriner's Mosque, hosted by the Fife and Drum Unit. Darrell was again obligated to work since he is a member of the unit (and actually co-won Rookie of the Year with my brother at the Christmas party in January!), plus he is also in a photography unit so during his work "breaks" he pulled out his camera to get some shots of the band. While I miss getting to spend most of the night on the dance floor with him, I do enjoy the opportunity to hang out with some of the other "Fife wives" and do some quality people watching (or, as was the case Saturday night, get people-watched by some creepers a few tables over). I may not ever get into the hearts and pinks and plastering the word "Love" everywhere, but I certainly enjoy having this dance as a part of our holiday celebration!

Enjoying a little bit of time together

Johnny rocking a little Jimmy Buffett

Johnny's daughter singing a tune with a seriously old guy busting some moves (that guy is like ninety. No joke)

Cupid making an appearance onstage 

Johnny showing the crowd some love--and vice versa

PS Didn't my husband take some great shots?!? Love him!

A Sweet for your Sweet

I figured it was only appropriate (ironic?) to follow up my not-so-gourmet post with a cheesecake post. Because really, when it comes to desserts, a well-prepared cheesecake definitely ranks up there as a "gourmet" dessert, at least for me. I actually made this cheesecake for the Christmas celebration with my family, but didn't have time to blog about it until mid-January, at which point I decided that I'd wait and make it a Valentine's Day post. I can't speak for everyone, but I would (ten times over) a nice home-cooked meal instead of an over-priced meal at an incredibly busy restaurant. And I know Darrell would always prefer to have me make him a cheesecake instead of buying a slice at a restaurant, because when I make it he has lots of pieces to eat instead of just one! So if you really want to impress your Valentine this year, skip the ridiculously expensive chocolate and flowers and jewelry and show them you really care by spending some time in the kitchen whipping up their favorite treat (or meal). And if your Valentine is a cheesecake fan, this is a great recipe to try--just remember to make it in advance because cheesecakes are best after they've been allowed to "season" in the fridge for 18-24 hours. Trust me--they are always worth the wait.

Rich Heath Bits Cheesecake
(from my dear Aunt Rose--if you haven't tried her rolls yet, do so this weekend!)

1 3/4 cups vanilla wafer crumbs (about 55 wafers)
1/4 cup melted butter
3 8 oz packages cream cheese
1 cup sugar plus 2 tbsp sugar (divided)
3 eggs
1 8 oz container sour cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups (8 oz package) Heath Toffee Bits (divided)

Combine vanilla wafer crumbs, 2 tbsp sugar, and melted butter. Mix well to coat. Press into bottom and up sides (one inch) of a 9-inch spring form pan. Refrigerate about 30 minutes. Blend cream cheese and remaining sugar in a large bowl on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Slowly mix in sour cream and vanilla. Pour half the cream cheese mixture into the crust. Sprinkle approximately one cup of toffee bits over the cream cheese mixture. Spoon the remaining cream cheese mixture over the top. Bake for one hour in a 325* preheated oven or until filling is set. Sprinkle remaining toffee bits over the top. Turn off oven, prop oven door open, and allow cake to slowly cool to room temperature. Refrigerate cheesecake overnight (or at least four hours!) before serving. Store covered in the fridge.

And just because the cool layers are fun to see, here's a shot of the cheesecake after we cut into it!

Not Always Gourmet

In case you haven't noticed, Darrell and I like to cook (and, subsequently, eat). We also really like to make large enough portions of our food to ensure that we have leftovers to take for lunch. It's so much easier in the morning to just grab a container out of the fridge instead of needing to worry about making a sandwich or spending the money to eat out. However, most of my co-workers don't cook a lot, and therefore rarely bring in leftovers (with the exception of the occasional restaurant leftover). So when I show up with my home-cooked meal, they always think it's a big deal and that Darrell and I spend "so much" time in the kitchen. And I suppose that some of our recipes do have somewhat complex sounding names (Panko-Crusted Pork with Plum Sauce, Chicken Penne al Fresco, and Chipolte Pork Tacos with Pineapple Salsa, to name a few favorites), but that doesn't mean the recipes themselves are complicated. We can do most of these recipes in the time it would take us to pre-heat the oven and cook a frozen pizza. And I do understand that a lot of my co-workers have kids, but on my first night babysitting my friends 10-month old I was still able to prepare lasagna for dinner. So I know that it can be done (I don't mean to sound critical of families who take significant shortcuts when it comes to preparing family meals because I understand that everyone has different priorities. It just so happens that food is one of our priorities, and I see us remaining committed to this kind of cooking even once we have a family).

I don't think that any of this makes us gourmet, though. In fact, I think we are far from it. Aside from occasionally using a few "unusual" ingredients, Darrell and I don't really get too experimental with our food. We rarely cook without a recipe, and when we do, it's usually because we've made the meal so many times that we have it memorized. Additionally, we don't exactly have the palates to be able to "know" what food combinations will work and what ones work. We've definitely tried many a recipe with an eye-brow raised questioning the outcome, and we're generally quite impressed (and realize that we never would have come up with that combination on our own).

So, as proof that we aren't always "gourmet", I figured that I'd share our pre-Super Bowl dinner.

A simple meal of tacos (although we use a homemade seasoning, so I guess that's a step up from the norm), enjoyed on the floor of our living room so that we could continue our pre-Super Bowl Psych marathon.

There you have it. About as un-gourmet as you can get. And believe me, tacos are quite a staple in our house. So to everyone out there who thinks we are always "fancy", you're badly mistaken. It's just that it's hard for our simple meal of chicken tacos or lasagna not to look gourmet when it's up against your daily cold-cut sandwich or container of Campbell's Soup at Hand. And for the record--I do get a little jealous when you talk about eating out on a weekly/bi-weekly basis, but when I remind myself how much money we are saving and how much healthier we are being, I get over it pretty quickly. And I'm secretly flattered that you think we are gourmet, even though I know we certainly aren't. Maybe someday we'll be gourmet enough to be like my good friend Whitney who creates most of her own recipes (from deep-dish pizza to a variety of cupcake flavors), but for now we're content sticking with our recipes and occasional branching out to try new ingredients (we've had our eye on an eggplant parmesan, but neither of us have ever cooked with eggplant so we're a little intimidated by it!).

Crock-Pot Chicken Tacos (and a Wonderful Husband)

With the exception of the Margherita Pizza that I blogged about while I was eating it, I usually have a delay of about a week before posting a recipe. Most of the time it's because I have a back-log of other recipes (or books or other things) to blog about, and while that's no different today, this recipe jumped the ranks to get blogged after eating it for dinner last night. Not necessarily because it's that's super delicious (although it was quite good), but because I have to give a shout out of thanks to my husband for it. Now, he is usually very good about being helpful in the kitchen and makes dinner two or three times a week, but this recipe required him to go a little above and beyond and for that I'm very thankful.

Both of us had work or meetings last night until after eight, and although it would have been very easy for us to meet in Sioux Falls for a "fast food" dinner, we really strive to limit our eating out expenses (plus home-cooked is often so much healthier and tastier). So, our solution was to throw something in the crock-pot. Unfortunately, we've had some bad luck with crock-pot recipes in the past because usually I'm the one who puts them in when I leave in the morning (which is at 7:00), and on late nights such as last night we aren't getting home until after eight, which means the food has been cooking over twelve hours. We do have a crock-pot that automatically changes to "warm" after the prescribed number of hours, but we've still have a few recipes come out very bland and overdone from the extended cooking time. My proposed solution to that? Have Darrell drive home over his lunch to get the crock-pot started. Now, that may seem like a totally reasonable suggestion; however, it is terribly inconvenient (and long) for him to drive home from work in Sioux Falls. And while I only work a half mile from our house, I'm not really able to leave over my lunch break (and even with the short trip wouldn't have much time to since I only get a 24 minute lunch break). Thankfully, Darrell (reluctantly) agreed to make the drive, and then also proceeded to do all the prep work the night before because I was sick and unable to help him. So major props need to go out to my dear husband--I'm reminded nearly every day how lucky I am to have him in my life.

Anyway, enough of that. On to the recipe. For a crock-pot dish, we found that this chicken retained quite a bit of its flavor (but that might also have something to do with the fact that we cooked it for the specified time), and it could be a very versatile dish. We served it over tortillas last night for tacos, but it would also be delicious in a taco salad or over nachos (or even just on its own!). We also liked how easily adaptable the recipe is--different vegetables could easily be swapped in and out, as could other beans and even meats!

I apologize--I realized after the fact that I never really got a good picture of the chicken/bean mixture, but rather just one of the taco. But I'll be honest--it really isn't the most photogenic dish, just a great filler for these tacos!

Crock-Pot Chicken Tacos
(recipe adapted from here)

1/2 cup water
1 15 oz can black beans
1 jar salsa (I believe we used a 16 oz jar)
2 tbsp flour
1 packet taco seasoning mix
1 tbsp red pepper flakes (easily adaptable to your own spice-preference)
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper to taste
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 red pepper, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced

Combine the water, beans, salsa, flour, and seasonings in the bottom of a crock-pot. Stir together. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and place on top. Scatter the onion, pepper, and garlic over the chicken. Cover and cook on low for eight hours (no need to stir!). Remove cooked chicken, shred, and return to the crock-pot. Stir everything together and serve!

The Help

I know that I'm way behind on the times with this book since many people have moved on to talking about the movie release and its subsequent Oscar nominations (Best Picture, Leading Actress, and two Supporting Actresses). But, better late then never I suppose. Because if there is still someone out there sitting on the fence, or who has had this book slip off their radar without reading it, then maybe this review will be the prompt or reminder to get this book read. I absolutely flew through this book and really enjoyed every aspect of it. I felt like the historical context was accurate and well-portrayed, and each of the characters had a very distinct, authentic personality. Plus the whole concept of the book is gripping in and of itself--a young white woman penning a book about the lives of African-American maids and housekeepers, all while living in Jackson, MS, one of the hot-spots for Civil Rights activity in the 1960s.

This book certainly has what it takes to be a classic and I'm very grateful to have gotten a copy of it for Christmas so I can hold on to it and share it with my children someday!

Groundhog Day!

Pennsylvania may have Punxsutawney Phil, but I've got someone better...

My cute baby brother Mike! While the rest of the US is stressing about whether or not Phil saw his shadow, I rest confidently knowing that my birthday-boy brother likely did not see his shadow (because I'm quite certain he was not out of bed at 7:25 this morning and it's pretty hard to see your shadow from inside your bedroom). Not that this has really been a winter to complain about, but I'll gladly take my brother's prediction of an early spring. And family predictions definitely rank higher than some random groundhog in Pennsylvania.

Happy Birthday Bro!