I am going to try and post a recipe every week. The common theme will be family-friendly meals that don't cost a lot. Most of them will require very little work or time. This one is a well-worth it exception. These actually do not take a lot of work. They do, however, take time. This is a great Sunday afternoon meal when you will just be hanging around the house. You don't really have to babysit these, just watch a timer and give 'em a little love. I also love and appreciate any recipes back. I am always looking to add to my cookbook. Oh, and yes, I have made copies of the book which is now in our safe!
BONELESS RIBS
Ingredients
• 4 lbs Boneless Pork Ribs (I have used the country style bone-in as well)
• 2 TBS SALT
• 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar s
• Paprika and pepper (to taste - leave this off if you don't like spicy)
• 1 Bottle of Your Favorite BBQ Sauce (I actually make my own from this site)
1 can of coke (or the same amount of water - Coke tenderizes it, but also adds sugar)
Directions
1. Mix, salt and brown sugar and place in a pie plate, set aside.
2. Double Foil a 13x 9 or larger pan.
3. Rub ribs in salt and sugar mixture then place in pan.
4. Sprinkle Ribs with Paprika.
5. Add enough water to pan to cover Ribs half way or 1 inch.
6. Bake in 250*F oven for 2 hours, then add one can of coke to pan, turn heat up to 300*F and turn Ribs and Bake 2 hrs more.
7. Drain liquid out of pan and then cover Ribs with BBQ sauce.
8. Bake 1/2 hour longer, then serve.
These were fork tender, but I did have to bake for a little longer (probably closer to 5 hours total in the oven instead of the 4 listed here). I have served these ribs on several occasions and get rave reviews. I also have a crock pot rib recipe, which is a lot easier, but has more of a pot roast consistency. I like making it when I can't be home all day. I'll post that one and an alternative country mushroom rib recipe next week.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009
What Would YOU Do?
M and I will be celebrating 10 years since we started dating this Thursday. TEN YEARS. Unbelievable.
Back in September, before separation anxiety had reared its ugly head, we booked spots for our dogs at the kennel and made reservations for ourselves at our favorite hotel (which is in the same town as my MIL). We asked my MIL to watch Will for one night so we could get away to celebrate.
In September, he spent a night with his grandma and LOVED it. I saw video from that stay and he had an amazing time. He was glad to come home, but I don't really think he missed us at all while he was away. It was incredibly freeing to know he was in good hands and also have a night to ourselves. My MIL offered - and we gladly accepted - to make it a monthly occurrence.
In October, we tried again. . . with disastrous results. I drove the hour up there, set up everything (pack n play, booster, changing area), and left him as he screamed and turned purple with rage. I cried as I got into the car, but was convinced he would be okay in a few minutes. Half way home, my MIL called me, in tears himself. Will had made himself throw up and she took his temperature and it was 101.6. I could hear him still screaming in the background. She wanted me to come back and get him. I hurried back, had to pack everything back up, while Will alternatively clung to me or sobbed as my MIL held him and I packed. When I got him home, I took his temperature - normal. The little buggar was so upset that he gave himself that temperature. It was a bad night.
We didn't try in November, but when we walked into my MIL's house on Thanksgiving, he started screaming. It took him a few minutes to calm down and even then, he was clingy and upset the entire two hours we were there. Neither of us could leave the room for even a second without him freaking out. He would have nothing to do with my MIL. We went over to my husband's aunt's house for the actual dinner itself, and he was fine there. He made himself at home, toddled all around, and went to everyone . . . but my poor MIL. He just seems to associate my MIL's house and my MIL herself with being left. This obviously upsets both my MIL and his great-grandma, who love this little boy desperately and would adore having him there whenever we were willing. They LIVE for time with this child.
So, next weekend is our proposed time away. The plan is (was?) to leave him Saturday morning and return Sunday morning. We would be gone for about 24 hours. I was really looking forward to it, M was really looking forward to it. My MIL was looking forward to having him.
I don't want to be selfish. Most of me feels as if this is just a temporary phase. He will not be this little or this attached to us forever. There will be a time that will come only too soon when he doesn't want to be with us. Part of me feels as if we just should change our plans and celebrate our anniversary with him.
The other part of me wonders if I am not just coddling and babying him too much. M is more of this school of thought and worries that we are creating a "Mama's Boy" and that it's not healthy. He also feels that we need some time together to just relax and hang out, which is true.
The other small piece of this is that I don't want my MIL to feel like the "bad" one that he seems to be associating her as. That's not fair to her. She is a kick-@ss grandma that anyone would be blessed to call their own.
I am going to ask our pediatrician when we are at Will's 15 month Well Baby check on Tuesday, but I am also to hear what other moms (and dads, too!) have done in similar situations. I don't want to exacerbate his fears of being left, but I also don't want to hinder his development. What would you do - or what have you done?
Back in September, before separation anxiety had reared its ugly head, we booked spots for our dogs at the kennel and made reservations for ourselves at our favorite hotel (which is in the same town as my MIL). We asked my MIL to watch Will for one night so we could get away to celebrate.
In September, he spent a night with his grandma and LOVED it. I saw video from that stay and he had an amazing time. He was glad to come home, but I don't really think he missed us at all while he was away. It was incredibly freeing to know he was in good hands and also have a night to ourselves. My MIL offered - and we gladly accepted - to make it a monthly occurrence.
In October, we tried again. . . with disastrous results. I drove the hour up there, set up everything (pack n play, booster, changing area), and left him as he screamed and turned purple with rage. I cried as I got into the car, but was convinced he would be okay in a few minutes. Half way home, my MIL called me, in tears himself. Will had made himself throw up and she took his temperature and it was 101.6. I could hear him still screaming in the background. She wanted me to come back and get him. I hurried back, had to pack everything back up, while Will alternatively clung to me or sobbed as my MIL held him and I packed. When I got him home, I took his temperature - normal. The little buggar was so upset that he gave himself that temperature. It was a bad night.
We didn't try in November, but when we walked into my MIL's house on Thanksgiving, he started screaming. It took him a few minutes to calm down and even then, he was clingy and upset the entire two hours we were there. Neither of us could leave the room for even a second without him freaking out. He would have nothing to do with my MIL. We went over to my husband's aunt's house for the actual dinner itself, and he was fine there. He made himself at home, toddled all around, and went to everyone . . . but my poor MIL. He just seems to associate my MIL's house and my MIL herself with being left. This obviously upsets both my MIL and his great-grandma, who love this little boy desperately and would adore having him there whenever we were willing. They LIVE for time with this child.
So, next weekend is our proposed time away. The plan is (was?) to leave him Saturday morning and return Sunday morning. We would be gone for about 24 hours. I was really looking forward to it, M was really looking forward to it. My MIL was looking forward to having him.
I don't want to be selfish. Most of me feels as if this is just a temporary phase. He will not be this little or this attached to us forever. There will be a time that will come only too soon when he doesn't want to be with us. Part of me feels as if we just should change our plans and celebrate our anniversary with him.
The other part of me wonders if I am not just coddling and babying him too much. M is more of this school of thought and worries that we are creating a "Mama's Boy" and that it's not healthy. He also feels that we need some time together to just relax and hang out, which is true.
The other small piece of this is that I don't want my MIL to feel like the "bad" one that he seems to be associating her as. That's not fair to her. She is a kick-@ss grandma that anyone would be blessed to call their own.
I am going to ask our pediatrician when we are at Will's 15 month Well Baby check on Tuesday, but I am also to hear what other moms (and dads, too!) have done in similar situations. I don't want to exacerbate his fears of being left, but I also don't want to hinder his development. What would you do - or what have you done?
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Lost Treasures
I had a mini-panic attack this afternoon.
You see, I am "famous" for my green bean casserole. I know what you are thinking, it's green bean casserole, how can you be famous for that?
Well, first off, I have the old school recipe, which calls for a "secret" ingredient: worcestershire sauce. Most recipes don't have anything but the soup, green beans, and fried onions and if they do add anything it's soy sauce, which adds the salty element, but not the same richness and depth of flavor. Some recipes leave out the milk and pepper, too. I once saw one recipe that called for water instead of the milk - gasp!
My recipe is a dog-eared copy that my mother gifted to me when I moved out into my own apartment. She made me a recipe book filled with my favorite recipes and to give it that extra "homey" feeling, she included the original cards, most of which were from her mom or grandma or even great-grandma, and made copies for herself. My grandma also decided to add to the collection and every time she writes me a letter, she includes a "new" recipe. So, it's grown pretty large over the years, with me also adding in some of my favorites.
In addition to my green bean casserole being an older recipe, I also made a "mistake" a few years back. I baked the casserole at home and then put it in a warmer to take it the hour-plus drive to my mother-in-law's. It kept cooking on the drive up (the warmer keeps things very insulated). When I saw the results when we arrived, I was upset, it looked less creamy than usual, and I was sure I had ruined it. Not so. Everyone was diving into that casserole with a vengeance that year. It was creamier, richer. . . just better. Technically, it was "overdone," but it worked.
So, the combination of the two has won me accolades. My casserole is requested at every single family dinner where a green bean casserole would be appropriate . . . and even a few where it might not really fit the menu, but still tastes great.
Today, I got out all of the ingredients for the casserole and reached into the cupboard for my recipe book. And it was missing. Missing.
I looked everywhere that a recipe book might be (and in my not-so-very-organized kitchen that could be a lot of places). As I continued to search, I kept reassuring myself, it would be in the very next place that I looked.
After a half hour of serious looking, I was starting to get worried. I could probably do the recipe by heart, but the thing is, there are a lot of good recipes in there that I don't want to lose. My dad's famous homemade hot fudge sauce that my friend once told me she would marry me for (and I don't think she was kidding), my great-grandma's Swedish white brownies (that have never failed to create a sensation at any event I have brought them to), my mom's apple dapple cake (an easy, beautiful cake that has people begging for the recipe every. single. time) . . . Most of these I do have memorized, but still. They are in my mom's or grandma's or great-grandma's or even great-great-grandma's handwriting! There are thirteen amazing Christmas Cookie recipes in that book! I don't have all of them memorized. And what about the original See's Fudge recipe?!?!? It's not Christmas without that one!
Then, I knew what had happened to the book. And I wanted to cry.
A few weeks ago, I cleaned out some closets and cupboards and I went through my cookbook collection. I remember putting the recipe book aside. But I also remember Will distracting me in the middle of my project and M coming in to finish it. I remember him asking about a few cookbooks, that I just glanced at and said, "Sure, toss 'em in the pile."
That pile went to Goodwill two weeks ago.
To me, a huge part of the holiday season is making so many of those recipes. I was crushed to think that I just threw away what is truly a piece of my family history and a labor of love from my mom and grandma to me.
I had tears in my eyes as I thought about never seeing the cramped handwriting, cramming ingredients and instructions on a pretty flowered recipe card (no plain index cards back in Grandma's day). My grandma also had recipe system with "good," "very good," and "excellent" written across the top. When I was a little girl, I asked her why there was no "bad" written across the top, and she said to me, "Honey, I don't keep the bad ones!"
There were recipes in that book that I haven't even tried yet. My grandma's latest letter included a recipe for her frozen strawberry fluff pie. I remember when we visited them when I was seven and gobbled down my first piece so quickly that it startled everyone when I was done and asking for a second piece before anyone had finished their first!
So, there I was, in tears, wondering what I was going to do. . . and what I was going to tell my mom. I would need to confess in order to get another copy of all of those recipes.
Will was clamoring to be let out of his playroom by this point, so I went and got him. He wanted to be read to. I told him to go get a book, so he did, and toddled over to me with. . . I swear, I couldn't make this up if I tried. . . my recipe book.
How it got into his book pile, I will never quite know. It's a Thanksgiving Miracle. That book will help create my holiday memories for years to come and I am thankful that it isn't lost.
I know that the holidays are not always an easy time. It can be stressful, overwhelming, and, if you are still waiting for your miracle baby, it can be incredibly sad. I remember so many holidays just trying to make it through. I do remember, however, finding even tiny moments of joy and hope, even in those desolate days. I hope those moments find you and bring you peace.
To all of you, my dear friends, I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving and a blessed Holiday Season 2009.
You see, I am "famous" for my green bean casserole. I know what you are thinking, it's green bean casserole, how can you be famous for that?
Well, first off, I have the old school recipe, which calls for a "secret" ingredient: worcestershire sauce. Most recipes don't have anything but the soup, green beans, and fried onions and if they do add anything it's soy sauce, which adds the salty element, but not the same richness and depth of flavor. Some recipes leave out the milk and pepper, too. I once saw one recipe that called for water instead of the milk - gasp!
My recipe is a dog-eared copy that my mother gifted to me when I moved out into my own apartment. She made me a recipe book filled with my favorite recipes and to give it that extra "homey" feeling, she included the original cards, most of which were from her mom or grandma or even great-grandma, and made copies for herself. My grandma also decided to add to the collection and every time she writes me a letter, she includes a "new" recipe. So, it's grown pretty large over the years, with me also adding in some of my favorites.
In addition to my green bean casserole being an older recipe, I also made a "mistake" a few years back. I baked the casserole at home and then put it in a warmer to take it the hour-plus drive to my mother-in-law's. It kept cooking on the drive up (the warmer keeps things very insulated). When I saw the results when we arrived, I was upset, it looked less creamy than usual, and I was sure I had ruined it. Not so. Everyone was diving into that casserole with a vengeance that year. It was creamier, richer. . . just better. Technically, it was "overdone," but it worked.
So, the combination of the two has won me accolades. My casserole is requested at every single family dinner where a green bean casserole would be appropriate . . . and even a few where it might not really fit the menu, but still tastes great.
Today, I got out all of the ingredients for the casserole and reached into the cupboard for my recipe book. And it was missing. Missing.
I looked everywhere that a recipe book might be (and in my not-so-very-organized kitchen that could be a lot of places). As I continued to search, I kept reassuring myself, it would be in the very next place that I looked.
After a half hour of serious looking, I was starting to get worried. I could probably do the recipe by heart, but the thing is, there are a lot of good recipes in there that I don't want to lose. My dad's famous homemade hot fudge sauce that my friend once told me she would marry me for (and I don't think she was kidding), my great-grandma's Swedish white brownies (that have never failed to create a sensation at any event I have brought them to), my mom's apple dapple cake (an easy, beautiful cake that has people begging for the recipe every. single. time) . . . Most of these I do have memorized, but still. They are in my mom's or grandma's or great-grandma's or even great-great-grandma's handwriting! There are thirteen amazing Christmas Cookie recipes in that book! I don't have all of them memorized. And what about the original See's Fudge recipe?!?!? It's not Christmas without that one!
Then, I knew what had happened to the book. And I wanted to cry.
A few weeks ago, I cleaned out some closets and cupboards and I went through my cookbook collection. I remember putting the recipe book aside. But I also remember Will distracting me in the middle of my project and M coming in to finish it. I remember him asking about a few cookbooks, that I just glanced at and said, "Sure, toss 'em in the pile."
That pile went to Goodwill two weeks ago.
To me, a huge part of the holiday season is making so many of those recipes. I was crushed to think that I just threw away what is truly a piece of my family history and a labor of love from my mom and grandma to me.
I had tears in my eyes as I thought about never seeing the cramped handwriting, cramming ingredients and instructions on a pretty flowered recipe card (no plain index cards back in Grandma's day). My grandma also had recipe system with "good," "very good," and "excellent" written across the top. When I was a little girl, I asked her why there was no "bad" written across the top, and she said to me, "Honey, I don't keep the bad ones!"
There were recipes in that book that I haven't even tried yet. My grandma's latest letter included a recipe for her frozen strawberry fluff pie. I remember when we visited them when I was seven and gobbled down my first piece so quickly that it startled everyone when I was done and asking for a second piece before anyone had finished their first!
So, there I was, in tears, wondering what I was going to do. . . and what I was going to tell my mom. I would need to confess in order to get another copy of all of those recipes.
Will was clamoring to be let out of his playroom by this point, so I went and got him. He wanted to be read to. I told him to go get a book, so he did, and toddled over to me with. . . I swear, I couldn't make this up if I tried. . . my recipe book.
How it got into his book pile, I will never quite know. It's a Thanksgiving Miracle. That book will help create my holiday memories for years to come and I am thankful that it isn't lost.
I know that the holidays are not always an easy time. It can be stressful, overwhelming, and, if you are still waiting for your miracle baby, it can be incredibly sad. I remember so many holidays just trying to make it through. I do remember, however, finding even tiny moments of joy and hope, even in those desolate days. I hope those moments find you and bring you peace.
To all of you, my dear friends, I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving and a blessed Holiday Season 2009.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Taking Inventory
It shocks me how very few people outside of this blog know about our pregnancy.
First off, our decision to TTC was not "last minute," but it wasn't something that we struggled over for a long time. We always knew we would want to try for another baby, it was the "how" or "when" that was up for debate. We started talking specific timelines when Will turned one. We knew that, ideally, we would want our kids about two years apart, but we also weren't going to be picky. We'd take what we could get, when we could get it. Usually, when I have a big decision to make, I pick and chew at it for days, weeks, and months. I usually hem and haw and discuss the situation ad nauseum with friends. I think it's just what we girls do.
This decision wasn't like that. M and I made the decision to start TTC on our own, I ovulated a few days later, and that was it. Because it was our first month trying, I didn't even get the chance to discuss that ad nauseum. Two weeks later, I was staring at a postive pee stick (don't hate me, please).
So, unlike in previous TTC cycles, where everybody knew we were trying, and I felt like a watched pot, this cycle was so very quiet. Only one of my girlfriends knew it was even a possibility for us this month. Besides announcing it here, we really have told very few people. When I was pregnant with Will, after the IVF cycle, "telling" people was almost anti-climactic, because everyone already knew. If they didn't know, it was because they weren't friends or even acquaintences.
I have four close girlfriends that all know, but we haven't told any of our family. Two of those friends have husbands that are also friends with M, so they know. With our history, they also know that we can't be too excited until after we see a heartbeat and even that won't get me too excited. I mean, of course, I will be happy to see a heartbeat, but after losing Gummy Bear, we just know that's not a guarantee of a RLB*.
What is weird to me, most of all, is that two of my girlfriends who I was so close to when I was pregnant with Will don't have a clue. Both of them were women that helped me during the miscarriage times and both celebrated with us during our successful pregnancy. I would have called both of them "best" friends at different times in my life. And now, I barely talk to either of them, and when I do, I don't tend to get into the nitty gritty stuff, like this pregnancy.
There was no fight with these women, no drama, but we have just been drifting apart for quite some time. It makes me sad to see where our friendship has been, where it is now, and to wonder where it is going.
Reflecting on those relationships caused me to take inventory of my friendships in general. I lost a lot of friends while I battled with RPL. Some chose to step away, some I chose to step away from. When I was pregnant and things were going well, some friends came back into my life, some didn't. Since I had Will, I have lost more friends. I have also gained a lot of friends, too. Again, there has been no drama, no fighting, just a sense of different people with different purposes. I wouldn't even say that I have "lost" friends, because just when I think I might not hear from so-and-so again, the phone rings or I pick it up to make the call myself. It's just that people that once made up my friend world are now at the outskirts of it.
It brings to mind that the Reason, Season, Lifetime e-mail that circulates every once in awhile. It makes me feel a bit better to read that because I am not someone who lets go of people easily. I feel badly when a friendship fades and sometimes I try to resuscitate what should just be left to quietly pass. On the other hand, there are friends that I haven't made as much of an effort with as I should lately, and I really want to change that.
It's funny how the individual experiences in your life can make you reflect on the bigger picture, isn't it?
*Real Live Baby
First off, our decision to TTC was not "last minute," but it wasn't something that we struggled over for a long time. We always knew we would want to try for another baby, it was the "how" or "when" that was up for debate. We started talking specific timelines when Will turned one. We knew that, ideally, we would want our kids about two years apart, but we also weren't going to be picky. We'd take what we could get, when we could get it. Usually, when I have a big decision to make, I pick and chew at it for days, weeks, and months. I usually hem and haw and discuss the situation ad nauseum with friends. I think it's just what we girls do.
This decision wasn't like that. M and I made the decision to start TTC on our own, I ovulated a few days later, and that was it. Because it was our first month trying, I didn't even get the chance to discuss that ad nauseum. Two weeks later, I was staring at a postive pee stick (don't hate me, please).
So, unlike in previous TTC cycles, where everybody knew we were trying, and I felt like a watched pot, this cycle was so very quiet. Only one of my girlfriends knew it was even a possibility for us this month. Besides announcing it here, we really have told very few people. When I was pregnant with Will, after the IVF cycle, "telling" people was almost anti-climactic, because everyone already knew. If they didn't know, it was because they weren't friends or even acquaintences.
I have four close girlfriends that all know, but we haven't told any of our family. Two of those friends have husbands that are also friends with M, so they know. With our history, they also know that we can't be too excited until after we see a heartbeat and even that won't get me too excited. I mean, of course, I will be happy to see a heartbeat, but after losing Gummy Bear, we just know that's not a guarantee of a RLB*.
What is weird to me, most of all, is that two of my girlfriends who I was so close to when I was pregnant with Will don't have a clue. Both of them were women that helped me during the miscarriage times and both celebrated with us during our successful pregnancy. I would have called both of them "best" friends at different times in my life. And now, I barely talk to either of them, and when I do, I don't tend to get into the nitty gritty stuff, like this pregnancy.
There was no fight with these women, no drama, but we have just been drifting apart for quite some time. It makes me sad to see where our friendship has been, where it is now, and to wonder where it is going.
Reflecting on those relationships caused me to take inventory of my friendships in general. I lost a lot of friends while I battled with RPL. Some chose to step away, some I chose to step away from. When I was pregnant and things were going well, some friends came back into my life, some didn't. Since I had Will, I have lost more friends. I have also gained a lot of friends, too. Again, there has been no drama, no fighting, just a sense of different people with different purposes. I wouldn't even say that I have "lost" friends, because just when I think I might not hear from so-and-so again, the phone rings or I pick it up to make the call myself. It's just that people that once made up my friend world are now at the outskirts of it.
It brings to mind that the Reason, Season, Lifetime e-mail that circulates every once in awhile. It makes me feel a bit better to read that because I am not someone who lets go of people easily. I feel badly when a friendship fades and sometimes I try to resuscitate what should just be left to quietly pass. On the other hand, there are friends that I haven't made as much of an effort with as I should lately, and I really want to change that.
It's funny how the individual experiences in your life can make you reflect on the bigger picture, isn't it?
*Real Live Baby
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
The Easiest Dinner. Ever.
Okay, so technically, the easiest dinner is to call for pizza. Or chinese. Or put a frozen meal in the oven.
But if you want to serve a hot dinner that is super easy, economical, tastes really good, AND makes two meals in one, then you will want to make this.
Black Bean Crock Pot Chicken - TWO DINNERS IN ONE
8 frozen chicken breasts
1 15 oz. jar of salsa (any flavor/brand)
1 15.5 oz. can of black beans (drained)
1 15 oz. can of corn (drained)
1 8 oz. package of cream cheese
Place frozen (yes, frozen) chicken breasts in the crockpot.
Add the salsa, black beans, and corn.
Cook on HIGH for 4 - 5 hours or LOW for 6 - 8.
One half hour before cooking, toss brick of cream cheese on top and let melt in. Stir before serving.
Night One: Serve chicken breasts whole with the sauce over steamed rice, with cornbread on the side.
Night Two: Using two forks, shred chicken and mix with remaining sauce. Place in plastic baggie to either freeze or refrigerate for another meal where you can use the meat as a filling for tacos or burritos (I used mine for enchiladas).
*Here are the adjustments that I made:
I added just a dash (probably 1/8th tsp. or less) of garlic salt before I put the lid on the first time.
I also didn't like how "runny" the sauce was, so I did add a TBS. of cornstarch mixed with two tablespoons room temp water. I stirred that in about ten minutes before I added the cream cheese and it thickened it up nicely.
I only used half of the package of cream cheese and used light (not non-fat). I thought it was creamy enough and might have been "too" creamy if I had used the whole thing.
I also used frozen corn instead of canned and it worked great.
This is the cornbread recipe that I used. I thought it was better than the usual "box" mix by itself, but I still prefer making it from scratch. This was a ton easier, though, which is the name of the game with a busy toddler running around.
Will and M both enjoyed this. The chicken was very tender and it wasn't too spicy because I used a medium salsa and the beans, corn, and cream cheese tempered it. You could definitely use a spicier salsa and I might even add a dash or two of cayenne pepper if I wasn't serving a toddler. Olives might be a nice touch, too, or some diced mild green chiles. If you don't like spicy at all, use a mild salsa and you'll be just fine!
Also, to make serving this even easier, I make large batches of rice and then freeze the extra in quart sized freezer bags. I put a 1/2 tsp of olive oil in the bag and then shake before freezing. This helps the rice when you thaw it out to be moist instead of dry. It took me less than five minutes (including getting out the crockpot and all ingredients) to put this meal together and it was a definite hit!
Please share any of your latest favorites! I am especially fond of quick, easy, and inexpensive, but I also don't mind putting in extra time and effort for an especially good meal. Speaking of which, remind me to share my favorite boneless BBQ rib recipe with you soon. Time consuming, but easy, and so good.
But if you want to serve a hot dinner that is super easy, economical, tastes really good, AND makes two meals in one, then you will want to make this.
Black Bean Crock Pot Chicken - TWO DINNERS IN ONE
8 frozen chicken breasts
1 15 oz. jar of salsa (any flavor/brand)
1 15.5 oz. can of black beans (drained)
1 15 oz. can of corn (drained)
1 8 oz. package of cream cheese
Place frozen (yes, frozen) chicken breasts in the crockpot.
Add the salsa, black beans, and corn.
Cook on HIGH for 4 - 5 hours or LOW for 6 - 8.
One half hour before cooking, toss brick of cream cheese on top and let melt in. Stir before serving.
Night One: Serve chicken breasts whole with the sauce over steamed rice, with cornbread on the side.
Night Two: Using two forks, shred chicken and mix with remaining sauce. Place in plastic baggie to either freeze or refrigerate for another meal where you can use the meat as a filling for tacos or burritos (I used mine for enchiladas).
*Here are the adjustments that I made:
I added just a dash (probably 1/8th tsp. or less) of garlic salt before I put the lid on the first time.
I also didn't like how "runny" the sauce was, so I did add a TBS. of cornstarch mixed with two tablespoons room temp water. I stirred that in about ten minutes before I added the cream cheese and it thickened it up nicely.
I only used half of the package of cream cheese and used light (not non-fat). I thought it was creamy enough and might have been "too" creamy if I had used the whole thing.
I also used frozen corn instead of canned and it worked great.
This is the cornbread recipe that I used. I thought it was better than the usual "box" mix by itself, but I still prefer making it from scratch. This was a ton easier, though, which is the name of the game with a busy toddler running around.
Will and M both enjoyed this. The chicken was very tender and it wasn't too spicy because I used a medium salsa and the beans, corn, and cream cheese tempered it. You could definitely use a spicier salsa and I might even add a dash or two of cayenne pepper if I wasn't serving a toddler. Olives might be a nice touch, too, or some diced mild green chiles. If you don't like spicy at all, use a mild salsa and you'll be just fine!
Also, to make serving this even easier, I make large batches of rice and then freeze the extra in quart sized freezer bags. I put a 1/2 tsp of olive oil in the bag and then shake before freezing. This helps the rice when you thaw it out to be moist instead of dry. It took me less than five minutes (including getting out the crockpot and all ingredients) to put this meal together and it was a definite hit!
Please share any of your latest favorites! I am especially fond of quick, easy, and inexpensive, but I also don't mind putting in extra time and effort for an especially good meal. Speaking of which, remind me to share my favorite boneless BBQ rib recipe with you soon. Time consuming, but easy, and so good.
Monday, November 23, 2009
A Normal OB Patient
I remember the first time that I was pregnant. I was shocked, shocked, shocked when they said that they didn't want to see me until 8 weeks and even more shocked, shocked, shocked that there would be no ultrasound until 11 weeks. ELEVEN.
Well, we all know that it ended up being irrelevant what week they wanted to see me at, because I lost the baby long before the 11th week came up. Or the 8th for that matter. Which is probably why the don't schedule people for ultrasounds any earlier, now that I come to think of it.
When I was pregnant with Will, I thought waiting until 6 weeks, 2 days for our first ultrasound was torture. This morning, I called my OB's office. I explained my situation and requested an early ultrasound.
Nope, no way. My first ultrasound will be on January 5, 2010.
Apparently, my OB is way overbooked and understaffed, and because I delivered a healthy baby, I am now considered a "normal" OB patient.
I know, that's great. Right? Right.
I still don't feel normal, I still feel very scared. I know seeing the baby on ultrasound guarantees nothing, even if we see a healthy heartbeat, it doesn't mean that we will have a healthy baby. I learned that lesson the hard way, when Gummy Bear died. I know that things can still happen, but a quick little peek would have helped rest my worries just a tiny bit.
Well, here's to being normal. . . and to January 5. I guess it will come sooner than I think?
Edited: There is a reason why I love my OB. . . a few minutes ago, his nurse called to congratulate me personally AND schedule me for an early ultrasound on December 9 at 3:30PM. I will be 7 weeks, 2 days pregnant then. We should see a heartbeat and know more about the health of this pregnancy.
Well, we all know that it ended up being irrelevant what week they wanted to see me at, because I lost the baby long before the 11th week came up. Or the 8th for that matter. Which is probably why the don't schedule people for ultrasounds any earlier, now that I come to think of it.
When I was pregnant with Will, I thought waiting until 6 weeks, 2 days for our first ultrasound was torture. This morning, I called my OB's office. I explained my situation and requested an early ultrasound.
Nope, no way. My first ultrasound will be on January 5, 2010.
Apparently, my OB is way overbooked and understaffed, and because I delivered a healthy baby, I am now considered a "normal" OB patient.
I know, that's great. Right? Right.
I still don't feel normal, I still feel very scared. I know seeing the baby on ultrasound guarantees nothing, even if we see a healthy heartbeat, it doesn't mean that we will have a healthy baby. I learned that lesson the hard way, when Gummy Bear died. I know that things can still happen, but a quick little peek would have helped rest my worries just a tiny bit.
Well, here's to being normal. . . and to January 5. I guess it will come sooner than I think?
Edited: There is a reason why I love my OB. . . a few minutes ago, his nurse called to congratulate me personally AND schedule me for an early ultrasound on December 9 at 3:30PM. I will be 7 weeks, 2 days pregnant then. We should see a heartbeat and know more about the health of this pregnancy.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
As If
Well, no spotting or anything out of the norm to report. I have had some mild cramping here and there and I am definitely more tired than usual. Although that could be due to the fact that I am running on a sleep deficit, rather than early pregnancy.
M and I have decided to treat this pregnancy "as if."
As if. . .
...we don't have the history we do.
...this is the "lucky" less than 25% shot that Dr. M told us we had at conceiving and sustaining a pregnancy on our own.
...come mid to late July of next year, we will have two children!
We have not told any family, we have only told three close friends that we know will be there for us if our "as ifs" end up not working.
I POAS'd this morning, because that's usually my first sign of impending miscarriage: pee sticks that fade. The second line came up immediately and is strong and dark.
I will be calling my OB today, and trying to schedule my first appointment. I'd love if we could have an ultrasound at maybe the 7 week mark and not have to wait until 11 or 12 weeks to have a peek.
I am trying to maintain my as if attitude and not ask for a ticket to the Beta Hell Ride. It's hard not knowing how everything is going, but I have learned only too well how cruel that game can be, offering either false hope or a rocky series of ups and downs. Even with Will, we had a wonky series of betas, and he obviously turned out just fine.
Speaking of my Little Man, he is sleeping much better. I took him to the pediatrician's office on Friday. After doing the modified CIO on Thursday, I was wracked with guilt over the possibility that he had an ear infection or some other medical issue that was interrupting his sleep. Though I do believe in the value of CIO, I don't believe in doing it on sick kiddos.
He has another sinus infection. Yuck. This is his fourth one in fifteen months. I feel that is a lot and his pediatrician agreed. She said there could be a bunch of underlying reasons, allergies or a structural issue with his sinus cavities or nasal passages. Or both. The only way to tell for sure is to get a CT scan and more blood/skin tests, so we have been referred to a pediatric ENT and back to our pediatric allergist. I am not so sure I am eager to return to the allergist. We did that when he was 9 months, over his milk sensitivity. The allergist basically told me at that point that skin and blood tests are usless prior to 24 months when it comes to definitively making a diagnosis of allergy. I guess it just seemed like a waste of time back then (why draw blood and poke at him if the answer won't really matter anyway) and it seems kind of the same now. But I am eager to get to the bottom of the issue. In addition to a lot of sinus and ear infections, he also snores quite a bit, which is not normal for a toddler. The visit to the ENT will sort out all of that, so I have scheduled that appointment first.
Even with the sinus infection, the pediatrician advised that we continue our modified CIO. She agreed with me that after so many nights, it was probably more of a habit and would be easier to break sooner rather than later.
Thursday was the worst night, by far, the longest he has ever CIO. It actually brings tears to my eyes to think of it. Friday was much better, with only maybe 20 minutes of crying that still broke my heart, but my resolve was a little stronger after our visit with his doctor. It also was stronger when he "only" cried for 20 minutes and we were rewarded with blessed silence. Saturday night and last night, we have heard only a whimper or two from the nursery. Neither M or I have actually had to get up to check on him. It has been very nice.
CIO is so traumatic and I think it is my least favorite part of parenting. Well, maybe guilt in general is my least favorite part of parenting. The pitfall of guilt is everwhere, even in my as-if pregnancy. I am thinking mostly about how everything will affect Will. If I am very sick in my pregnancy, will he suffer from lack of attention? If I am distracted with the new baby (which I most certainly will be), will he suffer? Will he be jealous? Are we ruining his little life? I wasn't really expecting these feelings, though I am told they are normal. I do worry that I can't possibly love another baby the way that I love my Little Man.
M and I have decided to treat this pregnancy "as if."
As if. . .
...we don't have the history we do.
...this is the "lucky" less than 25% shot that Dr. M told us we had at conceiving and sustaining a pregnancy on our own.
...come mid to late July of next year, we will have two children!
We have not told any family, we have only told three close friends that we know will be there for us if our "as ifs" end up not working.
I POAS'd this morning, because that's usually my first sign of impending miscarriage: pee sticks that fade. The second line came up immediately and is strong and dark.
I will be calling my OB today, and trying to schedule my first appointment. I'd love if we could have an ultrasound at maybe the 7 week mark and not have to wait until 11 or 12 weeks to have a peek.
I am trying to maintain my as if attitude and not ask for a ticket to the Beta Hell Ride. It's hard not knowing how everything is going, but I have learned only too well how cruel that game can be, offering either false hope or a rocky series of ups and downs. Even with Will, we had a wonky series of betas, and he obviously turned out just fine.
Speaking of my Little Man, he is sleeping much better. I took him to the pediatrician's office on Friday. After doing the modified CIO on Thursday, I was wracked with guilt over the possibility that he had an ear infection or some other medical issue that was interrupting his sleep. Though I do believe in the value of CIO, I don't believe in doing it on sick kiddos.
He has another sinus infection. Yuck. This is his fourth one in fifteen months. I feel that is a lot and his pediatrician agreed. She said there could be a bunch of underlying reasons, allergies or a structural issue with his sinus cavities or nasal passages. Or both. The only way to tell for sure is to get a CT scan and more blood/skin tests, so we have been referred to a pediatric ENT and back to our pediatric allergist. I am not so sure I am eager to return to the allergist. We did that when he was 9 months, over his milk sensitivity. The allergist basically told me at that point that skin and blood tests are usless prior to 24 months when it comes to definitively making a diagnosis of allergy. I guess it just seemed like a waste of time back then (why draw blood and poke at him if the answer won't really matter anyway) and it seems kind of the same now. But I am eager to get to the bottom of the issue. In addition to a lot of sinus and ear infections, he also snores quite a bit, which is not normal for a toddler. The visit to the ENT will sort out all of that, so I have scheduled that appointment first.
Even with the sinus infection, the pediatrician advised that we continue our modified CIO. She agreed with me that after so many nights, it was probably more of a habit and would be easier to break sooner rather than later.
Thursday was the worst night, by far, the longest he has ever CIO. It actually brings tears to my eyes to think of it. Friday was much better, with only maybe 20 minutes of crying that still broke my heart, but my resolve was a little stronger after our visit with his doctor. It also was stronger when he "only" cried for 20 minutes and we were rewarded with blessed silence. Saturday night and last night, we have heard only a whimper or two from the nursery. Neither M or I have actually had to get up to check on him. It has been very nice.
CIO is so traumatic and I think it is my least favorite part of parenting. Well, maybe guilt in general is my least favorite part of parenting. The pitfall of guilt is everwhere, even in my as-if pregnancy. I am thinking mostly about how everything will affect Will. If I am very sick in my pregnancy, will he suffer from lack of attention? If I am distracted with the new baby (which I most certainly will be), will he suffer? Will he be jealous? Are we ruining his little life? I wasn't really expecting these feelings, though I am told they are normal. I do worry that I can't possibly love another baby the way that I love my Little Man.
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