Looking For Control Freaks & Worry Warts - We're still here!

[CRdisMom]

missed a lot this weekend. Tim is tearing his office apart in preparation for the new job. He finally got the offer and accepted. I am so happy. He's going to be with Dell so I am hoping it will give him more opportunity to advance.

Anyway--I am thinking I will steal a few min later and get caught up.

 

[Debbie6221]

Hi Girls...
I am going to try and stay away today because I need to get my act together but happy Monday!!!!!

If you can believe it I think I have a new cold and I never got rid of the last one. My head is all clogged up and my lungs had never really cleared up. I feel like I am back in my teaching days again when I was sick NONSTOP! Oh well. Mom's can't be sick, right?

Tammie...like Jillian said. This is the BEST place to vent about the men. They are all the same and the are all PITA's!!!!! Of course they have their good moments but they all seem to **** up the same way!

Also, I always mean to tell you that I am still using tons of the Airbonne products. I just bought so much that I haven't needed to buy anything more yet. There are a lot of the products I just LOVE!

Jillian! Hi!
Kara! girl...you should add to the crock pot thread! You are an awesome cook!

Hi Cammie! I must venture over to yours and Cammie's TR's more. I love those pix!

Hi Laura... I am so tempted to just fill my kitchen/great room with EVERY single thing I need to go through. I just feel like I need to dump and sort but I would be looking at losing my main room for probably a good week or so and would have to work NON stop to do it BUT I might just end up doing just that!

Hi Erin!
Hi Tessa!

Hi Renee! Glad you are going to get a more traditional Thanksgiving! I hope it's fun!


BTW It snowed here this morning...................

 

[UsNew2Disney2008]

It is pouring here, so I figured that you'd be getting snow Debbie! YUCK!

Carlos is now on to talking about adding to our family - a dog. Now, I love dogs. Had many, many many all my life. We had our last pass away 2 years ago and she was really our first "baby".

Not to say I'm lazy, but I just know what work they are. This time we'd want a bigger dog - one that could "hold up" to the kids, and be boarded. He asked about a German Sheppard, I've had one of those, only dog that ever tried to bite. I suggested not full blooded (I had many German Shep/Doverman mixes that were great).

So I'm thinking maybe a lab (which I've heard are chewie) or a golden. I don't know. Part of me thinks it would be such fun for the kids, and then the realistic part of me knows who cleans the doggie messes in the house, who takes them out, etc.

Then again, is it right to deprive my kids of that?

Kara, I've caught up on your TR. Makes me want to be there ... TODAY!

 

[soontobewed07]

Renee- Have you thought about getting one from the shelter? We have had the best luck there. We had a lab and she had seperation anxiety it is common for the breed and they may need to be medicated which can get expensive. As for German shepards they can be great if they are trained properly we had to family dogs that were so super gentle as could be.

 

[karajeboo]

Renee - ITA with Jillian - get a nice mixed breed from the shelter. Mixed breeds tend to have the best dispositions too.

Buckeye is a lab/chow mix. Now I did NOT want a chow cause I've heard they are temperamental, but this dog is a doll! He's got one of the best personalities of any dog I've ever had. And I believe it's all in how you raise them. He was going to the back door after 2 days. Now he still made messes in the house. But he was so easy to train.

YES, Labs are chewers!!! We had two growing up and I lost a lot of shoes to those dogs! And Buckey's going through it too. I think it is a separation anxiety thing with them.

One thing I read, and it's perfect. For every month of their age, they should be taken outside every ____ hours. We got Buck and he was about 2 months old, so he should go out ever 2 hrs, plus immediately after eating and after waking up from naps. His first week, I took him out just about every hour during the day. He caught on fast.

I love training puppies - I feel such a sense of accomplishment when I get them trained. Jeff didn't believe me when I said I'd have Bucky trained in 5 days, so he about fell over when he saw the dog run to the door on day 2 or 3.

But you are right, they are a huge responsibility. Even though Bucky is Ally's dog, she was too young to train him, so that fell on me. Jeff was useless. Now she can take him out and feed him, which is a big help, but she still needs to be coached.

 

[UsNew2Disney2008]

Okay, first off, Kara, you come to my house and train the dog. They take about 2 days to determine that I'm a whimp when it comes to enforcing things - if the kids don't clue them in sooner!

I don't know why I'm contemplating breeds so much - I just always go to the humane socieity and let them choose me. But I'm seriously needing a bigger dog. My mom's little minature maltese scares me so much with the kids. I'm afraid they are going to hurt that little thing without meaning to do so!

The weather is so cold and yuck today - at least not as yuck as some of you, but still very yuck. Cloudy and rain all day - just gloomy.

Off to figure out dinner. Hope everyone is having a good evening!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Hi Ladies! I actually have all 3 kids sleeping right now, so thought I'd take a minute to check in.

Debbie, thanks for being true to your Arbonne products! I knew you probably weren't ready for refills yet! It lasts a long time! I wish you could smell the holiday stuff! The black orchid smells like Angel from Victoria's Secret - only without the chemicals!

Laura, that's great that Tim got the job - I hope it turns out well for him!

Renee, I agree with Kara and Jillian - mixed breeds can have the best of both breeds in them, and tone down any agressiveness. We had a golden-chesepeake that we really loved! Very smart and good with our family - just never got him socialized with small kids, so that was a problem when the grandbabies came along. I have heard that goldens are fantastic family pets, and we raised a few labs when I was a kid - wonderful family dogs!

I think dogs are bored when they get into too much trouble. Our training instructor said that each breed has a job they were naturally bred for, and they need to feel like they are "working" often or they get bored and get into trouble.

Kara - Bring on the crockpot recipes! I get so busy, it's hard to cook with little ones hanging on my leg!

Have a good night everyone! Don't forget to defrost the Turkey!

 

[CRdisMom]

i have to get motivated and use my new crock pot

 

[karajeboo]

Crock Pot Stiffado - Greek Stew

I love this one cause once you buy the ingredients once, you have them for awhile so you only need to buy the beef and cheese for this!

1 T vegetable oil
2 lbs Stew Beef, cut into 1 inch cubes
3 lg onions, peeled and diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground allspice
3 T red wine vinegar
1 1/2 c tomato sauce
1 t white sugar
1 bay leaf
1 c crumbled feta cheese

1. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat and brown beef.
2. Transfer beef to crock pot with slotted spoon.
3. Reduce heat to medium and add onions to skillet, cooking until soft; add garlic, cinnamon and allspice and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add vinegar, tomato sauce, sugar and bay leaf and stir well to combine.
5. Pour mixture over meat.
6. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hr or on high for 4-5 hrs, until beef is tender.
7. Add feta cheese, cover again, and cook on high for 10 minutes.
8. Discard bay leaf and serve over hot buttered noodles or mashed potatoes.

 

[karajeboo]

Rotisserie Style Chicken in the Crock Pot

Only tried this one but Jeff raved over it - he loves rotisserie chicken!

1 T salt
2 t paprika
2 t dried oregano leaves
2 t dried thyme leaves
1 t pepper
1 t garlic salt
3 lbs roasting chickens - WHOLE
1 c chopped onion

1. In a small bowl, combine all ingredients except chicken and onion.
2. Rub herb misture inside and outside of chicken.
3. Place in food storeage bag and seal.
4. Refrigerate overnight
5. Remove chicken from bag; stuff with onion.
6. Place in crockpot on low 6-8 hrs; high 2-4 hrs. Chicken juices should run clear and chicken reaches 180 deg.
7. Let stand 15minutes before carving - side note: keep dog away!!!

This is the one I made that Buckeye put his big ole paws up on the counter and ate 1/2 the chicken while I was letting it stand! He ate bones and all!

 

[karajeboo]

Crock Pot apple butter - this is what I make for Christmas and put it in jars for gifts....

5 1/2 lbs apples (I prefer fuji apples for this!) peeled and finely chopped.
4 c sugar
2-3 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground cloves
1/4 t salt

1. Place apples in large bowl
2. Combine sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and salt
3. Pour over apples and mix well
4. Place in crock pot, cover and cook on high for 1 hr.
5. Decrease heat to low; cover and cook on low for 9-11 hours or until thickened and dark brown
6. Stir occasionally (I never do this)
7. Uncover and cook on low for 1 hr longer
8. Whisk until smooth (I use one of the handheld smoothie mixers for this)
9. Spoon into canning jars.
10. Cover and freeze - this keeps for a looooong time in the fridge. I start making after Thanksgiving and give to Ally's "extra" teachers, bus driver, etc.

It is soooooo good!

 

[karajeboo]

Crock Pot Oniony Pork Chops with Creamy Mustard Sauce

1 T oil
4-6 pork chops, 1 in thick
2 onions, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves
1 t dry mustard
1/2 t salt
1 t ground black pepper
1 pinch cayenne pepper
2 T flour
1 T cider vinegar
1/2 cup white wine
2 T dijon mustard
1/2 c whipping cream

1. In a skillet, heat oil over med-high heat and brown pork chops on both sides; place in bottom of slow cooker when browned.
2. In same skillet, reduce heat to medium and saute onions until softened; add garlic, dry mustard, salt and pepper, and cayenne and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
3. Add flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
4. Add vinegar and wine and cook until thickened.
5. Pour this mixture over pork chops, put lid on crock pot and cook on 4-5 hrs or on high for 2 - 2 1/2 hrs or until pork is tender.
6. Remove pork chops from crock pot and place on a warmed platter.
7. Stir dijon mustard and whipping cream into juices in slow cooker; when combined, turn slow cooker off and pour sauce over chops on platter and serve immediately.

 

[karajeboo]

Yummy, Easy crock pot chops

4 porch chops, about 1/2 in thick
2 med onions, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 lg green pepper, sliced
1 (14 1/2 oz) can stewed tomatoes
1/2 cup ketchup
2 T cider vinegar
2 T brown sugar
2 T worcestershire sauce
1 T lemon juice
1 beef bouillon cube
2 T cornstarch
2 T water

1. Salt and pepper pork chops if desired.
2. Add all ingredients except water and cornstarch to the crock pot.
3. Cook on low for 5 1/2 hrs.
4. Mix cornstarch and water together and stir into crock pot.
5. Cook 30 minutes more.
6. Serve over rice.

 

[karajeboo]

Oh no!!!! I just got a VM from Cammie that she has a computer virus and won't be on the DIS until this weekend!

So we went out and bought a new queen size mattress and frame for the guest room yesterday - we were holding off until we bought a new king for our bedroom, but the mattress was a lumpy fullsize that was 20 years old and the box springs were almost 40 years old!!! It was terrible. So we broke down and got it last night. Got a great deal, too!

So I got the guest room actually looking like a guest room now. I can hardly wait to get some paint on the walls, and a nice window treatment in there to really make it homey.

Still have a ton of work to do around the house - not really a ton, but it's the stuff I hate - FLOORS! But I do have my handy dandy new toy that I still love - my floor steamer. I've named him R2D2 cause he rolls around behind me..... And yes, he's a "he." I know this because he trips me up from time to time, and won't heat up as fast as I'd like!

 

[UsNew2Disney2008]

Okay quick skim...

I agree with you all - mixed breeds are best. Just trying to get my head around the SHOULD WE or SHOULDN"T WE part.

Kara - congrats on the new bed! And a gazillion thanks for all the yummy sounding recipes. My printer is running right now!

I'm off to get things done so I can go in for my repeat pap today. I can't believe they didn't get enough cells the first time. Second time that has happened to me with two different doctors.

 

[UsNew2Disney2008]

Crock Pot apple butter - this is what I make for Christmas and put it in jars for gifts....


9. Spoon into canning jars.
10. Cover and freeze - this keeps for a looooong time in the fridge. I start making after Thanksgiving and give to Ally's "extra" teachers, bus driver, etc.

It is soooooo good!

Okay, I have a couple questions about this... Just making sure I understand right -you put in canning jars and then freeze? I didn't know you could freeze glass. Call me an idiot - I'm at peace with that at this point in my life!

2nd (equally as funny, I'm sure) what do you do with apple butter?

3rd - how do you gift it - do you put it with something else? Or just give the jar only?

I'm thinking that sounds like a great solution to my neighborhood gift swap. There are 10 families we exchange with, and they all do baked goods - me not so much on the baking. I generally make candies, etc, but that gets to run me quite a bit - maybe around $70 for supplies, so I'm looking for a more economical solution this year.

Oh no!!!! I just got a VM from Cammie that she has a computer virus and won't be on the DIS until this weekend!

So we went out and bought a new queen size mattress and frame for the guest room yesterday - we were holding off until we bought a new king for our bedroom, but the mattress was a lumpy fullsize that was 20 years old and the box springs were almost 40 years old!!! It was terrible. So we broke down and got it last night. Got a great deal, too!

So I got the guest room actually looking like a guest room now. I can hardly wait to get some paint on the walls, and a nice window treatment in there to really make it homey.

Still have a ton of work to do around the house - not really a ton, but it's the stuff I hate - FLOORS! But I do have my handy dandy new toy that I still love - my floor steamer. I've named him R2D2 cause he rolls around behind me..... And yes, he's a "he." I know this because he trips me up from time to time, and won't heat up as fast as I'd like!

Tell Cammie we will miss her - yuck on the virus. If you talk to her - wish her a happy Thanksgiving from me!

The floors - I STILL think I want me an R2D2! It is marked in my favorites - hoping someone will take the hint - yeah right! How does it do on your grout?

I'm about to embark on the mail basket. I hate that job.

Hope everyone's tuesday is great!

And Kara - BTW - I printed just a few off the 11 pages of CrockPot Recipes Board - I printed all of yours. They sound so yummy. A BIG FAT THANKS!

 

[karajeboo]

Renee - I love R2D2 - it does great on grout - I use it in my shower, too!!! No more chemicals - the only chemicals I use now for cleaning are my toilets.

Apple Butter - WONDERFUL on toast, english muffins, with peanut butter too! It's like an apple jelly. So good!

I don't freeze mine since I use glass canning jars. I just buy the pint size mason jars and then cut Christmas cloth squares to put into the lid ring. Then I usually tie a bow around it, with a gift tag attached. Seriously, people love it!

I gave everyone at my office some of this two years ago, and after a bout a week people brought in their empty jars and asked for refills!!! Oh, and if you know someone who is diabetic, you can use splenda instead of sugar!!! The only problem is that Splenda is so expensive when you buy the big bag.

 

[CRdisMom]

ahh this is great motivation. Have you eer used a tart apple? My parents had a bumper crop of Harrelsons. They are tart and make a great pie but I love the apple butter idea for gifts. I guess I could add extra sugar

 

[CRdisMom]

One more meal suggestion... we have broken down and put the top 25 main dishes on cards and each week we all get to pull the cards. Then that is the menu for the week. So far so good. Beth is liking the control. I will have to swap out cards over time so the crokc pots ideas are great!!!

 

[karajeboo]

Laura - I love tart apples for pies - I always get Granny Smiths, but I haven't tried those for the apple butter. I think I may even make a batch of apple butter this weekend. Ally love it on toast in the mornings! And I can give a couple jars to my in-laws.

Love the idea of putting the top recipes on cards and pulling them each week! That would help so much with grocery shopping!

My pantry is pretty bare - Jeff and I have both been trying to use up what we have in there before we go shopping for more pantry stuff.

So what's on the menu at everyone's house for Thursday?

We've got turkey, mashed potatoes (oh, I have a fantastic recipe for make ahead potatoes!!!), sweet potato souffle, green beans, oriental cole slaw, rolls, and of course gravy. I think we're also gonna have a broccoli/rice casserole.

I will make all of my casseroles tomorrow night and put them in the fridge. Then pull them out and bake for dinner Thursday - it makes it so much less stressful in the kitchen on Thursday!

Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes

10 lg potatoes
1 c sour cream
1 pkg cr cheese
6 T butter (divided)
2 T minced onions
1 t salt
I always add garlic, too

Cook potatoes 20-25 minutes - drain and mash.
Add above except only add 4 T of butter melted (save 2 T to pour over top)
Put in greased 13 x 9 x 2 baking dish.
Pour remaining melted butter over top - sprinkle with paprika.
Bake covered in 350 deg oven for 40 mins, uncover and bake addl 20 mins.

Very creamy and because it's baked instead of mixing the milk and butter into the mashed potatoes right before dinner, it stays hot! And I love that it can be made ahead of time.