I made these SLAMMIN' pancakes for breakfast this morning! I just kinda threw it together. Most of them I cooked and froze, so we can just stick them in the toaster oven next time we want some.

3c bisquick
1 1/2c 2% milk
2 eggs
1 banana
1T vanilla extract
1/2T ground cinnamon

Wisk together the bisquick, milk & eggs. Mash the banana, add to the batter along with the vanilla & ground cinnamon. Wisk together well. Cook on a griddle between 350-400 degrees. Serve with fresh butter & maple syrup!

SUPER EFFING GOOD!

I was in a hurry last night, so I just looked up a simple marinade I could soak my pork chops in while I was at work. I think it came from Cooks.com but I can't remember. It came out perfectly!

2 cloves fresh minced garlic
1/2c lemon juice
2T olive oil
1T chopped FRESH rosemary OR 1t dry
1/8 dry basil
1/8t lemon pepper
grated lemon rind

I didn't have any lemon pepper so I used black pepper, and I didn't have any lemon rind so I just omitted it. I put the pork chops in a glass baking dish with the marinade while I was at work (about 5 hours) then pan fried them. I would have grilled them but my Foreman grill weighs a metric ton.

I made a gravy out of the rest of the marinade after I cooked the chops, but it was VERY tangy. I didn't like it too much, but my hubby did. I served it with mashed potatoes and mixed veggies. I will DEFINITELY be making this one again! I'm think I'll try it with some sort of red meat next time. :) good luck!

Thanks to Dessin Animal Shelter & Pet Central!

Grr. It's hard to eat when you can't breathe through your nose!

I had a lovely Thanksgiving this year! Jarod & I drove to Jersey Thursday morning, had dinner at his parents place and dessert at my parents place. I was covered in kitties all day and it was so nice! I wish we could have a cat in our new apartment... but the bunny keeps us on our toes quite enough. We also got to visit with Karen at her moms house, which is always nice. Jarod's mom gave us a bunch of leftovers to take home and my mom hooked me up with an inch thick envelope of grocery coupons. woot! We had to drive back to PA that night, but it was absolutely worth it for the time we got to spend with our family.

A friend of mine hooked us up with a GORGEOUS dresser & matching wood bed frame! They're a bit beat up, but for free? not gonna complain. They really bring the room together and make it feel more like home than any other place. I can't wait to finish cleaning up and start decorating for Christmas!!

The bedroom is still a mess from reorganizing, but here are some pics!

Dresser, and bed frame.

Now it is time for work. Can't wait to see the hubby!

mood: excited music: Space Balls

Pork Chops & Rice

* 6 to 8 lean pork chops, about 1 inch thick
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons salt
* 1 (10 oz.) can chicken and rice soup or chicken and wild rice soup
* 1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
* 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Preparation:
Coat pork chops in mixture of the flour, salt, dry mustard and garlic powder. Brown in hot oil in skillet, turning to brown both sides. Place browned pork chops in crockpot. Add chicken and rice soup. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.

Here we go: This recipe is one of my FAVORITE breakfast recipes. I don't know where it came from. I got it from my mom, written in my grandma's handwriting.

1c brown sugar
1/2c veg oil
2 eggs
2c quick oatmeal
1T baking powder
1/2t salt
1c milk

Beat all ingredients except oatmeal, then stir in oatmeal until well blended. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Serve in a bowl, and pour some warm milk over it.

I like to sprinkle just a little cinnamon over the oatmeal too, SO good. This breakfast is perfect to eat on the couch with a cup of hot chocolate, while watching the snow fall. <3

I didn't find my cookbook, but I found the exact recipe online.

Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken
3 to 4 pounds roasting chicken
1/4 cup onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
juice of one lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon paprika

1. Place the onion in the cavity of the chicken and rub the skin with butter.
2. Place chicken in slow cooker.
3. Squeeze lemon juice over chicken and sprinkle with remaining seasonings.
4. Cover; cook on Low 8-10 hours or High 4-5 hours.



I didn't have any issues using a chicken almost 5lbs. I used probably about half an onion, chopping it into quarters & shoving it in there. I used home grown parsley & thyme ;) This is so simple, but SO so so good. Better than buying a rotisserie chicken, in my opinion. Give it a shot!

Uneventful day off yesterday, hopefully another uneventful day today! Today's my 1 year anniversary at Pizza Hut, and Jarod starts his new job today too.

I still can't find the recipe book for the slow cooker and its driving me mad. Be warned, however, when I find it, there's a TON of recipes in it I want to try/post/annoy everyone with.

Jarod & I ordered food from this Angel Food Ministries program and just got it over the weekend. It's nice to see my freezer so packed with food, hehe! I think I'm gonna place another order tonight after I put my check in the bank. The "December Signature Box has a lot of things that we like.

Also, I'm taking Willow & Penny to get pictures with Santa this weekend and I'm a little too excited, lol! I can't wait to get them!

I can't stop looking at my wedding pictures, god, they're so beautiful!!

Lovely & fluffy and always a carpet muncher. The spots on her nose & ears are always changing. <3

still licking old wounds, apparently.

This is a VERY simple recipe I made the other night. Good for first timers!

1lb ground beef
1T onion flakes
1/4c crushed saltines
1 egg
2T milk
1/4t salt
1/8t pepper

Combine into 4 patties. Cook through in a skillet. I doubled the recipe and made 6 big fatty patties; freezing 2 for later, serving 2 for dinner then 2 for lunch the next day.

The recipe says to serve with beef gravy, but I didn't have any so I made chicken gravy instead. Then, the next day, I made sandwiches using sourdough rolls, a little mayo & pepper jack cheese. SO GOOD! I like this recipe because I always have these ingredients on hand, and they're quite easy to make so its an excellent back-up dinner when I don't feel like cooking. Like I stated before, you can make the patties ahead of time & freeze them, so all you have to do is cook them when the time comes.

I'm gonna try adding chopped mushrooms next time ;)

but I'm pestering my husband to get me this for xmas. I have the perfect place for it!

I have 2 new recipes to post, but right now I must get ready for work. I shall post them later and mirror them on my facebook! Later!

I spent the day with my husband cleaning & decorating our new place. Its so free here, I feel SO good. and YAY tomorrow's payday!

I need to make some new LJ icons.

awwwwww oh noes!! I want an albino squirrel!

This is what I'm trying tonight!

Stuffed Peppers


* 1 pound ground beef
* 1/2 cup uncooked long grain white rice
* 1 cup water
* 6 green bell peppers
* 2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
* 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
* 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
* salt and pepper to taste
* 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place the rice and water in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and cook 20 minutes. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the beef until evenly browned.
3. Remove and discard the tops, seeds, and membranes of the bell peppers. Arrange peppers in a baking dish with the hollowed sides facing upward. (Slice the bottoms of the peppers if necessary so that they will stand upright.)
4. In a bowl, mix the browned beef, cooked rice, 1 can tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Spoon an equal amount of the mixture into each hollowed pepper. Mix the remaining tomato sauce and Italian seasoning in a bowl, and pour over the stuffed peppers.
5. Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, basting with sauce every 15 minutes, until the peppers are tender.

Ok, well I found my mother's recipe but offered my own variation due to the ingredients I had on hand. My mom's recipe card says its from "Consumer Guide Cookbook" but I've been finding duplicates & variations all over the internet.

2 med onions, chopped
1 green pepper, coarsely diced
1T salad oil (I used extra virgin olive oil)
2lbs lean ground beef (cooked, drained, and I did NOT use lean)
1 can (1lb) tomatoes*
1 can (15oz) tomato sauce*
*Instead of the 2 separate cans, I used 1 28oz can of crushed tomatoes*
1/2c ketchup
1/2T chili powder
2t salt
1/4t pepper
2 15oz cans kidney beans (I used 15oz dark red kidneys & 15oz pintos)

Combine and cook on low for 6-8 hours. I served mine with shredded "fiesta blend" cheese and (WOULD have had) cornbread but I forgot to buy it.

It was very good, and not spicy at all, which is why I like it as a base recipe. My mom must have this down pat because mine was not nearly as good. I plan on sticking more strictly to this recipe next time I try it, and once I get it down, will try another variation from another cookbook that I was VERY successful with.

Next time I try this recipe I will saute the onions & peppers in the olive oil. Mom's recipe didn't say to do this, but most of the internet versions do. Now that I see how she wrote it on the card, that was probably her intention. I also plan on using more chili powder and probably something to add spice. It will take a couple more tries, but so far, so good!

More later, right now, is time to cleeeeean.

mood: wife-y

if I can FIND the recipe, I'm about to start making crock pot chili. THE CRAVINNNNGGGG

urrggg tuesdays suuuuuck