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We are snowed in here.  How about you?  I saw the storms all over the States and so thankful that we still have power and are enjoying being cooped up inside and warm. When it starts to snow I immediately want to make something warm and yummy.  Soup usually wins out but the crockpot is near the top of my list too. I've mentioned in the past we are a meat loving family.  I try to limit how much meat we eat but I grew up in a house where we raised our own chickens (for meat and for eggs), raised a cow to butcher and put in the freezer, and bought a pig from the local fair to add to freezer too. So needless to say I have meat on the brain when it comes to dinner.  I really have to work hard on finding ways to make something without meat.  One thing I loved growing up was my mom's meatloaf.  Simple, delicious, and no weird things hiding in it.  My kids love meatloaf too.  So when I came across this idea of putting the meatloaf in the crockpot--I ...

We have had the coldest winter. I don't remember a colder one since I was young. It use to be totally normal to have snow on the ground all through winter, but not in the past 15 years, it has been super mild. Because of the cold we spend a lot of time inside.  When the high is not even in the teens for weeks at a time and the low is in the negatives we try to stay as warm as possible.   And my favorite method for staying warm is making delicious food. And it gives me lots of time to experiment and try new things.  One of my goals this year is to make my very own recipe. Well guess what!!!!! I did it and it turned out fantastic.  I thought I would start out with something that needed a little update. Sloppy Joes get a bad rap for being disgusting (just ask my kids about their school ones---uuggghhh so gross!!).  Well I wanted to change that and what better way than throwing it in the crock pot (what a wonderful invention that thing is!). All of us absolutely lov...

Oh my word, the wind is howling outside my window and the rain is pouring.  I guess fall has officially begun. And it's so nice that I can be huddled inside warm and cozy.  I love crockpot meals this time of year.  Especially because I just got 40 lbs of chicken and this recipe was perfect to try out my chicken. I love sticking something in in the morning and having such a yummy smell in my house by dinnertime.  The kids love it too when they come home from school and smell something delicious for dinner.  And we can't usually go wrong with crockpot and chicken combined.  Even my daughter that swears she doesn't like meat will eat a little of bit of chicken. Funny story about her.  She takes after my sister Emily--the one who posts occasionally for me on this little blog (and who had a birthday yesterday and is the big 21).  Emily eats a little meat but has had a huge aversion to touching it.  So Sarah, my daughter, was talking to me in the k...

Wow!  We are back...again.  We have been on a tour of eastern Idaho, southern Montana. and northern Wyoming, cataloging 1029 miles in 6 days and boy did we have a great time. We spent 3 days in Yellowstone (this was the kids least favorite...hiking and swimming beat out Old Faithful hands down!!) and we even got to spend several days at a guest ranch and a dude ranch.  This is me with two of my sisters...we were getting ready to go riding. (p.s. that's the trail guide in the back) When we get back from vacation, there is always a million things to do.  One of my favorite things to do is stick something in the crockpot in the morning so while I am busy doing laundry, returning phone calls, and putting myself back together, I don't have to worry about dinner. This was absolutely amazing.  Even my daughter who pretty much detests any kind of meat ate 2 of them.  I was shocked.  She said, "I hate meat but not this kind!".  Sweet. The meat was so tende...

Ahhh....breakfast! I am always on the hunt for new breakfast ideas, especially ones that don't take a lot of work but are super filling. Mornings are so chaotic around here and by the time I get home from the gym the kiddos are waking up and they are very hungry.  Especially the youngest.  Breakfast is his favorite meal and he always want "something good", no cereal for this boy. Oatmeal was a common breakfast growing up and I actually really like it.  Now that I am older, I much prefer steel cut oats to the regular oatmeal so this was a perfect recipe for me.  (the steel cut oats is essential for having it cook overnight, don't try other kinds of oatmeal, they will not work) Put it in the night before and it's ready by morning.  Fast, easy, sweet, and totally delicious. Overnight Brown Sugar and Maple Oatmeal ( click here for printable version ) 6-8 cups water (see note below) 2 cups steel cut oats 1/4 cup pure maple syrup 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar 1/2 t...

Now that the weather is warming up we are spending lots of time outdoors.  One of our favorite things to do is ride our bikes to canyon and then picnic. Because of that, I am always on the lookout for easy picnic food that is delicious but super easy to transport and eat on a blanket.  And lets face it, something different than a ham and cheese sandwich. I let these beauties cook all day long in the crockpot (which goes out in the garage to cook during the summer so my house doesn't heat up), added some delicious Caesar dressing and they were perfect.  So easy to transport and easy to fix for our picnic. Crockpot Chicken Caesar Sandwiches ( click here for printable version ) 2 pds boneless, skinless chicken breasts , 1/2 to 1 cup of your favorite Caesar dressing (I used Brianna’s Asiago Caesar) 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese 2 tsp of dried parsley 1/2 tsp ground pepper 2 cups shredded romaine lettuce 12 slider buns or 4-6 regular sized hamburger buns 1.  Place chic...

 I seem to go in phases.  Lately I have been using my crockpot like you couldn't believe.  Everything just seems yummier in the crockpot.  I swear I haven't pulled that thing out for months and months and now I have been using it at least twice a week. My older brother (by the way Happy Birthday Ben!!) and his family got to come for a visit a while ago and they ate dinner with us.  I always like to have something easy to make for lots of people but yet is filling and delicious.  This was a winner.   Everyone loved it and it was a piece of cake to make.  It cooked all day long and all I did was make some spanish rice right beforehand.  Thanks Ben and Maria for visiting and giving us an excuse to make some yummy food. Creamy Chicken Tacos (Crockpot) ( click here for printable version ) 5 frozen chicken breasts 1 1/2 cups salsa 2 cans cream of chicken soup 2 1/2 tbsp taco seasoning 1 tbsp maple syrup 1 tsp lime juice 1 tbsp butter 1/2 cup sour...

Why does holidays have to be crazy? I guess it's not necessarily the holiday itself it's all the things that come with it (like school Christmas programs, recitals, church parties, etc.) and then all the things that happen that you aren't expecting. For example:  this cutie broke his wrist the morning we were trying to go out of town for Thanksgiving. He's trying to be brave here.  He really wanted to play outside with his cousins but his arm was bothering him.  He gave it a good effort though! When we have crazy days I pull out my crockpot and try to make my life a little bit easier.  I love pork roasts because they are so versatile and go with pretty much anything I can find.  We all loved this version and it was so easy the hubs threw it in for me and it turned out great. Parmesan Pork Roast [crockpot] ( click here for printable version ) 1 boneless whole pork loin roast, about 4 pounds 2/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 c. honey 3 Tbsp. soy sauce 2 Tbsp. drie...

 11.11.11 Pretty sweet day! So many exciting things today.  Harry Potter Part 2 comes out and oh my the weddings taking place today--I don't know how they can compare to the Harry Potter but hey...! I just want to give a shout out to my hubby, not only did he arrange this photo shoot (bless his little heart--I had come in from the back room and he had gotten it out of the crockpot, arranged it in the dish, poured the sauce over it, and then set it out so I could take a picture!), he is being the dad, mom, chauffeur, cook, cleaner, and provider today. I am off to cabin with some lady friends for a "girls weekend".  We stay up ridiculously late watching 80's and 90's flicks, eat too much fun, and laugh like crazy.  Sounds perfect doesn't it! Anyways, he is holding down the fort and is amazing! This pork was also amazing.  I love the simplicity of throwing it in the crockpot and wallah!....deliciousness.  We all loved this pork, including the picky child, and ...

Today we are celebrating a birthday at our house today.  Nope it's not me (that is coming up soon though, yeah!). It's my oldest child.  He turned eleven very early this morning, yep it was an all nighter.  But that's okay he was sure worth it! I seriously can't believe I have an eleven year old.  What happens to time when you become a parent?  Not only are all your brain cells sucked out, time flies by you without you hardly realizing it.  Totally not fair! This guy though has been waiting "forever" for his birthday and he is so excited that it's finally here.  He is like me in many ways.  He loves to read, he is very good at school, has great aspirations (hopefully all his come true), is quite quirky (okay that trait really comes from his dad), and he loves meat.  A carnivore...just like his mom.   When I made these delicious pork chops the other night, he kept saying he had died and gone to heaven, they were that good.  I love it...