The Crockpot Continued… Easy Recipes for Your Family

Alright ladies, as the summer approaches and things are sure to heat up in your kitchen, why not continue to find new and inventive ways to use that crockpot and avoid turning on the oven and heating up the house?

Don’t forget that for easy cleanup you can throw a crockpot liner in before for no mess after.  Enjoy!

1. ~ Hamburger & Potato Soup ~

You will need:

1. 1 1/2 lb. Hamburger
2. 1 lg. clove of garlic
3. 1/4 tsp. pepper
4. 1/2 tsp. thyme
5. 6 med. potatoes
6. 2 lg. onions
7. 1 can cream of mushroom soup (I use chicken due to a mushroom allergy)
8. 1/2 c. water

Cook beef and garlic in skillet until lightly browned.  Stir in pepper and time.  Peel and slice potatoes and onions.  Put 1/2 potatoes and onions into a buttered crock pot.  Add browned beef and top with remaining potatoes and onions.  Mix soup with water and spread over top of contents.  Cover.  Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.

~ Again ~ spices are not a necessity, they’re more like a recommendation in my opinion.  But if you keep running into something that you don’t have, make sure to pick up a small container the next time you’re at your local grocery store so that you have it on hand.  No need to make one giant spice run and blow your whole grocery budget!

2. ~ Ground Beef & Veggie Casserole ~

You will need:

1. 2 lg. potatoes, sliced
2. 2 to 3 med. carrots, sliced
3. 1 can of peas, drained
4. 3 med. onions
5. 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef, browned
6. 2 stalks of celery, sliced
7. 1 can cream of tomato soup
8. 1 soup can of water

Place layers of the vegetables in the order given in the crockpot.  Season each layer with salt and pepper.  Put the lightly browned ground beef on top of the celery.  Mix the tomato soup with the water and pour over the layers.  Cover and set on low for 8 hours.

~ Notice how these recipes typically don’t have more than 8 ingredients?  Pretty nice right.  Go ahead and give this one a try by prepping all of the ingredients the night before.

3. ~ Pizza Potatoes ~

You will need:

1. 6 med. potatoes
2. 2 lg. onions
3. 1 lb. smoked sausage
4. 1 tsp. salt
5. 2 (8 oz.) can’s pizza sauce

Peel potatoes and cut in half, place in crock pot.  Cut smoked sausage into pieces and place on top of potatoes.  Chop onion.  Pour pizza sauce on top, cook in crock pot until potatoes are tender.  Again, on low this is something that can sit at home while you’re away.

4. ~ Teriyaki Chicken ~

You will need:

1. 3 lg. frozen chicken breasts with the ribs still attached (or thighs)
2. 1 can (16 oz.) of pineapple chunks, partially drained
3. 4-6 oz. of Kikkoman teriyaki sauce
4. Add vegetables that you desire (broccoli, snow peas, zucchini, squash)

Place chicken breasts in crock pot, with meat facing out.  Dump in the pineapple, add teriyaki sauce and veggies.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours.  Serve over rice.

Don’t forget about that microwavable rice cooker we talked about before!

Transition Into Motherhood… Scared Senseless.

I never realized (until this weekend) that there are times when I just don’t need to know things.  I have been dealing with pregnancy the best I can and I’ve really been excited about what to come.  Until I sat through a 3 hour Transition Into Motherhood class this weekend at Carolina’s Medical Center.  I have to tell you ladies…  I learned some things that I really could have gone without knowing.

Before now the only thing I had been dreading was labor.  As many of you know my heart really is all into having a natural and non-medicated birth.  Who wouldn’t be scared about that?

But now that’s not what I’m scared about at all.  As if I’m not already terrified of staying the night at the hospital let’s just get me all sorts of prepped for everything I’m going to experience those first few days after labor.  I’m convinced I would have been better off not knowing…  Anybody else ever feel this way?

I don’t need to know WHY I’m going to bleed for a few weeks after Magdalene gets here.  I don’t really think I’m going to remember in 11 weeks that when I pee I need to lean forward so it doesn’t run back towards any stitches…  Don’t really think you needed to tell me that I’m going to be subject to my husband’s cooking for the first couple of weeks.  I think that is the part I could have gone without knowing the longest.

Poor guy.  In case you haven’t noticed by now, I like good food.  So does my husband.  Hence why I do all of the cooking at our house.  *Sigh*  But yeah, I can understand how breastfeeding every 2-3 hours and having a baby who literally needs something from me every 7-14 minutes would make cooking difficult but does that mean that I shouldn’t try?  I guess we’ll find out, won’t we?

Talk to you all soon.

Sincerely,

~Nikki

3 Hour Glucose Test… *sigh*

So I know that I will sit here and get up on my soap box and tell you all that you aren’t doctors and you should contact them for anything that seems off but damn it…  I failed my O’Sullivan test with a level of 150 this week and I’m angry.

According to the directions I needed to fast for two hours before arriving to take the test.  So what did my dumb butt do?  Yes, I ate an entire package of pop tarts thinking that was one serving and only 16g of sugar.  Well…  First things first, one serving of pop tarts is just ONE pop tart.  Not both.  Secondly, if you’re going to PUMP ME WITH SUGAR and the normal range after you’ve eaten is 120-180…  how do you expect me to be lower than a 135 an hour after you pump me with said sugar?

So rule number one – don’t eat before your O’Sullivan test ladies, no matter how early you get up to do so.  It’s just a bad idea.

Rule number two – stay away from carbs and starches and all of those nasty things that turn into sugar the night before.

…  Rule number…  Nope, I don’t have another rule.  But if anybody has any suggestions for what I can do while stuck at the hospital for three hours on Wednesday…  I’d sure appreciate it.  Ugh.

Is it bad that I’m hoping they’ll prick me at 1 hour, it will be below 135 and they’ll let me go home?  Do they do that?  Yeah, I’m doubtful.

Have a great weekend all.

Sincerely,

~Nikki

Discount Stores Or Bust!

So I decided today that instead of heading to my usual grocery spot, that I would head to a generic store instead.  Amazed at how much I was able to buy for under $50, I decided that I would come home and “price match” to see what I would have spent at my normal store for the same exact loot, same quality.  The only difference being “brand name”.  The results might scare you…

The prices you see above from the brand store include items that are on sale, as well as with my discount rewards card.  Crazy, right?  Now I understand that not all discount stores carry a great selection of produce (this one happens to) or that it may not be in a good neighborhood…  But isn’t cutting your grocery bill almost in half worth finding the right place?  Until next time…

Sincerely,

~Nikki

An Epidural? No Thank You.

Whether or not you’re terrified of needles, an epidural is something that needs to be researched and discussed with your SO and your OB GYN.  I’m honestly sick and tired of people looking at me like I’m bat $hit crazy when I tell them that our birth plan currently has a drug free labor written all over it.  It’s a personal decision that every woman gets to make, but please keep that in mind, it’s YOUR decision.  Women in this country delivered PLENTY of babies before the “wonder drug” was introduced but now it’s like it’s just “expected” and the “norm”.  Those of us who want to try this thing out naturally the way it was intended?  Well clearly there is something wrong with us.

So let’s talk first about the pros and cons of getting an epidural…  Some fact and some completely and totally my humble (yeah, right) opinion.

CONS:

Women who take the juice have a higher chance of needing emergency procedures to deliver baby.  This may be anywhere from forceps and vacuum extraction to an emergency c-section.

Women who have epidurals experience more tearing than women who don’t opt-in to the epidural frenzy.

Side effects for mom include: low blood pressure, headache, fever.

 

PROS:

Minimal or no tearing

No drugged out baby or mom

Less recovery time

More instinctive pushing = less pushing

You see where I’m going with this right?…  I thought so.

But I’m not naive enough to think that it will be all sunshine and rainbows either.  It’s a preparation that not every woman has the time, energy, or patience for.  I’ve read many instances where they call it “Marathon Mode”…  Not exactly a walk in the park.

So if you’re like me, and you want to forego the drugs and do it the old fashioned way…  START PREPARING NOW!  I don’t care if you’re 12 weeks, 20 weeks, or 30 weeks along.  It’s time to buckle down and get serious so that you can make it through this thing drug-free as planned.

Walk as often as you can.  Spend at least 30 minutes EACH DAY being active.  Whether it’s pilates, yoga, a stationery bike, walking the dog…  Just get out there and do it.

Eat right.  Keep your body in shape by eating right.  Making sure that you and your baby are getting the right kind of calories and nutrition is a huge key to this.  I’m not telling you I don’t have the occasional bowl of ice cream, but I’m definitely doing a bit more than the pizza and popcorn that my mom had to have constantly when she was pregnant for me!

Practice relaxation techniques.  Are you getting cramps, Braxton Hicks contractions or just in overall discomfort?  What a great chance to practice relaxing!  Breath through the pain.  When my back is really starting to bother me (which happens frequently thanks to the nice bulge on my sciatic nerve…) it’s a great chance for me to practice relaxing, rather than tensing up to get through the pain.  Go on, we’re fat and uncomfortable, you have plenty of opportunities to start working through it now.

I think the most important thing (for me) is remembering that this has been going on for over 2,000 years and that regardless of my fears ~ my body was built for this!  So of course it can handle it.

Anyway, didn’t mean to gross anyone out or ruffle any feathers (honestly) but I just wanted to get you all thinking.  Have a great day!

Sincerely,

~Nikki

Safe Crib?

If you’re anything like me, you’re constantly reading the baby magazines, the how-to guides and whatever other information you can get your hands on to ensure that you’re doing everything you possibly can to bring your baby up “right”.  Let’s be honest, while there is no “right” it’s nice to know you’re doing everything you can to keep your baby safe and healthy.  So stealing (literally) a page out of American Baby, let’s discuss the five SUPER SIMPLE tips to creating a safe crib:

1. Buy It New!:  Yes, we are all trying to save money but just like car seats, this is one of the things that you should not purchase second hand.  “Some used cribs have traditional drop sides, which don’t meet the latest safety standards, or they may have faulty or missing parts.  If you do accept a hand-me-down, check to see if it’s been recalled, then inspect it.  Broken?  TOSS IT.”
2. Test The Mattress:  “Make sure there’s only a slight indent – or none at all – when you press on it gently.  You also don’t want more than two fingers’ width between the edge of the mattress and the side of the crib.  The mattress pad and crib sheet should fit tightly.”
3. Place it Away From Windows:  Regardless of whether or not you live in an area where storm damage is a risk, placing your crib away from the windows is important for a number of reasons.  “Cords, blinds, and drapes pose a strangulation risk.  Plus, it could be drafty near windows during cool months, or hot and bright in the summer.  Keep anything with cords out of the crib and off any surface where Baby can reach them.”
4. Skip the bumpers:  Turns out ~ the risks far outweigh the positives of these cute crib accessories.  “People used to think they prevented minor injuries, but the risk of suffocation outweighs any potential benefits.  Bumpers also obscure your newborn’s line of vision so she can’t explore the room with her eyes while she’s chilling out.”
5. Go Bare: Skip the fluff.  “Stuffed animals, blankets, and pillows should never enter the crib.  A mobile is fine, but keep it high enough so your infant can’t reach it while lying on her back, and be sure to remove it as soon as your sweetie is able to push up onto her hands and knees.”

http://www.parents.com/baby/care/american-baby-how-tos/crib-safety/

So there you have it.  5 super quick, easy tips to ensure that your LO’s crib is a safe environment for them…  Just one less thing to worry about, right?

Hope you all have a fantastic Monday.

Sincerely,

~Nikki

It’s Time For Thank You Cards…

The shower is over, the gifts are unwrapped, you’re no where near unpacked and it’s time to send thank you cards.  If you’re like me, you purchased your thank you cards at the same time as your invitations so that they have some semblance of matching.  But thanks to a tip from my momma, we went one step further.

We took the envelopes from my thank you cards and set them out at each guest’s spot almost like place cards.  When the guests arrived, we asked each of them to write their name and address on the envelope.  This was SO NICE because now that it’s time for me to do these nasty little hand written thank you cards, I don’t have to go back through my list and find everyone’s address, nor do I have to write out the envelopes!  So thanks mom!

Hopefully when you were opening all your gifts you were going slow enough to allow the person writing everything down enough time to figure out what it was you were opening and who it was from before moving on to the next gift.  So now you’ve got that nice list, and envelopes written out and it’s time to get to work.

Be gracious and to the point.  For some thank you cards, it was literally the first time I’d seen some of my family in 10-15 years…  Those ones will be a little more personal.  As will the one to my mother and step mother who really spoiled Magdalene rotten.  Most cards however will be very short and to the point ~ and that’s okay.  A “it was great to see you…  thank you so much for the…  <3 you” will suffice just fine!

IF SOMEBODY MADE YOU SOMETHING HAND MADE?!  Take the extra time that they took to thank them properly!  Those are one of a kind items that no other child will have!  Just my $0.02!

I hope you ladies are having a phenomenal week.

Sincerely,

~Nikki