Dinner tonight

Made some good ranch cheddar burgers you can find the recipe at onceamonthmom.com/ranch-cheddar-burgers also made Cheesy Bacon Oven Chips with Chipotle Ranch Sauce . I am addicted to the chips an the sauce we add 1 tablespoon extra of ranch and no salt in sauce.
 
 Cheesy Bacon Oven Chips

• 1 large, uniformly-shaped russet potato, scrubbed well and sliced into 1/8" rounds*
• cooking spray
• 3/4 C. shredded colby jack or cheddar cheese
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2 T. crumbled bacon (about 2 slices) - I used real bacon bits
• chopped parsley or chives, for garnish (optional)

 Chipotle Ranch Dipping Sauce

• 1 T. ranch dressing
• 3 T. sour cream
• 1/4 t. chipotle chili powder
• 1/8 t. cayenne (adjust more or less depending on how spicy you want).
• 1/8 t. salt
• 1/8 t. garlic powder

 

Found the recipe original recipe at http://vittlesandbits.blogspot.com/2012/02/cheesy-bacon-oven-chips-with-chipotle.html?m=1

What a week

I have not posted this much because man what a week it has been. Both kiddos up in the middle of the night. We will be working on that this weekend. I am up with our 2 year old sitting at the end of her bed cause she woke to go potty and now won't go back to sleep. Mommy can go back to sleep.
We have eaten a lot of leftovers and throw together food this week. Tonight Ellie and I made Mickey pizzas.
Ellie's almost a sleep, she's such a fighter. Looks like I may be able to head back to bed. Night all

What a week

Wish I would have had time to cook more and blog this week. We could quick food, ate left overs and made recipes we have in the past. Ellie has been fighting sleep every night this week. As I type in my phone I'm at her door waiting for her to crash since she keeps getting out of her bed. Gavin decided he wasn't going to sleep through the night anymore and Ellie wake up in the middle of the night to go potty or cause she has to go. No, sleeping children leads to sleepy mommy, add chores, appts, and school put a fork in me I'm done. We just switched Gavin from his bassinet to porta crib tonight hope he does well. Ellie has been wearing panties since last Saturday and only had 2 accidents during the day. I'm very proud of her. Now, if she would just go to bed. Guess I need to start timing her nap time and wake her up and get her on schedule. Off I go to get lost in Pinterest while I wait impatiently for my lil brat I mean angel to crash I mean fall peacefully a sleep.
Hope all have a great weekend

Crockpot beef Stroganoff

Crock pot beef stroganoff

This is my first time making in the crock pot. I am trying to use up what we have up in the house. It's cooking now so ill have to tell you tonight how it tastes. But here is the recipe.

1-2 pounds cubes beef
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 packet of onion soup mix
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 garlic glove or teaspoon of garlic paste
1/2 cup of water
1/2 bouillon cube
Pepper to taste

Egg noodles
4 oz cream cheese
1 tablespoon of sour cream

Mix all ingredients but noodles, beef, cream cheese and sour cream
Add beef and cook on low for 5-6 hours
Cook egg noodles
Before serving add sour cream, cream cheese and serve over noodles

Update wasn't bad at all. And I don't like mushrooms or onions.

Potty training

I want to say that potty training has to be one of the biggest, most frustrating obstacles. We have tried pull ups alone, we tried just panties, we tried going to potty every so often. Well in the end letting her run naked has seen to work. She has had 2 days in just panties except when we left house or sleeping time with no accidents. She has had weeks with going number two in the potty. Sorry, had to brag proud momma. Hope Gavin is somewhat easy too.

Shredded chicken

I needed some shredded chicken for tonight's chicken pot pie. So, I decided to make extra shredded chicken so I can have for the week for lunches and dinner recipes. Also, I have leftover stuff from Mediterranean pizza just no chicken so I can season it when I want to eat it.

Shredded Chicken
6 frozen chicken breasts
1 bay leaf
4 cups of chicken broth (I used better then bouillon paste you can use bouillon cubes too)
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder

I use a crock pot liner. Then place frozen chicken in crock pot. Season with salt pepper and garlic powder. You can adjust and add seasonings as you like. Pour 4 cups/ 1 qt of broth on top. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. You can cook on high for 4-6. Shred with fork when done or should fall apart.

I am going to store what I don't need tonight in a Rubbermaid to use through the week. I am sure if you wanted you can use stock for stuff later.

Optional would be celery/ carrots for flavor and to eat and use in soup

Black Bottoms

Black bottoms seem to be a Maryland thing. When I move to Alaska, lived in Georgia know one had heard of them. I sometimes wonder if that's how I got Rob to stick around lol he used to eat a 13x9 inch pan in a week or couple days. So here it is.

Black bottoms
Batter
1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup water
1 tablespoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Cream cheese mixture
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 grease 13x9 inch pan or line 18 muffin liners on cookie sheet or muffin pan

In large bowl, mix flour, cocoa, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Add oil, water, vinegar, and vanilla into flour mixture. Stir until smooth but don't over stir.
In mixer cream cream cheese, egg, salt and sugar until smooth. Fold in chocolate chips.
Pour 1 tablespoon into each cup of batter then add teaspoon of cream cheese mixture on top of each. I used silverware not measureig spoons. Repeat layers. Place in oven for 25-30 mins or muffins and 30-35 for cake pan.

Crockpot bbq pulled chicken

Crockpot pulled chicken
6 frozen chicken breasts
2 cups BBQ sauce
1/2 can of chicken broth
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Spray cooking spray or use crock pot liner in crock pot
Place chicken in crock pot, add all ingredients on top and blend together. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, shred what didn't shred on its own

Crock Pot Tips

I have started to have an affair with my crock pot. One thing I have learned to love is crock pot liners. Clean-up is cake and I am not scrubbing or soaking my crock pot. Heck I can even use it for something else right after.

Three things I never thought to cook in the crock pot were backed potatoes, meatloaf, and lasagna.
Last week I placed my liner in the crock pot, then wrapped backed potatoes in foil and placed in crock pot then put my meatloaf on top. I cooked it 4-6 hours mine goes to warm after time picked. Doing it this way kept my meatloaf from siting in grease and all I had to do was heat up corn and dinner was ready :)
Tonight Lasagna is in the crock here's hoping it turns out good.
I love using my crock pot and the liners, saves on propane and electric, saves on water, and time.

What new thing have you cooked in the crock pot you never thought you would?

Don't throw money away

So, I have learned to not just throw an item away cause it stopped working, broken, not properly working. I have started to email the companies about there products. So far here is companies that stood by there product in the last year that I have emailed.

Crock-Pot: My lid broke and they did not have replacement so they sent me a new crock pot that was a few upgrade better that came with smaller crock pot too.

The First Years: Sippy cup has leaked since day one and they are sending me out a complimentary set of two sippy cups

Tommy Tippee: Pacifier had a melt mark I wast sure if it was from when I sanitized it in the microwave bag or if in manufacturing they sent me a set of new ones. 

Pampers: in the last 2 years I have emailed them when diapers leak, tabs come off and when coupons are not in box. First time I got 8 $10 coupons, Second time I got 4 $10 coupons, coupon book being sent in the mail and I think I have gotten other coupons too.

Mr. Coffee: I broke the glass carafe for it and called to order replacement they did not have so they sent me a better model for free, just asked I cut extension cord and tossed

Carters: After 3 wearings of sleeper there was holes in the footie, they had me pail it in (they paid) and mailed me check for cost of sleeper

Otter box: Rob had bought 2 cases and broke clips on both, I contacted them they said common and they didnt have any clips but would send me two new cases, not even a few months later both clips broke again this time they sent us out three clips.

Pyrex: Both measuring cups 1 cup and 2 cup the decal was gone they sent me 2 new ones.

I am sure there is another company I am forgetting. But all these things cost a lot of money Otterboxes are like $50 a piece. Esperesso maker is like $40 ish. So, just wanted to share that may be worth calling companies and just letting them know what happened.

Intro

Well here it goes my first blog. I figured I could start this blog so family and friends could keep up with us other then facebook. I also have started to really get into cooking and trying new things and wanted a place to share that all.
What a world wind adventure we have been on in the last year. Rob separated from the AF on Sept 20 of last year. We decided right around Halloween that it just seemed time to add our last and final addition to the family. Two weeks later we were pregnant. Thanks to a buddy from the AF Rob got a job with Siemens and quickly moved to Florence, KY in December. He came back to GA for Christmas eve and Day to visit us. While Rob was in KY we relied on really good friends in GA to help me since I was now pregnant with a toddler. We tried to sell our house in GA but had crappy agents.
In Feb. Ellie and I came up to visit. We checked out some houses and areas but nothing we loved. I was told if I wanted to move I had to be in a new house by June 1st according to my doctor. In April Robs sister Amber got married to her new Husband Dustin. It was a beautiful ceremony Ellie was the rotten flower girl. Jk she was shy. Rob and I learned that we just could not be apart anymore. Ellie and I needed him, Bruiser needed him and he needed us.
After the wedding I spent countless hours trying to find homes, Rob would go look at them and they were too expensive, not in right area, so we tried rentals WOW so expensive. Then I found the house we are in now. We got 15 acres and a mobile home (trailer) what ever you want to call it for less then we paid for our truck. The place was not in the best cleanliness condition but we got it cleaned up good. In the end of May we made the 11 hour drive to our new home in Brooksville, KY. Wow who would have ever thought I would be in Kentucky.
A couple days after moving in I woke with bleeding from the pregnancy, we rushed to the hospital, I have never seen Rob drive so fast. We got there and they hooked me to monitors right away. AS soon as we Hear Gavins heartbeat we all took a deep breath. He was ok and I had over done it. On, July 22nd I started real contractions and are little man came safely.c-section was definitely different then it was with Ellie. My nerves and anxiety was crazy.
Gavin was born 7/22/12 at 940 weighing 8 pounds 10 ounce and 22 inches long. He was a happy healthy boy. He took to nursing like a champ and is the best baby ever.
We celebrated Ellie's 2nd birthday on 9/8 with just us and made the day all about her and minnie mouse.
Fast forward to today I am a proud mommy of a 10 1/2 week old, a 2 year old, 4 year old bulldog named Bruiser, a 1 1/2 year old terrier named Daisy, and our 8 year old Kitty's Jack and Ghandi. I start school on the 15th of this month again.
WELCOME TO THE CRAZY WORLD OF THE GALLAGHERS

Loves
Ashley