Gaga for crockpot

Before we get started, this post is not about Lady Gaga dressed as a crockpot. Sorry to disappoint you. Although, if she ever appears on Fashion Police in that outfit, remember, you heard it here first.  


Okay, onto my obsession. Over the last few months, I've become obsessed with my crockpot. Not just with the crockpot itself, but the use of it. I always feel like super mom/wife when I come home from work and I can say "dinner will be ready in 5 minutes". Now, I've had a crockpot pretty much all my married life (25+ years, thank you very much). I would use it occasionally for a roast and I have ventured out and made enchiladas in it once, but that was the extent of it......until I found this website: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/.  This woman named Stephanie made a New Year's Resolution to use her crockpot everyday in 2008. She seriously has a recipe for everything. I figured, if she could use it everyday, I could at least use it once a week for something besides a roast. I try to use it weekly, but you know, sometimes life gets in the way and we have to eat out or I will actually have to pull out a pan and whip something up. I've pretty much decided that you can just throw anything into a crockpot with some seasoning and liquid and it will be pretty good.

Here's a few things that come to mind when I talk about easy:

• 3 chicken breasts (frozen)
• 1 jar of salsa verde
• Cook it on low all day long. Shred it up and put it in tacos, tostadas or even make enchiladas.

Another recipe comes from Flint. It's for crockpot French Dip:

• 1 chuck roast
• 1 packet Au Jus (dry)
• 1 packet ranch dip (dry)
• 2 cups water
• You can add onions or peppers if you like.
• Cook on low all day. Shred it up and put on a bun. Delicious.

For dinner tonight, we had crockpot beef stroganoff.  It's not from Stephanie's site, but it was delicious and easy. Here's the recipe: http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/main-courses/slow-cooker-beef-stroganoff/.  The picture below is what was left after 3 of us ate. Yay for leftovers! I'll try my best to post my weekly crockpot recipe.

So, what are your favorite recipes?

-Glue

Here's to 2011

As the first "real" weekend of 2011 ends, time to review on 2010 and all that can lie ahead in 2011.

The holidays this year were nice. A week in Palm Dessert for Thanksgiving, a long visit in Fresno for Christmas. This year I was able to actually have one on one conversations with family members, which in itself was a nice gift. The new year was brought in with my "other" family and a nice time was had, playing games, watching silly t.v. and catching great sales at Borders on the 1st. Although I could not be with my daughters to ring in the New Year..and that makes me always a little sad...I was able to enjoy the time I had with my "other" kids. Thankfully Glue and Flint kept me included in their festivities 200 miles away.

Flint, Glue and Sand are the nicknames to three good high school friends who drifted apart, but thru divine intervention...and Facebook...were reunited.  Flint's name is because she likes to get the fire started..i.e. plans, ideas..and everyone else executes them. Glue's name is because she keeps everyone together, keeps everyone included, and never lets us drift apart for more than a day or so without communication. Sand is me. I am like warm sand on the beach, wonderful to feel between your toes, something missed and under appreciated at times, but unfortunately...in the wrong spots can become an irritation. I accept that. I am not for everybody and all situations. I can be abrasive, but really only want to be appreciated and missed.

Flint and Glue were out to dinner on NYE and then playing games at Glue's house. During that time we exchanged voice recordings via a new app that Glue discovered. Hey Tell is the app for you app-aholics. It is a fun way to send a verbal text versus typing them out. It is fabulous..and I give it two thumbs up! It took me a few times to learn to "hold down the button when you are talking". It was fun!

Anyway, 2010 was not quite the best year, that is only because 2011 is going to be better.
I hope to shed a few pounds, manage my finances better (where does my money go?!), try not to detour off the high road- no matter who tries to flag me off it, and take more time to smell the roses..and the variety that I like. I guess to summarize: Wag more, bark less.

I plan on giving a thumbs up each month for various products out there. We all get sucked into advertisements. If I can save someone dissappointment and money, I'm all for it.

Some of my  "Loved it" products for 2010:
Yoplait Smoothy Mixes
Covergirl Color Stay Lip Color
Bounce Dryer Bars (love not putting sheets in and then having them stick to the laundry after!)

Hated It items:
Falsies mascara by Maybelline..(It did not make my boobs look bigger at all-kidding, but it was too gloopy)

Happy 2011.
-Sand

Hopefully Glue and Flint are soon to follow with a post too!