Monday's Meal for Tuesday

I have been a blog slacker. Don't worry (all three of you), I have a real post coming soon!!! :) For now, here is a simple meal to make for the fam! Once again got it from The Kitchen Cafe and I LOVED it! My four year old actually prepared the whole meal. It is THAT easy.

Slow Cooker Southwest Chicken Stacks

2 cups frozen corn
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 large frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
1 1/2 cups salsa

Lightly grease the bottom and sides of the slow cooker. Pour frozen corn into the bottom of the slow cooker and place the frozen chicken breasts on top. Cover with beans and salsa. Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours. Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred with forks. Return to the slow cooker and stir until the chicken, corn, beans and salsa are combined.

Serve on a bed of tortilla chips and top with additional garnishes: lettuce, tomato, avocado, sour cream, cheese, cilantro, lime wedges, etc.

***I think it would also taste good wrapped in a tortilla. Maybe?

Housewife.

Housewife: ˈhau̇s-ˌwīf n., pl., -wives (-wīvz'). A woman who manages her own household as her main occupation.

The husband told me last week that if I was on American Idol, that is what would be put under my name. Wow! Really?! Housewife?! Not amazing mom?! or just PERFECT under my name?! When the heck did I get demoted to just housewife?! Now don't get me wrong. It's a fine title to have. Most days, I don't mind it. But last week, I think my title would have been schlump.

Schlump: A lazy, overweight, under- or unemployed, undesirable middle-aged man. Usually wears crappy clothing. Shaves infrequently. Has nonchalant attitude about everything.

Pretty much how I was last week. I was super lazy. My house rarely got picked up, I was SO ornery with the kids, and irritable at the husband. Dinner was at the bottom of my list. I think we had cereal three nights. And the others we ate out. Granted, I was fighting a sinus infection the first part of the week but still. The point of my post.

Being a housewife is a full time job (as most of you know). With little benefits and no pay. The work is the same day in and day out with a few exceptions. Like I said before, I don't mind being a housewife. And I love being a stay at home mom (mostly). I don't even have to go into details on what happens. I assume most of you know. But really?! Do the kids HAVE to bring all of their toys from their playroom into the living room?! I thought that is what the playroom is for right?! And the pressure I feel from the "boss" to make sure that the house is picked up and spotless. Not that he puts on pressure... I just feel like that is "my job" And it's not like I am going to get fired if their are army guys strewn around the house. Or if dinner is "late." Because what happens if he did fire me? NOTHING! The house would be even worse than what it looked like before I got fired! So, BRING IT ON!

Needless to say, sometimes being a housewife sucks. But being a Mom with the benefits of going to the park, swimming, or just hanging with friends works kind of outweighs scrubbing the toilets.... most days.

Church.

I am a church going girl. An every week church going girl. Even though I don't always want to. Well, most of the time I don't want to. But I go. Because I want blessings. It might be a little selfish, but it's true. Not that I don't believe in it.... I just don't have the attention span for it. Either do my kids. Most kids don't. ANYWAY!

Point A. The princess cries every week about not wanting to go to church (mind you, she doesn't hear me complaining), but she never "feels good" or whatever. Don't blame her really. But we make her go. Because it is the right thing to do.

Point B. My little boy decided to throw a full coloring book at an "older" lady (probably 45 but that is old in my ward) sitting behind us yesterday. It hit in her in the head. She didn't like that too much. I had to act mad, and then hide my face because I was trying not to laugh out loud. What kid just chucks a whole freaking book at someone? And then a crayon at another lady?! And a little horse in the girls curls in front of us?!

You might be wondering where we were the whole time?! I was up on the stand leading the music for one incident. And the rest, we were just sitting there trying to pay attention to the speakers. I took him out in the hall (after fighting with the husband who also wanted to take him out), but he thought it was just time to run around and hit the big Jesus pictures and kick the doors before I could get to him. What a little rascal. So, if you think your child is bad at church... I bet mine is worse.

Monday's Meal

Disclaimer: I got this recipe from My Kitchen Cafe:

Teriyaki Meatballs

*Makes about 16 meatballs

Meatballs:
2 pounds ground beef (at least 90% lean)
2 eggs
2/3 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons milk

Sauce:
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 3/4 cups water
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey

3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup cold water

For the sauce, in a medium bowl mix the soy sauce, 1 3/4 cups water, ginger, garlic powder, brown sugar, honey and cornstarch together. In a separate small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch into the 1/2 cup cold water. Set both bowls aside.

For the meatballs, in a large bowl, combine all the meatball ingredients except for the ground beef and mix well. Add the ground beef and mix until combined. Form ground beef mixture into 1 to 1 1/2-inch meatballs. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat two tablespoons oil over medium heat until the oil is rippling and hot. Add the meatballs to the hot skillet and brown on all sides, turning with a pair of tongs. The meatballs don’t need to be completely cooked through, just equally browned on all sides.

When the meatballs have browned, pour the sauce ingredients over the meatballs and gently turn the meatballs to coat them in the sauce. Heat the sauce until just simmering and add the cornstarch/water mixture, carefully mixing so as not to break apart the meatballs as you combine the cornstarch mixture with the teriyaki sauce. Simmer the meatballs and sauce over medium heat, maintaining a constant simmer but not cooking at too high of a boil, until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce is thick and smooth (if the sauce becomes overly thick, add a tablespoon of water at a time to thin), about 10-15 minutes, turning the meatballs every two or three minutes to ensure even cooking. Serve over rice or couscous.

These were simply amazing. I made them tonight for dinner and it will definitely be in my recipe rotation!!! So good... and fairly simple as well! Enjoy!

Dinner.

I have always thought that dinner time was a time to spend good quality time together as a family. Where we all gather around the table and share how our day has gone and such. This is how our dinners go almost every night. Jealous now!?


Yeah. Good day for her huh?!

Stretch marks.

Yes, yes, yes. It is time for me to rant about another body issue that I have. You're stoked right?! Just to know that I really am not as perfect as I seem!? So... from the title, you should know what I am going to moan about... A lot of people have them. Mainly women, but men, and even some teenagers if they grow too fast! (I try to make myself feel better about it). Either way, I am one of the unfortunate ones that have them. I got them two weeks before I gave birth to my first child. I thought I was free since I had made it 38 weeks without any. And then it started... the itching got worse and worse, and then I noticed that little red line right under the place where my belly button used to be. And then I noticed a few more the next couple of days, and well- you get the picture. And they hurt! I never thought they would hurt, but man did they hurt! I was pissed! (yes Mom, I know that didn't sound very lady like). If she only would have come two weeks early, I would have been SCAR FREE. But. She didn't. And now, I hate it. And I have this layer of fat in between my stomach muscles and skin, plus the stretched out skin (obviously I don't have much elasticity in it) and no matter how much weight I lose, it is ALWAYS there. ALWAYS... And kind of looks like cottage cheese. Is that WAY too much information!? Probably. At least you don't have to look at it. I am SO jealous of all of you women that have stretchy skin. I don't even want more kids, just for the fact that I don't want to think about what my skin will end up looking like... UGH.

Stretch marks SUCK.

Monday's Meal

Caramelized Chicken {Wings}

3 lbs chicken wings (or strips, breasts, whatev you like)
2 TBS olive oil
1/2 c. soy sauce
2 TBS ketchup
1 C. honey
2 tsp. minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Place chicken in 9x13 pan.
Mix all ingredients together and pour over chicken.
Bake for one hour, or until sauce is caramelized.

Serve with rice, potatoes, or veggies! Yum!

The age of the mini-van!

DISCLAIMER: I do not judge anyone for wanting, owning or inheriting a mini-van.


I have friends that drive mini-vans. My friends husbands drive mini-vans! And they LIKE it. I cannot even believe that I am old enough to consider driving a van. I remember the brown van that my parents used to drive. And we were so embarrassed to be seen in it, that we would slide down in our seats or pretend we were picking something up, when we drove by people we knew. Luckily, before we got too old, they upgraded to a van with tinted windows. But I remember having conversations with my friends that we wouldn't be caught dead in a mini-van. SUV's were just becoming popular, so we were for sure that we would all drive one.

Needless to say, most of them drive mini-vans. I am twenty seven. TWENTY SEVEN. That is WAY too young to be even considering a van. Old, soccer moms drive vans. Or so I thought. Until the Honda Odyssey arrived. And now, everyone drives a van. Honda's, Hyundai's, Mazda's, whatever kind of van there is. They have it. And don't look like total dorks. But once again, I AM TWENTY FREAKING SEVEN! When did it become cool to drive a minivan? Since they have automatic doors that open and close at the push of a button, they have DVD players, or a trunk that can store half of a grocery store in it!? Or is it because they have seats that go up, down, back, forward and around?! I am hoping that I will not resort to driving a van (no offense once again) cosidering I drive an "old school" SUV with enough seats to hold five possible children. But if I do... at least I'll be with the "in crowd."


-----Niece

Monday's Meal

Pasta Marinara w/Italian Veggies

1/2 c. Olive Oil
1/4 c. chopped onion
2 TBS. minced onion

Saute together until onions are clear.
Add:
1 tsp. each salt and sugar
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 TBS. dried basil
28 oz. can diced tomatoes
28 oz. can tomato puree

Stir and simmer for 15 minutes.

Italian Veggies (sauteed)

Red Peppers
Yellow Onion
Squash
Zucchini

Saute in a little bit of butter or olive oil.

Cook any type of noodles, add marinara and then top with veggies! So yummy.

***This sauce makes a ton, so you should be able to freeze half of it for quite awhile.

Anxiety.

I left town approximately 12 hours ago. I was ready to go home six hours after I left my destination. No joke. I know I'm a loser. The thing is, I love going on vacation. I love doing new things. Until I get to where I'm going and then I spaz out. I don't know why. But I do! I feel like I am suffocating and don't know which way to turn. I try to find every excuse to go home as quickly as possible. But I am rational enough to tell myself to relax and just have a good time. That the kids don't get out enough and to enjoy what we are doing. And I do. Until I think about Gavs missing his nap. Or them not getting to sleep in their bed at exactly 7:30. Or when my two year old throws a tantrum from HELL in the middle of a hospital parking lot, running from my car, almost getting hit by another, and then throwing himself to the asphalt like I am the worst mom EVER (maybe I am). When I get to our sleeping quarters, I unpack all of their bags, repack them, and then close them up for the night to do it all over again in the morning. Freak. I know. I should just up my anti-anxiety meds a few days before I know I am leaving town so I am the same "balanced" person I am at home (at least I think I'm balanced.) I envy any one that can just pick up and go and not think twice about it! I wish I could be you. Please, tell me how you do it. I am begging you! Or just go on vacation with my family, so I can stay home and be the "hermit" I love to be. Strange thing is... I am not home A TON when I am home. Man, I really am a loser. Is anyone else like this since they have had kids!? And how do I avoid not making my kids this way?!

-----Niece