Break the Cycle

What a wonderful summer we had !!  Filled with swim meets, and a couple vacations as well.  Too many pictures to share, and most of my friends are on Facebook anyway - so they've already seen them.   Trying really hard to get organized for the new school year.  Menu has been planned - and so far I've made a few new dishes.   The Puff Pastry Spinach Cups - simple and fast, and the kids LOVED it - so another way to get a veggie into them.  Next time I'll try making more cups outta the dough - maybe use a mini muffin tin.  Recipe below.  I also tried a new lemon/butter Cod recipe - good except too much lemon for me - so I'll keep looking.  Last night we had beef tortillas in the crock - again good, but not great.  The hubster is taking all the leftover sauce to cook with for his workers - so tonight it'll be Moroccan chicken (supposedly)  I do have to take the girls out school shopping - tomorrow's the first day .... where di...

I wanted a Vitamix for years and years.  They are expensive !  I had a hard time spending that kind of money on an appliance I wasn't sure I would use.  Then - my MIL got sick, and the hubster took one to her, made her smoothies every day, and within a week, she got her strength back.  That was all it took - he called me and told me to order the one I wanted (which was even more expensive, because if I was going to order the Vitamix, I wanted the one I could grind my own wheat with, so I could bake my own bread, and be as natural as possible.  Vitamix Professional Series 750 with 64 oz container, Brushed Stainless Finish This is the one I got - the Vitamix $750.  I found a deal around Christmas time where they had the extra jars for $50 - so I got an extra dry jar as well (I've heard you can use your wet jar, but it'll scratch up the inside of the jar - figured it was worth the extra $50) I love it.  I use it at LEAST once a day.  I make the ...

Most of my swimming posts are about my super swimmer - Leenah.  But my son may have some dreams of greatness of his own.  Somehow Leenah convinced him that he could make a Junior Olympic time - and that we could all go to Penn State this summer (She will age up before the next summer JO's - so she cannot compete there anymore)   He came out and went off the blocks with every intention of trying to make it.  And he came close.  Closer than I ever thought he'd get.  He lost time in every event he swam.  I'm not sure which I was more impressed with, his 5 second lost on his 50 free with a perfect flip turn, his 7 second loss with his 50 back, with another perfect turn, or his 12 second loss on his 100 free - and he swam with purpose every stroke, and when his coaches told him to kick, he kicked his little heart out.  He was amazing.  There isn't a prouder mother in the entire world today.  This little man, born at only 23 weeks, was ...

From All Recipes 2 pounds cubed stew meat 2 cans Condensed Golden Mushroom Soup 1 largish onion diced 2-3-4 tabls of Worcestershire 1/2 water 8 oz of cream cheese couple of dashes of Garlic Salt couple dashes of Hot Paprika (see I just can't believe this would be good without some sort of kick) In the slow cooker stir in all the ingredients, except the meat AND the Cream Cheese, together. Once combined add the meat and mix together. Cook on Low for 8 hours. Cut up the cream cheese into cubes just before serving and turn crockpot on high. Stir the cream cheese in until all combined. You might have to put the lid back on and leave for 10 minutes. Serve over egg noodles. Or mashed potatoes, I won't tell anyone but I would really like to not be alone in this.