Halloween Rant

Boo!

Yep! And I prefer the pumpkin to the jack-o-lantern, don't you?

When I checked my FB feed this morning, it was saturated with many of my FB friends in costume with their littler ones OR photos of their Dorothy's, Batman's and dinosaurs in parades and at school lunches and church gatherings.

Can I just say, "I AM SO HAPPY I AM DONE WITH ALL OF THAT!" and not sound like a witch? 

I mean, I'm beyond thrilled. No sugar cookie bats and cats I have to decorate for a second grade class; no Halloween parade I have to attend to take photos of my kids and their friends; no pumpkins I have to carve; no walking through the neighborhood with kids helping them not trip and lose their stashes; no answering the door, even.

Yep, that's right...and I might not even put the ubiquitous bowl out for trick or treaters that says, "Take One," while I secretly watch shows on the DVR with lights out and curtains closed.

This year my seventh grader has made her costume at a friends and will be traipsing her way around that neighborhood and my high schooler will probably "hang" at a friend's house or crouch in his gaming chair and play video games all night.

It would be the PERFECT opportunity to go out to dinner with my husband...or stay in my pajamas and hide!

However, for me, I am done, finished, kaput and I don't feel bad about it AT ALL!

If you're here with me, enjoy! And if you're not, don't worry, you'll be here soon enough. In the meantime, absorb the moment because the excitability and enthusiasm a child feels at Halloween is priceless...like one big sugar rush. 

Boo!

Until next time...

Let's connect on Google + or on FB at https://www.facebook.com/monicawritesblogspot/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

 



What's for Dinner?

BBQ Pulled Pork

crock-pot, gluten-free, easy 1.2.3

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich with lettuce and avocado

I spent $9.00 for a bone in pork shoulder last week and decided to get out the ever-faithful crock-pot. After 4-6 hours, I ended up with a subtly sweet and tender barbecue. This is NOT too spicy; but I like to eat my barbecue with something cooling anyway, like avocado or homemade slaw. This gave us plenty of meat for leftovers and two distinct meals. WINNER in cost, flavor, and efficiency! Hope you give it a try.

What You Need

Bone in pork shoulder

McCormick Slow Cookers BBQ Pulled Pork Gluten-Free seasoning packet

Vinegar

Sugar

Ketchup

How To Prepare

Place pork in slow cooker. Turn dial to high for a cook time of 4 hours OR low for a cook time of 6 hours. NOTE:  I tried both ways and found that the pork was much more tender when cooked on low. The McCormick seasoning packet will ask you to mix the seasoning with ketchup, brown sugar (I used white sugar one time and honey the other because I didn't have brown) and vinegar (I used apple cider). Mix the ingredients and pour over pork. 

Let cook! THE SMELL IS SO INVITING.

Meat is done when it gently separates. Eat right away and serve on a sandwich or with sides.

TIPS: 1. Don't cut off most of the fat before cooking because the meat will end up on the dry side.
2. If you want to reduce the amount of fat, pour sauce and meat into a container and place in the refrigerator over night. The next day, skim off the top layer. Enjoy!

Finished product in crock-pot

Great recipe with multiple options to please your family. 

Connect with Me

Thanks for following me on Google+ or on FB https://www.facebook.com/monicawritesblogspot?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

Please let me hear from you!

Drink Your Pumpkin?

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

packed full of protein, fiber, essential fatty acids, vitamin A...

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie for Fall Fitness

On FB last week, an acquaintance posted this pic and recipe. It seemed perfect for the blog. Now, I haven't tried it but I trust this gal enough to figure she's got good taste. She's also incredibly fit, even though she's the mom to four kiddos, and so I can guarantee she cares about what she puts in her body. Let's give it a try together!

What You Need

1 1/2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 cup canned organic pumpkin
1 T ground flax seed
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1/2 t minced ginger
3 dates
plain green yogurt (optional)

Tips for Making

The recipe above is what is shown in the photo. Here are a few thoughts I have on the recipe. If you don't have cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger separately; substitute 1/2 t pumpkin pie spice, and if you need to add more to suit your taste, then do. The dates are to add sweetness and the yogurt is for added protein. As with anything, adjust to your taste. If you don't find this sweet enough, use sweetened almond milk, instead of unsweetened; use vanilla yogurt, instead of plain; add more dates; or add a banana or raw honey.

It's time to drink in fall!

Thanks to the Jeffers clan for this recipe. Nicole, besides making nutritious, delicious recipes for us to try, sells Rodan and Fields skincare products. You can visit her at www.njeffers.myrandf.com

Let's Connect

I'm looking forward to creating a board on Pinterest. In the meantime, please "Like" my FB page at https://www.facebook.com/monicawritesblogspot?ref=aymt_homepage_panel and continue to share the blog. I really appreciate your support!

Until next time...

Falls off the Bone

No Joke Crock-Pot Roasted Chicken

forget Rotisserie...

This chicken falls off the bone. Who knew you could cook chicken in the crock pot like this?

Greek philosopher, Plato, is famously quoted as saying, "Necessity is the mother of invention," and boy is he right. I had this half chicken in the fridge, preparing to oven roast it for dinner when work called and I had to change plans QUICKLY. I visited Pinterest, to which I am a newbie, and searched for "roasting chickens in crock pot" and, of course, more than I could mentally digest, appeared before my eyes. After reading a few pins, the gist seemed to be the same. So I took the plunge and Voila!...SUCH AN EASY WAY TO HAVE ROTISSERIE CHICKEN. For some reason, I'm still always shocked when things turn out better than I imagined or even work at all. Because in all seriousness, life can be pretty darn disappointing at times; so when even the simplest thing works, it's like "Hallelujah!"

What You Need:

1/2 or a whole chicken

Herb ox chicken bouillon powder

Oil of choice

Chicken on top of foil with oil and seasoning

How To Prepare:

In order to cook this correctly, you want the chicken lifted off of the bottom of the pot. Some people add layers of vegetables or add a rack. I loosely balled up pieces of foil and placed the chicken on top. If you have a whole chicken, remember to remove the innards. Drizzle oil over chicken, approximately 1 tablespoon for half a chicken. Sprinkle whatever herbs and seasonings you'd like. I used bouillon powder (MSG and Gluten-free) and it added a savory and subtle taste. Cook on low for 3 1/2 to 4 hours or until chicken is done and easily pulls away from bone. If you use a whole chicken, expect time to be doubled.

Serve with your favorite sides. We had yeast rolls and pasta and vegetables in a garlic/butter sauce courtesy of Birdseye foods!

This recipe allows you to end up with rotisserie quality chicken and be gone all day. It also allows you to know exactly what's on your chicken...important for people with food allergies or sensitivities.

And whatever you do, don't throw away the juice. Serve it over the chicken; use as the base for gravy; or add it to your next soup endeavor.

Let me know what you think. It's NO JOKE! This recipe is a keeper.

Let's Connect...

Visit me on FB at https://www.facebook.com/monicawritesblogspot?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

Plant Spring Bulbs NOW

Garden & Gracie

"Here's to Dogs and Digging"

The finished product.  All of the beauty is underground!

Yesterday was a perfect fall day in Maryland for planting spring bulbs. Many people think of spring as the time to plant flowers - and that's true for some perennials, almost all annuals, and fruit and vegetable seeds. 

But fall is actually the best time to plant trees and shrubs and most perennials (plus, most garden stores have them heavily discounted to make way for pumpkins, mums and, soon, Christmas trees and greenery.) It's also the ONLY time to plant bulbs that emerge in spring in the zone I live in - zone 7.

These are a few of the bulbs you'd plant this time of year:

• crocus
• hyacinth
• daffodil (or as my grandmother called them, jonquil)
• tulip
• iris
• lily

You can get bulbs at most home improvement or gardening stores. I've always had luck ordering mine through Breck's and Spring Hill Nursery. The 35 bulbs arrived last week and instructions said they must be planted ASAP...yikes! And so even though my shoulders, back, and neck were achy, I schlepped myself outside, grabbed the shovel and started digging.

Look what I found:

Earthworm!!! I LOVE earthworms and if you see these in your soil, then you've got black gold.

 Here's the trough for the Dutch Iris bulbs. Directions called for a depth of 4 inches and a spacing of 3 inches. Rule of green thumb: Depth is important because not only does it give the bulb the necessary amount of soil insulation during winter, but it also ensures that when the plant grows, it stays upright and doesn't droop. We don't want droopy flowers. However, from experience, I don't find the spacing that important; in fact, I prefer the clustered, meadow or cottage look. So, I often will plant them closer together than the instructions recommend.

Plant deep enough. Fill soil back in so there are no air pockets and then provide ample water.

Water is key! Unless Mother Nature is helping you out daily, it's a good idea to water your newly planted bulbs for several days in a row and periodically after that. Compost is always helpful.

In the spring, I'll have these:

This is a photo taken from the Breck catalog. 

Here are some links to help you. I'd love to see your photos so please leave a comment. Listen, even if you think you will kill anything live...give yourself a chance! I promise, if the plant doesn't make it, it will forgive you and you are only out a bit of money.  Gardening is a great type of exercise and breathing in the fresh air is good for your lungs and soul.

I'm giving you a green thumbs up!

I tried to smile and wave, but it looked like I was drunk. This will have to do.

Please LIKE and SHARE with me on FB:

https://www.facebook.com/monicawritesblogspot?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

www.brecks.com (major deals on bulbs)

www.springhillnursery.com (major deals on plants plus an online zone finder)

Homemade Gluten-Free Gnocchi

with Grass-fed Lamb and Beef Meatballs

Three years ago, I worked as an aide for two 8th grade autistic boys. For two hours every day, I would accompany and help them navigate their encore classes, aka electives. There were some rough times, but there definitely were lots of good times, too. We all learned a lot from each other.

One of the encores the boys took was FACS, Family and Consumer Science...what we called Home Ec. However, this was not the Home Ec of the eighties; these kitchens were nicer than mine and one of the many healthy dishes the boys learned to make was HOME MADE PASTA. Yes, you read that right. The instructor was Italian and explained that this would be perfect for the students to make at college with their homemade marinara sauce.  I had to laugh inside my head...really, homemade fettuccine? Awesome, yes. However, I think ramen noodles will still be the college go-to food.

The only other person I've ever met to make homemade pasta is my neighbor down the street. She posted a photo of the meal she made for her children and husband on Facebook the other night and immediately the alarm went off, "Blog, blog, must share on blog." Luckily, for us, she's a very nice lady and has shared her recipe with us. 

So let's enjoy! And this will be my first time making homemade gnocchi.

What You Need

1 cup Ricotta Cheese
1 cup Gluten-free Flour (she used Krusteaz brand)
1 T Parmesan Cheese
1 t Sea Salt
2 t Olive Oil
1/2 Onion
1-2 Crushed Garlic Cloves
Italian Spices to taste

How To Prepare

Mix, by hand,  ricotta cheese, flour, parmesan and salt in bowl. Divide dough into 3 sections, roll out, and cut into about 1 1/2 inch gnocchi. Then roll slightly to round the edges. Boil water, add a dash of salt, and add gnocchi. Pasta is ready when it floats to the top.

Saute garlic, onion and spices in olive oil. When onions have softened some, add gnocchi and saute for a few minutes.

Serve with your favorite recipe of meatballs and tomato sauce. My neighbor likes to use the meatball recipe in this cookbook, Down South Paleo. This cookbook offers delicious recipes for those with food sensitivity issues.
http://predominantlypaleo.com/down-south-paleo/

I hope you enjoy as much as I did! Thanks, April! 

Please visit me on FB at https://www.facebook.com/monicawritesblogspot?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

Share with friends, family, co-workers and Buon Appetito!

Sweet Sausage & Butternut Squash Chili*

Oh. My. Goodness.

This is the best chili I.Have.Ever.Made.Seriously. AND it's my recipe...a creation of culinary genius. Okay, I wouldn't go that far, but this recipe is like one of those days where everything falls into place and you're simply gliding. You know when you have an idea, a hunch and it seems perfect in your thoughts...but, oftentimes, between the idea to manifestation that perfectness gets realicized (yes, I just made that up) and well, the result is disappointing. This recipe was NOT one of those moments and that's just one reason I'm so pumped to share it with you. Because it also tastes delish and is very healthy!

When I was growing up, chili consisted of canned tomatoes; chili powder; water; onion; kidney beans and ground beef. We'd eat it with saltines and butter. It was okay, but not my favorite by any means and now I realize why. First, ground beef has never been my favorite meat choice. Second, the spiciness upset my stomach. And finally, the kidney beans were too dry of a bean for my preference.

So, how did this recipe come about? I was grocery shopping on Sunday and realized I had a packet of chili mix at home. It was wet, windy and cold Joaquin weather. Naturally, chili seemed appropriate, even though no one in my family likes beans except for me. I saw butternut squash and every time fall lands, I buy butternut squash. Now, I don't always get around to cooking it, but that's a different story. As I was walking down the meat aisle, I saw organic sweet italian sausage 30% off and figured that could be the meat for my chili. 

This is what you're about to savor:

See the squash, sausage, and other goodies? I know, the photo is upside down. Still working on those skills.

What You Need  (serves 2)

2 links sweet pork sausage

1/2 butternut squash

1/2 small onion

small crown brocolli

1 packet McCormick's chili seasoning mix packet

1 can small red beans

1 can chopped tomatoes

1 t olive oil

water 

How To Prepare

Preheat oven to 375 for squash. Add sausage to a saucepan with enough water to boil on high for about 10 minutes per side, or until almost thoroughly cooked. Chop sausage into bite-size slivers or chunks. Place squash, flesh size down, on a cooking sheet with enough water so squash doesn't burn. Cook until you can stick a fork or knife through the thickest part, approximately 45 minutes. Dice onion and broccoli florets. Place sausage chunks, onion, broccoli, seasoning, rinsed beans, tomatoes, oil and water in soup pan. When squash is done baking, cut into bite-size chunks and add to pan.

Cook on medium-high heat for 40 minutes or until broccoli and sausage are thoroughly cooked.

Serve with toppings of plain yogurt, shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips or just by itself. Would be wonderful with a side of cornbread.

*Gluten, nut, egg, dairy free. Omit sausage for vegetarian option.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did. Great as a leftover, too. As always, please comment and let me know how you liked it and how you topped it. Also, visit me on FB at https://www.facebook.com/monicawritesblogspot?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

Please share with friends! A budding blogger needs all the help she can get.

Until next time...