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Showing posts with label dinner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dinner. Show all posts
Friday, March 30, 2012
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
dinner tonight
Everyone knows that I don't cook. Mike cooks.
I do know how to do a few easy things -- like French Toast, egg salad and this pasta with tomatoes and feta that everyone (but my husband) likes.
The kids got Mike an oversized slow cooker for his birthday, but I have been the one trying it out. I've been looking up recipes, and I have tried a couple of them out --
but I have made this one three times now since everybody loves it.
I do have to mention, I also don't like to change things around too much. When I try a recipe, I follow it. I like to measure things and to be exact (might be why I enjoy baking...)
Mike likes to change things around. He wanted to add bell peppers to it, but I am sticking to this. He can try his bell peppers when he makes it!
I got this slow cooker recipe on eatingwell.com
But I even double this.
(we are are always feeding 7 people + another kid or 2 sleeping over on weekends)
Wine, Tomato & Chicken Recipe
Cook bacon over medium heat until crispy.
*I don't even like bacon, but I add it
-- Oh and one of the reasons I don't cook... Mike watches me and is sort of antsy, wanting to just take over.
hmmmph
So I let him make up the bacon this time and chop onions. He was happy.
Put the bacon on a paper towel to cool and drain. Save about 2 tbsp of oil in the pan.
Add the onions and cook 5 minutes or so until they are soft.
Then put in the garlic, thyme, fennel seeds, pepper and the bay leaf and cook for a minute.
Add the wine and bring to a boil for about two minutes (keep stirring and all)
Add the tomatoes with their juice -- and then the salt.
Place the chicken in the crock pot and sprinkle on the bacon -- I do more than one layer, and have been just putting the bacon on top of each layer.
Pour the tomatoes, etc over the chicken and put on the cover
Cook 3 hours on high or 6 hour on low.
We eat it over rice and have never had leftovers!
Smells good!!!
We've got an hour to go ~
I do know how to do a few easy things -- like French Toast, egg salad and this pasta with tomatoes and feta that everyone (but my husband) likes.
The kids got Mike an oversized slow cooker for his birthday, but I have been the one trying it out. I've been looking up recipes, and I have tried a couple of them out --
but I have made this one three times now since everybody loves it.
I do have to mention, I also don't like to change things around too much. When I try a recipe, I follow it. I like to measure things and to be exact (might be why I enjoy baking...)
Mike likes to change things around. He wanted to add bell peppers to it, but I am sticking to this. He can try his bell peppers when he makes it!
I got this slow cooker recipe on eatingwell.com
But I even double this.
(we are are always feeding 7 people + another kid or 2 sleeping over on weekends)
Wine, Tomato & Chicken Recipe
- 4 slices of bacon
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced -- or chopped as small as you can to hide from the kids that say they don't like onions, but eat them all the time
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup white wine
- 1-28oz can diced tomatoes -- I've tried 3 different flavors so far, the one with garlic is good, but the plain one was too
- 1 tsp salt
- 10 bone in skinless chicken thighs
Cook bacon over medium heat until crispy.
*I don't even like bacon, but I add it
-- Oh and one of the reasons I don't cook... Mike watches me and is sort of antsy, wanting to just take over.
hmmmph
So I let him make up the bacon this time and chop onions. He was happy.
Put the bacon on a paper towel to cool and drain. Save about 2 tbsp of oil in the pan.
Add the onions and cook 5 minutes or so until they are soft.
Then put in the garlic, thyme, fennel seeds, pepper and the bay leaf and cook for a minute.
Add the wine and bring to a boil for about two minutes (keep stirring and all)
Add the tomatoes with their juice -- and then the salt.
Place the chicken in the crock pot and sprinkle on the bacon -- I do more than one layer, and have been just putting the bacon on top of each layer.
Pour the tomatoes, etc over the chicken and put on the cover
Cook 3 hours on high or 6 hour on low.
We eat it over rice and have never had leftovers!
Smells good!!!
We've got an hour to go ~
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
lucky girl
I know I am spoiled.
I have the family I always dreamed of having and I sing praises about my kids all the time. I don't often brag about my husband.
('cause I'm spoiled)
I know people claim that they married their best friend, but I really did.
We spend all our time together and we never argue. I mean ALL our time -- I might stay home, like right now, and he will pick up one of the kids from school, but that is pretty much the only time we are not together.
We have had exactly one fight. It was about 8 years ago and I was completely justified in being angry.
He gets up early with DJ and gets him to school. This seems fairly easy, but it is actually, huge. DJ is the only 'morning' person in our family and is really happy to start his day. He is even happier to spend this time with his Dad. You know, one on one guy time.
This allows me to sleep in with the baby.
Then he drives the girls to school.
He lets me organize everything, so he drives us to the market or soccer practice or just to the park to play -- wherever I have mapped out where we need to be that day.
And he cooks for us all. And does the menu, so all the shopping at the market too.
(spoiled)
I am sure that I must annoy him at times, and it drives me nuts when he gets crumbs on the bed, but it's almost weird that we get along so well.
(could be 'cause I'm spoiled)
He doesn't have a typical male ego, so I never worry about stepping on it.
He is romantic without thinking he is.
He puts all of us before himself.
He makes me feel safe -- and that all the children are safe.
I am always myself with him.
So, Happy Anniversary to my wonderful husband!
I am one lucky girl.
I have the family I always dreamed of having and I sing praises about my kids all the time. I don't often brag about my husband.
('cause I'm spoiled)
I know people claim that they married their best friend, but I really did.
We spend all our time together and we never argue. I mean ALL our time -- I might stay home, like right now, and he will pick up one of the kids from school, but that is pretty much the only time we are not together.
We have had exactly one fight. It was about 8 years ago and I was completely justified in being angry.
He gets up early with DJ and gets him to school. This seems fairly easy, but it is actually, huge. DJ is the only 'morning' person in our family and is really happy to start his day. He is even happier to spend this time with his Dad. You know, one on one guy time.
This allows me to sleep in with the baby.
Then he drives the girls to school.
He lets me organize everything, so he drives us to the market or soccer practice or just to the park to play -- wherever I have mapped out where we need to be that day.
And he cooks for us all. And does the menu, so all the shopping at the market too.
(spoiled)
I am sure that I must annoy him at times, and it drives me nuts when he gets crumbs on the bed, but it's almost weird that we get along so well.
(could be 'cause I'm spoiled)
He doesn't have a typical male ego, so I never worry about stepping on it.
He is romantic without thinking he is.
He puts all of us before himself.
He makes me feel safe -- and that all the children are safe.
I am always myself with him.
So, Happy Anniversary to my wonderful husband!
I am one lucky girl.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
dinner
Let me start by saying, yes, I know I am spoiled.
One of the reasons being, that my husband makes dinner every night.
Mike is a great cook. The man can make anything. He is the guy that everyone says should open his own place -- mainly so they can eat his food whenever they like, I'm sure. Seriously, we invite people over for a kids birthday party and the first thing they ask is "What is Mike making?"
{sigh}
That alone could make the argument for me not to make dinner.
Me, I like to bake. I like following instructions and measuring ingredients and having it all come out great.
I do not like having to guess when a hamburger or chicken or steak is cooked through. I can do it, but it's mostly just comical because it really stresses me out. It's even funnier watching me attempt to flip an egg, but I don't even try that any more.
Mike makes things like ribs (with his own BBQ sauce) and garlic bread. Tacos and Mexican casserole. Prime rib and roasted potatoes. He makes turkey in a citrus brine that is the best ever. He makes burritos. He makes shrimp salad with his own Louie dressing. Oh, and he makes his own mustard.
I can't compete with that.
I make pasta.
I do have to give myself a little credit and say that when I do make the things I know how to make, they come out pretty good, but the list is short and it does contain mostly pasta dishes.
None of this is why he does all the cooking.
This is why:
Me, chopping basil or something.
Mike, leaning on the counter watching me. You can tell he wants to say something, but being a thoughtful man, he doesn't say a word -- for a full 30 seconds.
Mike, "Do you want me to do that for you?"
Me, "Am I doing it wrong?"
Mike, "No, not at all. I just want to make it easier for you."
Imagine years of this. I'm not doing it the wrong way, but I don't believe he thinks I am doing it the right way either.
So yeah, the kids never ask me what's for dinner. They do ask, "What is Dad making for dinner?" the minute they get home from school and even though it's not always ribs, all of them are usually happy about whatever he makes.
Well, except Paige, but that is another story.
One of the reasons being, that my husband makes dinner every night.
Mike is a great cook. The man can make anything. He is the guy that everyone says should open his own place -- mainly so they can eat his food whenever they like, I'm sure. Seriously, we invite people over for a kids birthday party and the first thing they ask is "What is Mike making?"
{sigh}
That alone could make the argument for me not to make dinner.
Me, I like to bake. I like following instructions and measuring ingredients and having it all come out great.
I do not like having to guess when a hamburger or chicken or steak is cooked through. I can do it, but it's mostly just comical because it really stresses me out. It's even funnier watching me attempt to flip an egg, but I don't even try that any more.
Mike makes things like ribs (with his own BBQ sauce) and garlic bread. Tacos and Mexican casserole. Prime rib and roasted potatoes. He makes turkey in a citrus brine that is the best ever. He makes burritos. He makes shrimp salad with his own Louie dressing. Oh, and he makes his own mustard.
I can't compete with that.
I make pasta.
I do have to give myself a little credit and say that when I do make the things I know how to make, they come out pretty good, but the list is short and it does contain mostly pasta dishes.
None of this is why he does all the cooking.
This is why:
Me, chopping basil or something.
Mike, leaning on the counter watching me. You can tell he wants to say something, but being a thoughtful man, he doesn't say a word -- for a full 30 seconds.
Mike, "Do you want me to do that for you?"
Me, "Am I doing it wrong?"
Mike, "No, not at all. I just want to make it easier for you."
Imagine years of this. I'm not doing it the wrong way, but I don't believe he thinks I am doing it the right way either.
So yeah, the kids never ask me what's for dinner. They do ask, "What is Dad making for dinner?" the minute they get home from school and even though it's not always ribs, all of them are usually happy about whatever he makes.
Well, except Paige, but that is another story.
Monday, February 14, 2011
mama's HALF birthday
The day has always been a kinda funny one for me. It is my half birthday and I used to make everyone celebrate that instead of Valentine's Day. I even used to count down the days... I was very serious about the whole thing. Also, my grandmother, who I was especially close to, died on Valentine's Day. So really, the day has never been a romantic one for me. I do however, enjoy it as a kid day and a sort of special "we love each other" family day.
I was the first girl that Mike ever gave flowers to, so I really get a thrill when he gets them for me. I woke up this morning to a bouquet for me and one for each of the girls, along with stuffed animals for each of us. So cute! All this from the guy who even now thinks Valentine's Day is just a made up "Hallmark" holiday. He says this, but has been bringing us home Valentine treats for the last two weeks -- chocolate hearts on a stick, heat shaped cups, stuffed animals... He claims it is a *girl* holiday and tells DJ that boys shouldn't expect anything but they need to make a *big deal* about it just to make us happy. lol
I've always liked to help the kids to make their Valentine cards to pass out, I even have a craft box devoted to felt shaped hearts and red glitter glue. But now the big kids don't give them out anymore at school and Kelly's preschool doesn't do anything formal :( So instead, I took the idea from my sister-in-law and made crayon hearts with all the kids over the last weekend. We had so much fun peeling the paper off the crayons and they came out super cute! So cute, Mikey took a bite out of one and Grandpa came home and thought they were a baked treat -- got to warn him in time, but I will be saving the one that Mikey took a bite out of! Kelly just passed them out to friends as we were leaving her school, but she was super thrilled to be doing it.
DJ's school had a lunch time party, so he and I made these great peanut butter cookies for him to bring for his class. He was so excited about them, he left them by the front door! We had to bring them to him after dropping the girls off at their schools.
Mike took Mikey and I out to breakfast after dropping everyone else off at school and I (sort of) reciprocated by making dinner. I hardly EVER make dinner. I made spaghetti and meatballs, using the meatballs that Mike made the day before and he made the garlic bread (ha! ha! I had garlic bread -- to all of you that have had Mike's garlic bread) but it totally counts as me having made dinner!
All in all, a pretty mellow Valentine's Day. Can't wait until next year -- Kelly will be in Kindergarten and I will get to play in my Valentine craft box!
I was the first girl that Mike ever gave flowers to, so I really get a thrill when he gets them for me. I woke up this morning to a bouquet for me and one for each of the girls, along with stuffed animals for each of us. So cute! All this from the guy who even now thinks Valentine's Day is just a made up "Hallmark" holiday. He says this, but has been bringing us home Valentine treats for the last two weeks -- chocolate hearts on a stick, heat shaped cups, stuffed animals... He claims it is a *girl* holiday and tells DJ that boys shouldn't expect anything but they need to make a *big deal* about it just to make us happy. lol
I've always liked to help the kids to make their Valentine cards to pass out, I even have a craft box devoted to felt shaped hearts and red glitter glue. But now the big kids don't give them out anymore at school and Kelly's preschool doesn't do anything formal :( So instead, I took the idea from my sister-in-law and made crayon hearts with all the kids over the last weekend. We had so much fun peeling the paper off the crayons and they came out super cute! So cute, Mikey took a bite out of one and Grandpa came home and thought they were a baked treat -- got to warn him in time, but I will be saving the one that Mikey took a bite out of! Kelly just passed them out to friends as we were leaving her school, but she was super thrilled to be doing it.
DJ's school had a lunch time party, so he and I made these great peanut butter cookies for him to bring for his class. He was so excited about them, he left them by the front door! We had to bring them to him after dropping the girls off at their schools.
Mike took Mikey and I out to breakfast after dropping everyone else off at school and I (sort of) reciprocated by making dinner. I hardly EVER make dinner. I made spaghetti and meatballs, using the meatballs that Mike made the day before and he made the garlic bread (ha! ha! I had garlic bread -- to all of you that have had Mike's garlic bread) but it totally counts as me having made dinner!
All in all, a pretty mellow Valentine's Day. Can't wait until next year -- Kelly will be in Kindergarten and I will get to play in my Valentine craft box!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
La Familia
I met my husband Mike when he was in the 8th grade. He went by Mikey then -- yes, I am a couple years older (26 months!) and even I still called him Mikey until after DJ was born. Now he is Daddy and "Daaaad!!!" to the whole crew. Mike played football in HS and college and still holds records for it in the city.
I don't know anything about football.
I was an Army Brat. Moved to San Francisco when I was 13, so I started high school here. I am crazy about my kids and head over heels in love with my husband. I like to garden, but I am not very good at it, I love to read and I am obsessed with taking pictures of the kids. I post them on Picasa http://picasaweb.google.com/carolaissa and I am usually more up to date on them, but I have felt very scattered lately.
As I finished the last sentence, the oldest one (Paige) came home from school with a migraine and as I was taking care of that situation -- since she can't go to her after school enrichment program, but we still need to give a ride to her friend -- Mikey, the baby, turned off my laptop and switched off the wireless connection. Meanwhile, daughter #2 (Kelly) is annoyed with me because I paused her show and can't seem to wait one second more for it to be turned back on. Mike is picking up DJ from school and now I am one-hand-typing trying to nurse the baby... This is it, this is my life.
I wouldn't change a thing.
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