Pork dinner with Mushroom gravy

The pork chops that usually go on sale are not the best cuts out there. However they can still be used to create great meals.

Peel and dice 4 or 5 good sized potatoes and start them to boil.
I chose fresh broccoli as our other side dish, I cut up fresh broccoli and started it to boiling.

I took a family pack of the 1.00 a pound pork chops, trimmed off the fat and bones, and cut them into chunks.

Place them in a casserole dish. Mixed some gravy using 2 pks of pork gravy and 2pks of mushroom gravy following packet instructions. I chopped up some baby portabella mushrooms and added them to the gravy.

Pour the gravy on top of the chopped up pork chops and bake at 400 for about 20-30 minutes or until done. (the larger the pieces the longer it takes to cook)

Pull the Pork and gravy from the oven and set to cool.

Drain the Broccoli and add butter to season

Drain potatoes, put in about 1/2 a cup of milk as you mash them to make them creamy, add butter and seasonings to taste (I use Mrs. Dash garlic and herb) Hint potatoes are done when fork slides gently and easily through the potato.

                                                          Plate up and enjoy

                                                 (one of the kids plates)

Simple homemade bread

Ingredients
6 cups of flour (maybe more with dusting countertop)
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups water
2 packets rapid rise yeast

In a large bowl combine 3 cups of flour, 3 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp salt, 2 packets of yeast and mix gently

In another bowl combine 1/2 cup milk, 1 1/2 water, and 2 tbsp butter. Microwave for about 90 seconds until a thermometer reads between 117 and 125 degrees fahrenheit.

Pour combined liquids into the flour mixture and mix until completely mixed together. add flour by the half cup, mixing it in until it becomes a ball of dough. (I wear disposable gloves for this or hands get really gooey)

dust some flour on a clean counter space and kneed the dough. using the heel of your hand push down and away from you. pull the sides up and refold. repeat until the dough gets tight and no longer wants to stretch. press down lightly with 2 fingers if the dough regains the shape quickly its time to proof the bread. if not keep kneading.

Spray a clean large bowl with cooking spray and place the dough inside. cover the top with clear plastic and a tea towel. Let the dough rise for about 10 minutes or until it doubles (might take a little longer if the room is cold)

Pull the dough out of the bowl, Cut into two pieces, set one back in the bowl. dust the counter again with flour, using a rolling pin, roll the dough out in a rectangle shape.

Tightly roll it up, starting at the narrow end of the dough. once its fully rolled up pinch the ends to seal them.

Place the rolled dough in your Pre Sprayed  bread pans. Repeat for second half of dough.

Cover with plastic and tea towel, let rise 40 minutes. It will double in size again.

Bake at 400 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, using a thermometer check internal temp. should be 190 to 210 degrees.

Pull bread from the oven remove from baking pans. Place on cooling rack or on a clean towel.

Butter all of the outside of the bread while it is hot so it will absorb the flavor and soften the crust.

Let cool, slice and eat. If it is placed in a ziplock bag after it cools it will be good for about 3 days.

You can freeze it to preserver extra loaves for later when they will be needed.

24 Incredible Acts of Kindness to brighten your day

Having a Down Day

As everyone occasionally has, I am having a down day.

Feeling down and out emotionally. So it might be a little bit before the next recipe is posted.

Working on pulling myself up by watching my favorite shows, reading a good book in between them.

Jammed out to some great songs earlier as well. I will bounce back up. I always do.

See you soon, re energized, and thank you for supporting me and my writings.

Homemade Pot Pie

I found 10lb bags of chicken quarters on sale for 3.90 a bag!

Take 4 to 6 leg quarters place them in stock pot, fill with water to cover them plus a couple of inches.

I add seasonings a bay leaf, chicken Montreal, ms dash garlic and herb to the broth

Boil until meat is done, juices run clear when meat is stabbed with a fork.

Pull the meat from the pan and place in a bowl to cool before you debone the meat

Once the meat is deboned, chop it up and place it in casserole dish.

Using gravy packets, Make gravy using the leftover broth instead of water.

(you can skip all of the above if you are using a rotisserie chicken. simply debone, chop and place meat in the dish. Using can broth in place of water make gravy from chicken gravy packets)

Dump 2 cans of Mixed Veggies (drained) into dish with the meat. Pour on the gravy and mix well,

Place unrolled pie crust on top of the dish. Might take two crust if using casserole dish, it is OK if they overlap.

Bake according to pie crust instructions. Serve when done and enjoy a great throwback meal!!

Summer Chili

I call it summer chili because its meat and beans but no strong spice so you can eat this in the heat of summer and not lose 5lbs from sweating.

Soak pinto beans overnight to soften and prep the beans

In the morning drain and rinse the beans.

Place them in the crock pot and add water to a few inches above beans

Turn on high and let them go all day. about 3pm add packet of taco seasoning and any others you want to add.

Take a pound of hamburger meat and their are two ways you can go. You can add taco seasoning to the meat as it cooks or make burgers on the grill.

We made burgers on the grill, chopped them up and added them to the beans around 4pm.

When serving some shredded cheddar to it.

I served this with store bought cornbread and some fruit cocktail for dessert.

1lb pinto beans 1.00
hamburger meat 2.00
taco seasoning 2/1.00
corn bread 3.50
3 cans fruit cocktail 3.60
-------------------------------
11.60 fed 7 people some second helpings

Beef stew

I know, I know its summer, so why Beef stew? we have had a fun cold snap here. We actually wore long sleeves yesterday for warmth in West Texas.

Any hoo, Our stew meat is $7 and up here locally and I am feeding 7 people so that doesn't work. Instead I bought a 2 lb top round roast for 4.50 a pound.

My husband was kind enough to cut it up and get it started for me. add meat to 4-6 cups of water in a pan.

It has been slow cooking in a pan on med/lo, your knob will be at about the 9 o'clock position, for 4 hours.

1 tbsp each of salt and pepper to season.

Four hours into cooking the meat is fall apart tender so i add 1 pound of baby carrots.

In 30 minutes I will add cubed potatoes as well.
Cooking until a fork slides easily into both potatoes and carrots.
then serve

I made some rolls to go with it :) enjoy!

It's the Little things in Life that are Awesome!!

One of my favorite things to have for my home is Candles.

I love filling the room with comforting scents.

I tried a new company that hand makes some amazing hand poured Soy candles called

They put a piece of jewelry in a plastic baggie, wrap it in foil and its placed in the candle. Once you burn your candle far enough you get the prize! I got to pick what kind of jewelry I got and I was hooked!!

Now I am a Senior Sales Rep for the company!! I get to make extra money by introducing these Great candles to everyone else. www.LovingJic.com

They have so many scents, even men's scents with men's rings in them.

here is some pictures of the Jewelry found inside the tarts and candles

Want to order go to www.LovingJic.com want to become a rep and earn 30% commission go to https://www.jewelryincandles.com/store/edwardscandles/i/8/become-a-rep/ 

This is a business where My kids can work with me, I get whatever days or time off I need, No choosing between work and family!!

A Very Busy Week

I meant to post sooner than this but this week has flown by.

Tuesday both my husband and youngest son was sick with a head cold. it move into my husbands chest as well.(both are feeling better now)

Wednesday was payday for us. Spent the day paying bills and buying household supplies.

Thursday, we got our garden planted. I went shopping at a nearby little town to take advantage of their amazing meat specials.
4 ten pound bags of chicken quarters 3.90 each 40lbs for 15.96
2 hams 98 cents a pound cost me 18.41 for 19lbs
1 double pk pork butt roast 88 cents a pound i paid 16.30 for 18.5 pounds
10pks of hot dogs 69 cents each 6.90
---------------------------------------------------------
$57.00 for over 77 pounds of meat!!!!!

Friday we have helped family and made a quick run out of town to look for easter clothes for the kids.
Made enchilada's while I am baking two large batches of dinner rolls. I wanted to see how many a batch of dough would make.

Tomorrow I plan to cut a roast into stew meat. our roast was 4.00 a pound and stew meat was 7.00 a pound. lol so bought the roast to cut up and make my own. I am craving Beef tips and rice. I will take lots of pictures and post the recipe and how it turned out over the weekend.

Sunday we will have family time and an Easter Egg hunt. menu hasn't been decided yet for us. We are winging it.