Well, is it just me or has this week been a long week? It has certainly been very cold, does cold weather make the day seem longer? I know it makes the Nicor Gas bill bigger. The weather experts are hinting at better weather ahead. I heard the word fifties mentioned. If it hits the 50s, I think we'll see people breaking out their shorts and sandals! Not me though, I am in serious need of a pedicure before any sandals can be worn. My toes are still not the same since the Chicago Marathon back in October.
If you hear the wailing of schoolage children, it's probably mine. Our Cupboards are bare! What can they possibly eat for a a snack after school today! Does this happen often at your house? We *never* have anything to eat here at Casa Hamel. I'm fairly hopeful they will survive this afternoon since my mom sent us Cheryl's Cookies the best cookies every. Ahhh except Girl Scout Cookies of course! Feel free to contact Anna to find out where GS Cookies are available in your area.
Anna's Auntie K is coming over tomorrow night so I am going to pick up this month's wine from Coopershawk Winery in Orland and then I am going to test an entree for my Italian Feast with Tastefully Simple that is coming up a week from Sunday.
Here is what I will be trying out this Saturday:
Baked Pesto Rigatoni
Submitted by Rosemary (MN) HQ Resident Chef
Ingredients
1/2 lb. ground beef
3 Tbsp. Dried Tomato & Garlic Pesto Mix
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
8 oz. prepared rigatoni pasta
8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
Italian Garlic Bread Seasoning
Directions
Brown ground beef in large skillet until no longer pink; drain. Add next 2 ingredients; simmer 20 minutes. Stir prepared hot pasta into hot sauce; pour mixture into a greased casserole dish. Top pasta mixture with shredded cheese and Italian Garlic Bread Seasoning to taste. Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until cheese melts and is lightly browned. Makes 2-3 servings.
****Ooooo I think I found my other entree...and it's a slow cooker recipe!...even better!
Tuscan Chicken & Artichokes
Submitted by Rosemary (MN) HQ Resident Chef
Ingredients
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup Dried Tomato & Garlic Pesto Mix
28 oz. can crushed or diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup white wine (optional)
14.5 oz. can artichoke hearts, drained
Directions
Combine ingredients in a greased slow cooker. Heat on low 6-8 hours. Serve over angel hair pasta or rice. Makes 4-6 servings
Friday, February 11, 2011
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Superbowl Sunday
Snowing today. So not cool! Tom is one the phone worrying about his Mom and Dad. His mom just returned from a 4 day stint at the hospital where she had her gallbladder removed and is now on the phone because she feels Tom dad doesn't feel well. Yes things are back to usual.
Over here at our Casa I am looking forward to my Italian Feast & Wine Tasting Tastefully Simple Open House in a couple weeks. This means I have to test recipes. We don't have any wine for tasting, at present, but I did whip up a nice salad dressing with our Sensational Caesar Veggie Dip. So that will be on the menu.
As far as food here is what I made this afternoon:
I took some ground sirloin and cooked that & drained the oil & made:
1 cup prepared Trader Joe's Organic Quinoa, prepared w/chicken stock
Then in a pan I sauteed 1 thinly sliced shallot, 4 garlic cloves minced, & 1 red bell pepper sliced. After a couple mintues of cooking I added 2 diced plum tomatoes, 10 leaves of fresh basil chopped--along with the quinoa and ground beef. It needed some flavor so I added 1 tbsp of the TS Garlic Pepper Seasoning and sprinkled some TS Seasoned Salt.
It's a grey dreary cold day outside. Lucky for me Im not 100% filled with Seasonal Affect Disorder because I had a 2 days shot of dreams of spring and summer tastes at Tastefully Simple on Tour. All the delicious new products are still underwraps. I do think it's safe to say that Im looking forward to Fiestas!!!!!!
And Im so glad that the BLANK and the fBLANK and the awesome BLANK is coming back. It's going to be great. I can't wait!
How many days til spring? 42 more days ahhhhhhh 6 weeks? Hmm where is that darn groundhog???
Over here at our Casa I am looking forward to my Italian Feast & Wine Tasting Tastefully Simple Open House in a couple weeks. This means I have to test recipes. We don't have any wine for tasting, at present, but I did whip up a nice salad dressing with our Sensational Caesar Veggie Dip. So that will be on the menu.
As far as food here is what I made this afternoon:
I took some ground sirloin and cooked that & drained the oil & made:
1 cup prepared Trader Joe's Organic Quinoa, prepared w/chicken stock
Then in a pan I sauteed 1 thinly sliced shallot, 4 garlic cloves minced, & 1 red bell pepper sliced. After a couple mintues of cooking I added 2 diced plum tomatoes, 10 leaves of fresh basil chopped--along with the quinoa and ground beef. It needed some flavor so I added 1 tbsp of the TS Garlic Pepper Seasoning and sprinkled some TS Seasoned Salt.
It's a grey dreary cold day outside. Lucky for me Im not 100% filled with Seasonal Affect Disorder because I had a 2 days shot of dreams of spring and summer tastes at Tastefully Simple on Tour. All the delicious new products are still underwraps. I do think it's safe to say that Im looking forward to Fiestas!!!!!!
And Im so glad that the BLANK and the fBLANK and the awesome BLANK is coming back. It's going to be great. I can't wait!
How many days til spring? 42 more days ahhhhhhh 6 weeks? Hmm where is that darn groundhog???
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Blizzard 2011
I was all set to post some pics from the big blizzard yesterday and the day before, but for whatever reason Blogger isn't in the mood for pics. I'd try and figure out why it's not working but it's 1045 and I'm thinking I'll skip it for now.
It's a funny picture of anna becoming one with snow. I don't know exactly what she was trying to do. I think she was diving into the drift like into a wave at the beach.
Right now it's ridiculously cold and we have a ridiculous amount of snow piled all around everywhere, including where the turn lanes are located for most of the roads around here. All this snow snow snow has me looking very forward to going to the Tastefully Simple On Tour event tomorrow where they will be unveiling the Spring Summer line. You know what that means? Hours of people talking about Sunshine, Vacation, Grilling and Warmth.
Ah I can't wait. Now how long til Spring? 6 weeks and 4 days I believe. Maybe 6 weeks 3 days? In any case, I'll bask in the imagined glow of Sunshine 2morrow.
It's a funny picture of anna becoming one with snow. I don't know exactly what she was trying to do. I think she was diving into the drift like into a wave at the beach.
Right now it's ridiculously cold and we have a ridiculous amount of snow piled all around everywhere, including where the turn lanes are located for most of the roads around here. All this snow snow snow has me looking very forward to going to the Tastefully Simple On Tour event tomorrow where they will be unveiling the Spring Summer line. You know what that means? Hours of people talking about Sunshine, Vacation, Grilling and Warmth.
Ah I can't wait. Now how long til Spring? 6 weeks and 4 days I believe. Maybe 6 weeks 3 days? In any case, I'll bask in the imagined glow of Sunshine 2morrow.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Third Monday in January.
Turns out the 3rd Monday in January is also know as the most depressing day of the year. Shocked?
Ya me neither.
I had the day off work, so I spent the day cooking and cleaning. In retrospect, I should have skipped the cleaning and watched Love Actually. Since watching the Golden Globes last night and seeing Colin Firth win for The King's Speech, Im in the mood for a Colin Firth movie marathon and why not kick it off with Love Actually. Not only does it feature Colin Firth but also Liam Neeson, Hugh Grant AND Professor Snape. Yes I know, it's very strange that I harbor a crush on Professor Snape. But there it is.
And then were do we go from Love Actually ? Pride & Prejudice. Of course. Probably best to watch that a couple times---and then watch the 2005 version with *sigh* Matthew MacFayden. Now that would have been a proper way to spend my day off.
On the food side:
For dinner I had salad topped with shredded chicken cooked in the slow cooker yesterday. I took the chicken breasts and poured Corn & Black Bean Salsa over it and cook it on low all day & then shred the chicken. Then it is good in enchiladas, tacos or on salad. So Chicken Slow Cooked with Corn & Black Bean Salsa (from Tastefully Simple, natch.) on top of salad and then I topped it with light ranch dressing mixed with our Pomegrante Chipotle Sauce. You can't beat the smokey chipotle mixed with cook ranch.
Now in the Slow Cooker is a Spicy Seafood Stew. It's my first try on seafood stew, so I'll have to try it and then let you know if it is worth giving it a go!
Know anyone who needs Girl Scout Cookies? Yes Anna is on a mission to sell 125. I think she is 1/2 way there....
I've got this Spicy Seafood Stew going in the crockpot, let's see how that turns out
Ya me neither.
I had the day off work, so I spent the day cooking and cleaning. In retrospect, I should have skipped the cleaning and watched Love Actually. Since watching the Golden Globes last night and seeing Colin Firth win for The King's Speech, Im in the mood for a Colin Firth movie marathon and why not kick it off with Love Actually. Not only does it feature Colin Firth but also Liam Neeson, Hugh Grant AND Professor Snape. Yes I know, it's very strange that I harbor a crush on Professor Snape. But there it is.
And then were do we go from Love Actually ? Pride & Prejudice. Of course. Probably best to watch that a couple times---and then watch the 2005 version with *sigh* Matthew MacFayden. Now that would have been a proper way to spend my day off.
On the food side:
For dinner I had salad topped with shredded chicken cooked in the slow cooker yesterday. I took the chicken breasts and poured Corn & Black Bean Salsa over it and cook it on low all day & then shred the chicken. Then it is good in enchiladas, tacos or on salad. So Chicken Slow Cooked with Corn & Black Bean Salsa (from Tastefully Simple, natch.) on top of salad and then I topped it with light ranch dressing mixed with our Pomegrante Chipotle Sauce. You can't beat the smokey chipotle mixed with cook ranch.
Now in the Slow Cooker is a Spicy Seafood Stew. It's my first try on seafood stew, so I'll have to try it and then let you know if it is worth giving it a go!
Know anyone who needs Girl Scout Cookies? Yes Anna is on a mission to sell 125. I think she is 1/2 way there....
I've got this Spicy Seafood Stew going in the crockpot, let's see how that turns out
Thursday, January 13, 2011
My goal for my day off.
Today I am off work and as such I have one goal. Not to leave the house. Well except to walk to the busstop. Other than that I'm not going anywhere. Just call me Green, no driving anywhere, no buying anything. Earlier I decided it was a good day for making soup. Chicken Soup. I didn't want Chicken Noodle Soup, just chicken soup with vegetables. So I went over to foodnetwork.com and I search for recipe. After about 10 minutes, I decided that I was wasting time searching for 'the one.' LOL
Here is what I did:
1 tsp Garlic Infused Oil
2 turnips peeled & chopped
1 cup baby carrots chopped
2 red potatoes peeled & chopped
1 parship peeled & chopped.
1 shallot chopped
1 leek sliced
3 stalks of celery chopped.
8 cups chicken broth
1 boneless chicken breast
Heat the tsp of oil in the bottom of your pot, then add the leeks & shallot saute for 2 minutes then add all other veggies & saute stirring frequently for about 6 minutes. Add broth & chicken breast and cook on med low for 1/2 hour. Take out chicken breast & shred it. Taste & add salt/pepper/paprika to taste. Serve hot in bowls.
In a different pot I cooked some brown rice. For dinner I'll put some brown rice in a bowl and pour the soup on top and have Chicken & Rice Soup.
The whole recipe is low fat, low cal, full of lots of veggies. And you could put noodles in it if you want. I didn't feel like it today!
Now it is 4:14pm and the kids are downstairs unwinding after a hard day at school by watching some TV. This is the start of their 4 day weekend. Did you realized it's just about 2 weeks into the new year already?
Next thing you know, it will be Spring. Yep that is what I keep telling myself!
Here is what I did:
1 tsp Garlic Infused Oil
2 turnips peeled & chopped
1 cup baby carrots chopped
2 red potatoes peeled & chopped
1 parship peeled & chopped.
1 shallot chopped
1 leek sliced
3 stalks of celery chopped.
8 cups chicken broth
1 boneless chicken breast
Heat the tsp of oil in the bottom of your pot, then add the leeks & shallot saute for 2 minutes then add all other veggies & saute stirring frequently for about 6 minutes. Add broth & chicken breast and cook on med low for 1/2 hour. Take out chicken breast & shred it. Taste & add salt/pepper/paprika to taste. Serve hot in bowls.
In a different pot I cooked some brown rice. For dinner I'll put some brown rice in a bowl and pour the soup on top and have Chicken & Rice Soup.
The whole recipe is low fat, low cal, full of lots of veggies. And you could put noodles in it if you want. I didn't feel like it today!
Now it is 4:14pm and the kids are downstairs unwinding after a hard day at school by watching some TV. This is the start of their 4 day weekend. Did you realized it's just about 2 weeks into the new year already?
Next thing you know, it will be Spring. Yep that is what I keep telling myself!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Slow Cooker and What the kids are reading
Yes the boys and I are reading the Strange Case of Origami Yoda. They love it. And Patrick is trying unsucessfully to make his own Origami Yoda.
The end of the Jewel-Osco Cookware for a penny with reward stickers was right around the bend, so Sunday night I went and spent my whole paycheck at Jewel. Well, not really the whole thing, it wasn't as if I was at Whole Foods, but I stocked up and earned enough stickers for my grill pan.
Since it was a Sunday and I had time to plan my purchases, I got everything needed to make a slew of Slow Cooker Recipes. Tonight on the menu is Chicken Cacciatore, which is a big fave of 4 of 5 members of our household and honestly, that's as good as it gets. I should start putting a star on the calendar anytime everyone likes dinner simultaneously. I splurged on Butoni whole wheat refrigerated linguini noodles for dinner. I will report back and let you know how that part of the meal goes---since I am too cheap normally to pay for the refrig. pasta.
I have been thinking for a good 2 years about how I would like to put together a Wine Pairing list to go with Tastefully Simple recipes. To that end, I really need to host a night at my house to practice and to get feedback on what I come up with for the pairings. Why am I writing that here? Now I feel more compelled to actually work on getting that together.
Now if you are looking for a good pairing. Try a nice Charles Shaw Merlot or Coopershawk Shiraz with this recipe from http://www.tastefullysimple.com/web/vhamel
Merlot Beef Stew
Submitted by Dodi Kuehl (WI) Modified by me.
Ingredients
2 lbs. cubed boneless top round steak (or chuck roast,it's cheaper)
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter Just use a tsp of olive oil to brown the meat.
4 medium peeled, sliced carrots
8 quartered small red potatoes
12 sliced mushrooms
1 chopped medium onion
I'd use a sliced parsnip as well --that's how I roll
1/2 cup Merlot Sauce
2 Tbsp. Bacon Bacon™ Shrug I's skip this and throw in a TBSP of Onion Onion (TM)
1 Tbsp. Garlic Garlic™
4 cups beefbroth
Directions
Coat beef with flour.Melt butter in pan; Put Oil in pan heat up the pan and oil just a little then sauté beef in batches (don’t crowd), add butter as needed. Layer carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, onions and beef in slow cooker. Sprinkle Garlic Garlic™ and Bacon Bacon™ over beef. Combine Merlot Sauce with beef broth, pour over slow cooker ingredients. Cover; cook on low for 8 hours. Makes 6-8 servings.
The end of the Jewel-Osco Cookware for a penny with reward stickers was right around the bend, so Sunday night I went and spent my whole paycheck at Jewel. Well, not really the whole thing, it wasn't as if I was at Whole Foods, but I stocked up and earned enough stickers for my grill pan.
Since it was a Sunday and I had time to plan my purchases, I got everything needed to make a slew of Slow Cooker Recipes. Tonight on the menu is Chicken Cacciatore, which is a big fave of 4 of 5 members of our household and honestly, that's as good as it gets. I should start putting a star on the calendar anytime everyone likes dinner simultaneously. I splurged on Butoni whole wheat refrigerated linguini noodles for dinner. I will report back and let you know how that part of the meal goes---since I am too cheap normally to pay for the refrig. pasta.
I have been thinking for a good 2 years about how I would like to put together a Wine Pairing list to go with Tastefully Simple recipes. To that end, I really need to host a night at my house to practice and to get feedback on what I come up with for the pairings. Why am I writing that here? Now I feel more compelled to actually work on getting that together.
Now if you are looking for a good pairing. Try a nice Charles Shaw Merlot or Coopershawk Shiraz with this recipe from http://www.tastefullysimple.com/web/vhamel
Merlot Beef Stew
Submitted by Dodi Kuehl (WI) Modified by me.
Ingredients
2 lbs. cubed boneless top round steak (or chuck roast,it's cheaper)
1/4 cup flour
4 medium peeled, sliced carrots
8 quartered small red potatoes
12 sliced mushrooms
1 chopped medium onion
I'd use a sliced parsnip as well --that's how I roll
1/2 cup Merlot Sauce
1 Tbsp. Garlic Garlic™
4 cups beefbroth
Directions
Coat beef with flour.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
I was starving and really looking forward to my dinner tonight. I tried out a new recipe a slow cooker corn chowder, a healthy recipe. Much to my complete dismay it wasn't very good at all. Such a bummer. Cold crappy weather and bad food. I would like a redo or a big bowl of Creamy Wild Rice Soup OR wait better yet, a big bowl of chocolate ice cream.
And after my most subpar of dinners, Tom has on Frontline's Haiti documentary , I like interesting TV I'm interested in learning more bout the state of the world-- tonight however I'd rather be read a good Urban Fantasy.
Speaking of Urban fantasy, I have figured out how to reduce the unemployment rate. Encourage employers to offer job sharing. I like to share. I'm happy to give 1/2 my job to anyone who'd like it. I'll even throw in access to health insurance-- I have good coverage thru Toms job.
Please leave a comment or write ur congressman if you'd like to share like me!
;-)
Saturday, January 1, 2011
New Year, so well whatcha gonna do?
How was your NYE? The kids were really rowdy so there was lots of
"Stop it"
"Move Over"
"Can't we watch Nick?"
I guess making the kids watch the consistently really bad TV know as Channel 7 in Chicago's local NYE show, wasn't the best way to keep their attention... Tom I go got plenty of laughs out of the show.
The big excitement of my NYE was pre-ordering Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning, I have been re-reading her Fever Series in anticipation of 5th and Final book...she seems to have off'd one of my favorite male characters at the end of Faefever--she better have figured out how he isn't dead in the final book.
Tom is off at Walgreens looking for discounted holiday merchandise we don't need. We are going over to his Aunt's house for a New Year party a bit later. As aways I'll have to say a few times in the car.
"You better eat while we are there, We are not stopping at McDonalds on the way home." Don't even ask.
I don't know why I have to say that whenever we go to a party, there has not been a precedence set that we stop at a fast-food drive thru on the way home from family parties or any parties. Yet somehow, it keeps coming up.
Each year I ask everyone in the family what their resolutions or goals or dreams for the new year are and here are some for 2011.
Patrick: Earn a Homework Pass, Go Bowling, Go on Vacation to the Nick Hotel and Participate in my school's talent show.
Bryce: Take a Lego Class at Moraine Valley in the Summer, Go Camping with Cub Scouts, have a cell phone
*that last one ain't happening!
Anna: Take swimming lessons, be rich, go to the beach and take a gymnastics class. Spend more time with my family and friends.
*LOL like she has a job and doesn't get to spend time with her family.
Tom: Stop Worrying, Exercise more, Avoid white bread, be more positive.
*Id have liked him to put down yell less over trival matters involving the kids.
Me: I wasn't feeling resolutions last night so all I came up with is, Be caught up on our bills. Im sure Bank of Evil --errr I mean Bank of America is all for that goal of mine.
"Stop it"
"Move Over"
"Can't we watch Nick?"
I guess making the kids watch the consistently really bad TV know as Channel 7 in Chicago's local NYE show, wasn't the best way to keep their attention... Tom I go got plenty of laughs out of the show.
The big excitement of my NYE was pre-ordering Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning, I have been re-reading her Fever Series in anticipation of 5th and Final book...she seems to have off'd one of my favorite male characters at the end of Faefever--she better have figured out how he isn't dead in the final book.
Tom is off at Walgreens looking for discounted holiday merchandise we don't need. We are going over to his Aunt's house for a New Year party a bit later. As aways I'll have to say a few times in the car.
"You better eat while we are there, We are not stopping at McDonalds on the way home." Don't even ask.
I don't know why I have to say that whenever we go to a party, there has not been a precedence set that we stop at a fast-food drive thru on the way home from family parties or any parties. Yet somehow, it keeps coming up.
Each year I ask everyone in the family what their resolutions or goals or dreams for the new year are and here are some for 2011.
Patrick: Earn a Homework Pass, Go Bowling, Go on Vacation to the Nick Hotel and Participate in my school's talent show.
Bryce: Take a Lego Class at Moraine Valley in the Summer, Go Camping with Cub Scouts, have a cell phone
*that last one ain't happening!
Anna: Take swimming lessons, be rich, go to the beach and take a gymnastics class. Spend more time with my family and friends.
*LOL like she has a job and doesn't get to spend time with her family.
Tom: Stop Worrying, Exercise more, Avoid white bread, be more positive.
*Id have liked him to put down yell less over trival matters involving the kids.
Me: I wasn't feeling resolutions last night so all I came up with is, Be caught up on our bills. Im sure Bank of Evil --errr I mean Bank of America is all for that goal of mine.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
I'm on my lunch right now at work. How do I like working on a Sunday? Well I don't care for it. I like to sleep late on Sundays and not leave the house.
Did u have a nice Christmas? Mine was OK. The boys were disappointed with the amount of presents the received. Anna had more items to open, and that was a big problem. Of course the money spent was the same for each kid. *Sigh*
Moneywise there was no use of credit cards, and I had mypoints and debit card points I was able to use which stretched the funds--good thing imagine what the disappointment would have been w/o the freebies.
I think I am going to make a quiche with the leftover ham tonight...no idea on the recipe yet for that.
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