Recipe Wednesday

Blackened Pork Chops and Garlic Parmesan Zucchini and Squash

Here I go again with the boneless pork chops! You just can’t beat the price so I have to admit I make them once a week. This is Eric’s absolute favorite way to eat them. They are a bit spicy so you can adjust the seasonings to your family’s preference.

Blackened Pork chops 

6 -8 boneless pork chops

2 tsp Red Pepper

2 tsp Garlic Salt

2 tsp Cumin

2 tsp Pepper

2 tsp Onion Powder

4 tbsp Butter

Melt the butter in a small bowl. Combine the spices in another bowl. Begin to heat a large cast iron skillet on medium high heat. Heat the skillet until it begins to smoke a little, about 8 minutes. Dip the pork chops into the butter and then rub the spice mixture onto them. Place the chops into the hot skillet. Cook until blackened, then turn them over, cooking until done. Total cooking time will be about ten minutes depending on the thickness of the meat and the temperature of the skillet.

Garlic Parmesan Zucchini and  Squash

2 zucchini, ½” slices

2 yellow squash, ½” slices

½ cup fresh grated parmesan

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground pepper

Preheat oven to 375.

In a bowl add zucchini, squash, parmesan, olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Toss with your hands to completely coat.

Place zucchini and squash on a baking sheet in a single layer.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until cheese is slightly browned.

Thrifty Thursday

I cannot wait for fall and the cooler weather. It’s September so I feel like I can break out some of my fall clothes and get away with it even though the temperature is still in the 90s.

I know you all are going to laugh BUT I have another pair of Target’s Mossimo Jeans. They are actually called Jeggins. The word Jeggins makes me sick. Weird, I know, but it does. These Jeggins look like jeans, they aren’t as tight as I imagine Jeggins would be so I call them Skinney Jeans.  (oh my gosh, I have said the word Jeggins more than I ever wanted to in an lifetime)

http://www.target.com/p/mb-chipmunk-jegging-khaki-wash/-/A-17090623#sn-17090623 ($27.99) . The Khaki color is perfect for the fall and winter months.

I got the shirt ($12.99) and shoes ($19.99) at my other favorite place to shop Ross https://www.rossstores.com/departments/women/juniors

I truly believe you do not have to spend a lot of money to put together a cute outfit. Plus this outfit can be worn at the office or an evening out so to me it is even a better deal!

Here is what I found on pinterest

 

And here is my version

 

Recipe Wednesday

It is SO important to me to have a home cooked meal for my family every night. I remember when I was a child my mom cooked EVERY SINGLE NIGHT. It was one of her ways she showed us she love us. I take after my mom in that way….to me, food is a way of showing love and a gift I can give them daily.

I always try to find meals that can be cooked and then reheated throughout the evening. When all the kids have different activities at night, it’s not often that all 9 of us are home at the same time having dinner.

I try to plan my menu over the weekend so I can be prepared for the busy week ahead. PLUS I have one that asks me ALL.THE.TIME  “What’s for dinner”. So I wanted to be prepared with an answer for him.

The recipe I am sharing today is one that I absolutely love! I make two different pans of it, one with meat and one without….because not everyone in our family likes meat. I also add bread sticks and a salad to go along with this meal.

 

Pasta Bake:

1 box Fusilli Pasta (or pasta of your choice)

1  jar pasta sauce

1 8 oz sour cream

2 cups Italian cheese blend

1 cup Parmesan Cheese

1 lb ground beef

Salt

Pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Make Pasta according to box, drain and set aside. Cook ground beef until browned, drain grease. Add in 1 jar of pasta sauce, salt and pepper and cooked noodles, mix together. In a 9×13 pan, put a layer of the noodle mixture, then a thin layer of sour cream, a layer of Italian cheese blend, and repeat. On the top layer sprinkle Parmesan cheese.  Cook for 25 minutes.

Happy Birthday

Happy 17th Birthday to Maci

This girl right here is something special. She has a face like a china doll, and a quiet soul that makes her stand out from the others. Her love for knowledge and animals is more than some will ever have in their lifetime.

I love listening to her speak. When you look at her you see a teenager but when she speaks it’s as if you are talking to someone so wise beyond their years. Her love for learning, politics, and animals is what sets her apart from others. She sets such high expectations and goals for herself….it is something amazing to witness.

One of my favorite things to do with Maci is to watch political debates. I love how she knows everything about each candidate and she has such a strong belief in what she wants for this world.  AND I absolutely love that I can crack her up with my silly comments about each politician.

She doesn’t know this but when she leaves our home and she hugs me it is as if I feel your sweet soul and love comes pouring out of her. She knows she is smart, she knows she is going to be something amazing someday, and I truly hope she knows just how much I love being a part of her life.

My Friday Finds

One thing we LOVE in our family is FRIDAY Pizza night. I love it because I don’t have to worry about cooking and the kids love it because, well, it’s Pizza!

Our favorite place to get pizza is Italian Garden in Mckinney. It is so delicious; the pizzas are so big which is awesome for our family and the price is great (large pizza $11.50). Another plus is, IF we have any leftovers, it tastes just as good headed up the next day for lunch.

We also love to go into the restaurant and sit down and eat. It is a BYOB so we bring our wine and that cuts down on the bill!! The kids love the cheese ravioli and Eric and always find a different pasta dish to try. It’s a great little hidden treasure in Mckinney.

Thrifty Thursday

My sweet Cissy Girl’s birthday falls right before school starts. I have to admit, she gets school clothes and school shoes for her birthday. Most people would say she is getting ripped off but she is still too young to realize and it’s a win for her because she loves clothes and accessories.

This year she asked to go shopping for her birthday so I gave her gift cards to use so she could pick out her own clothes.

I got her a target gift card of course and she had a ball spending it. Her brothers on the other hand were not as thrilled as she was because she  looked and looked and changed her mind and looked some more. I told them this is just a preview of what is to come when they get girlfriends and wives.

One of the outfits she got was this adorable Dress for $19.99  http://www.target.com/p/girls-dress-cat-jack-multi-colored-stripe/-/A-50784112#sn-50909008.

 

She loved it so much she wore it on the first day of school.

Check out her adorable shoes. I bought her those for $16.00 at #Ross https://www.rossstores.com/departments/shoes/kids-shoes

Divorce Guilt

It’s a horrible thing! I go to bed with it, I wake up with it,  I feel it constantly. I sometimes wonder if I feel more guilty because I’m divorced or if it would be the same if I was still married to the kid’s dad.

I try my very best like all other parents but I always feel like there is more I should be doing, saying, thinking….

The guilt I feel being a single mom is horrible. I feel like I have ruined my kids life, I have made them different, I have hurt their spirit.

But really when I think about it, have I ruined them or is this going to make them who they are suppose to be in life. I guess I really won’t ever know.

Here’s my question. WHY am I punishing myself??

Is it okay to feel happy or excited when you get time alone without my kids? I  felt that way when I was married. I never hesitated to go out with my girlfriends when I was married, I planned the events and looked forward to them!

Having time away can be a good thing, and when my kids come back, I appreciate them more, and am a  better parent.

Also, I need to remind myself that it’s ok to enjoy Eric and be madly in love with him. I deserve to be happy and in love after the years of unhappiness I had in your marriage.

All my guilt does, is make me feel bad about myself. Plus, it causes me stress and anxiety, which can lead to physical symptoms, such as stomach issues, depression, and in return it takes my thoughts and actions away from my kids!!

As I was feeling sad and guilty this past weekend, I decided to read up on guilt and some of the symptoms are: Fault, responsibility, blame, culpability, shame. I feel those symptoms all the time!

Here is what they say the definition of guilt is: Awareness of wrongdoing, an awareness of having done wrong or committed a crime, accompanied by feelings of shame and regret.

Does this relate to what I have done by getting divorced? NO!! I need to stop feeling guilty. I didn’t COMMIT A CRIME  by getting divorced. I did what I thought was best for me and my children. I am not a bad person for getting divorced…I need to keep reminding myself of this!

I saw this quote and I have to admit it made me feel a teeny tiny bit better.

We need to stop surrounding ourselves with guilt. We deserve to feel happy, we deserve to feel love. It is ok to miss our kids and we need to remember  when they come home, there is nothing better than seeing their beautiful faces light up when they see us!

 

Recipe Wednesday

Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops

Our family loves pork chops. We eat them probably once a week. You can get such an amazing deal on them especially if they are boneless which my family prefers.

This recipe is a win win for us, pork chops and Parmesan cheese in one dish. We seriously need to take stock in Parmesan cheese, is a staple in our house. Our kids put it on everything!

Ingredients:

4 Boneless Pork chops

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Cup Parmesan cheese

1 Cup Bread Crumbs

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp Black Pepper

1tsp Garlic powder

Directions: On a plate combine the last 5 ingredients. Rub pork chops with olive oil and then dip (coat) each one in the cheese mixture. Press the mixture over the pork chops to make sure they are well covered. Place the pork chops in a plan and cook at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. (I double the recipe)

Along with the Pork Chops we had Cabbage Salad, another family favorite. The kids love it when I make it because IF there is any left overs they put it in their lunch the next day.

½ head of green cabbage

¼ head of red cabbage

½ cup sunflower seeds

½ cup slivered almonds

¼ cup vinegar

½ cup oil

1 chicken flavor roman noodle package

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Chop both the green and red cabbage. Add sunflower seeds, slivered almonds, crumble up the noodles of the roman noodle package and put on the cabbage. Mix together the vinegar, oil, seasoning packet of roman noodle, salt, pepper, and if you like it a bit sweeter you can always add in a tiny bit of sugar. Pour dressing mixture on top of salad, toss and serve.

 

 

My Friday Finds

I know, I know, when you are in your 30’s you are supposed to start taking care of your skin…..well I’m about almost 12 years too late for that.

It isn’t that I didn’t want to! I’ll be honest, it wasn’t a priority to me. I had 4 little kids, I was in a hard place in my marriage which meant I was not focused on myself at all!

I tried different lotions here and there and I did always wash my face but I would just use a bar of soap.  I can see so many of you cringing while reading this! I know, it is wrong but it was easy!! Like I said, it just wasn’t a priority for me.

Well now that I am almost 42 (I can’t believe I just said that) I have started to get a little concerned. I see my friends buying all these very expensive skin products and a lot are getting Botox. I won’t lie, I can’t afford either of those BUT  I will share what I have found that I really like!!

I use a Mary Kay face wash (Mary Kay TimeWise 3-in-1 Cleanser, Combination/Oily Skin$20.00). It has little beads in it that give your face a nice little scrub. You don’t have to use much of it so it last for a few months.  It is more than I would usually spend on a face wash it is so worth it.

For my moisturizer, I use Lou Ana Coconut Oil ($3.87). I use it all over my face, my neck and my chest. I put it on after I wash my face at night and first thing in the morning. I also use it to shave my legs and put a dab in my hair every once in a while. I love it!

 

 

Thrifty Thursday

Last night while I was relaxing in the bath after a very long day of work, kids, cooking, and running all over the place for practices, I got onto Pinterest. It is one of my guilty pleasures. I came across this adorable outfit and then realized I had something similar in my closet that I wear and absolutely LOVE.

Here is my Pinterest find:

Here is my outfit:

I love skinny jeans but not all look good on me. I have not found a pair I like as much as the Mossimo brand from Target. I have to admit I have about 6 different pairs in an assortment of colors. When I find something that makes me feel good, I keep going back for more. Not only are they cute on but they are stretchy so they are so comfortable. I can make them look good for work or can just bum around in them on the weekends.

http://www.target.com/p/women-s-midrise-skinny-jeans-black-wash-mossimo/-/A-50455240

My cardigan is from Target and is so versatile. You can wear it with any color and it looks adorable.

http://www.target.com/p/women-s-solid-hacci-cocoon-cardigan-mossimo-supply-co/-/A-50411639

 

Just like the Mossimo jeans, I have about 5 of their tank tops in different colors. They fit just perfect. I wear them under things or when it is really hot. I just throw a pair of shorts on with them.

http://www.target.com/p/long-lean-jacquard-tank-mossimo-supply-co/-/A-16729673

If you have never been to Charming Charlies, you HAVE to! They have clothes and accessories. One of my favorite things about the store is they colorize EVERYTHING. If I want to go in for something that is Kelly Green, all I have to do is go to one area in the store and it’s all right there. The store is a huge time saver and you cannot beat the prices. My necklace is from Charming Charlies as are my cute coral flip flops

http://www.charmingcharlie.com/