Grateful

A Week of Grateful Thoughts

It has been a great week since I last updated. Beautiful weather... I mean the kind of weather that makes you want to stay outside all day. The kind that makes me appreciate a date night to a great Tex Mex restaurant and having fantastic food sitting on a patio with my husband. Or the kind of weather that makes you drag all of your family to the arboretum and stay for hours just enjoying being outside...all while also becoming quite envious of the the beautiful flowers and grass that I know I will probably never be able to recreate in my own yard :) I have been so very grateful for so many things in the last week. From the obvious things such as Christ, family, health, my spouse, great friends, and the weather. But also grateful or the less obvious, such as my working air conditioning or children's preschool and wonderful teachers. For thoughtful things that friends do without even thinking about it like helping with getting kids home from school, sending a sweet card to make my day better or even dropping off coffee and thoughtful treats as a morning surprise. I think about the fact that I spend too much time dreaming and wanting things that don't matter when I should be living in the right now. And then there are the very unconventional things I am grateful for...they should give you a chuckle...

1. When I can get a certain size of clothing on still....VERY GRATEFUL

2. When my husband offers to take us out to eat instead of me cooking, YEA!!!!

3. When my daughter is finally able to willingly and successfully wipe her own rear-end! :) That is a HUGE moment of grateful!

4. When you find extra money in a purse or pair of pants you haven't worn in a while!

5. When you go to Target and have time to look at everything you want to look at because your kiddos are all behaving well...

6. When I have a coupon for at least half the groceries I need. ( I LOVE that)

7. Finding ELF makeup at Kroger so I don't have to buy it on line!

8. Hitting "happy hour" at Sonic!

9. FREE cone day at Ben and Jerry's...a little taste of heaven!

10. MY DVR!!!!!

Hope all this helps get your thoughts flowing on what you are grateful for! Here is a yummy recipe for you. Beef Stroganoff, partly my Grandmother's recipe, but updated for my tastes! Hope you enjoy :)

Beef Stroganoff

1 1/2 pounds cubed round steak sliced thin

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 TBSP olive oil

2 TBSP butter

1 onion sliced

1 8 0z package mushrooms sliced

1 15 ounce can low sodium beef broth

1/2 cup red or white wine

1/4 cup water

1 cup sour cream

1 package Lipton onion soup mix

1 packed egg noodles, cooked

In a large skillet, heat the butter and oil over medium heat. Mix your flour, salt, and pepper together and then shake it in a bag with the meat. Brown the meat in the hot oil and butter until lightly brown. This should take around 5 minutes and then remove it from the pan. Add the sliced onion and mushrooms to the pan with the drippings and saute for a few minutes or until the onion is softened. Then add the broth, wine, water and meat back to the pan and cover stir with a wooden spoon to get up all the bits on the bottom of the pan. Cover and cook on low for about 30 minutes or until the meat is tender. You will want to give it a stir about once every ten minutes. While that is cooking, mix the sour cream and onion soup mix together and set aside. Then cook your noodles according to the package instructions. When the meat mixture is done, remove it from the heat and add your sour cream and onion mix to the meat and stir to combine. Then add the noodles to the meat mixture and serve.

Long Time, No Type!

Hello out there! Its been too long! I am so sorry I have been so bad about posting these past weeks, but I tell you, its been a doosy of a time. I have just been stuck in one of those seasons of life where there is not enough time, and too much tardiness to all the things I need to get done and not enough sleep. But I will say that there have been many good things throughout these trials; one of them being that I have kept track, (for the first time in my life mind you) in a journal all of my ridiculous thoughts. When I look back on it, I am able to reflect how really tedious and small most of those moments of frustration or issues are in the grand scheme of things. But most importantly, I realize how great God is. That He gives me grace in ways that I don't even realize and that when I have asked for wisdom, He always grants it, but in His time. That has always been a problem for me. I want things in "Lauren" time. I am learning the hard way to work on that :) Here are some things from my list, maybe you can relate to a few.

1. Why is it that if you get off schedule of getting the laundry done by just one or two days, it will take TEN days to get back to a manageable amount.

2. Another laundry issue....Why God Why does my husband need to change his clothes 3 times a day...Seriously! The amount of laundry for his work clothes, work out clothes and home clothes is unreal :) (He will kill me for this)

3. Laundry...why is it that every pair of my son's socks looks like he ran a marathon in mud no matter how many times I wash or bleach them...are my floors really that dirty

4. Laundry (do you see a pattern here) Where does all the lint come from?

5. Why is it that when I am running late to get my kids from school I some how ALWAYS end up behind some type of construction truck, Sunday driver or someone who is lost who is always going 20 miles below the speed limit

6. Why can't they make an infant car seat that does not weigh 50 pounds and then 75 pounds when you carry your chunky monkey 6 month old in it...

7. On that note, carrying 75 pounds every day in that infant seat....why oh why don't my arms look more toned?

8. I got spray tanned today....it is an amazing miracle how cellulite looks some much better when its a bronzy tan. Truly, the ads that say tan fat looks better are so true!

9. A Little Debbie product tastes good no matter how old you are...(HELLO cellulite from previous grievance above!)

10. My friends and loved ones are prayer warriors. God bless them for being so vigilant in praying so diligently for me. I love them dearly.


So with that said...here some new recipes. Happy Spring to all of you!



Yummy Yummy cole slaw...even if you don't like cole slaw

1/2 head of red cabbage
3 green apples ( I leave the skin on)
6 green onions chopped
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 slivered almonds

optional- 1 fennel bulb chopped, or 2 carrots chopped

dressing: Whisk together and set aside in the fridge
1/2 cup mayo ( low fat works great)
3 TBSP apple cider vinegar, rice wine vinegar ( my fave) or white balsamic
3 TBSP sugar
salt and pepper to taste

If you have a Cuisinart, chop everything but the onions, raisins and almonds. I love fennel, it has a faint licorice taste and is really good in this but it can be pricey so you don't have to add it. I also add 2 chopped carrots if I have them. Once you have all the veggies chopped, add the almonds, raisins and onions. Put it in the fridge until you are ready to serve. When you are ready to eat, mix the salad and dressing together.

My Orange Chicken

4 Chicken breasts pounded thin
2 TBSP olive oil
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
1 cup heavy cream, half and half or evaporated milk....all of these heat well even the skim varieties
1/4 cup orange marmalade jelly
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oven to 350
In a large skillet heat the olive oil on medium heat. Pour beaten egg in a low dish and pour the panko bread crumbs in another dish. Dip chicken in the egg wash and then in the bread crumbs and brown in the oil. They should be golden brown and that takes usually 3-5 minutes per side. Then place them on a sheet pan in the oven for about 15 minutes or until cooked through. Meanwhile when the pan is cool, wipe out the excess oil and pour in the milk of your choice and add the jelly and whisk to a small simmer until combined. Taste for salt and pepper and pour the sauce over your chicken when you are ready to plate.


Easy Salmon Cakes and Sauce

2 large Bags (6 0z) each of skinless, boneless salmon (by the tuna fish)
1/4 cup mayo, light works great
1 egg beaten
2 green onions chopped fine
1 TBSP Dijon mustard
1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 lemon juiced
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups cracker crumbs, your choice
2 TBSP olive oil

In a large bowl, mix everything but the fish and cracker crumbs. When mixed add the salmon and 1/2 cup of the cracker crumbs to the mixture and mix lightly. Pour the remaining cracker crumbs in a dish for dipping the salmon cakes in. Using either a measuring cup or just a spoon, get about 1/4 cup of the fish mixture and make it into a small cake with your hands and place it in the crumbs and roll around to get it not so sticky. Repeat with the remaining mixture and cook over medium heat in the olive oil until brown and crispy on both sides. Usually 4 minutes each. You are only needing to get it warmed through and to cook the egg since everything else is cooked. Drain on a paper towel or brown paper bag and serve with sauce below.

Citrus Sauce

1/4 Cup light mayo or full fat
3 TBSP sour cream, light works great
1/2 lemon juiced
1 TBSP Dijon mustard
1 green onion minced or chopped very fine
1/2 tsp dill, dried variety or 1 TBSP fresh

Whisk the above ingredients and serve with salmon cakes or fish