Category Archives: Crock Pot Thursdays

Mean Lean Beef Stew

Posted in Crock Pot Thursdays, Time Management, Work Mom Balance by

Picture this:  Racing home to pick the kids up from the bus stop, to immediately turn around and drive one child to ballet and the other to soccer.  Repeat in reverse order and return home.  Almost 6pm, kids are beginning to work on their homework and Hubby is about to walk through the door.  What’s for dinner is on everyone’s hungry mind?

Unless I was Iron Chef-ing (the practice of cooking up meals all on one day for the week ahead) the previous Sunday, it’s either a quick pasta with butter or sandwiches on a defrosted hamburger roll from last summer.   All the while, my crock pot sits in the cabinet.

But folks, the weather is getting cold and the hours between work and after school activities and homework and dinner are short.   Whip out the crock pots, because The Harried Mom and are back – for a limited time and as our schedule permits – for some wholesome, delicious crock pot meals.

For my triumphant return to the Thursday Crock Pot Buddies, I decided to cook A Mean Lean Beef Stew.  Hearty, rich and full of nutritious goodness, this is the meal that keeps on giving.  This meal has comfort oozing with every bite and best of all – feeds a family of four at least twice.

Lean Mean Beef Stew

CrockPot2.13BeefStewIngredients:

2 pounds of beef cubes (filet mignon is the most tender)

4 potatoes cut in cubes (skin left on b/c I am too lazy it that is where all the vitamins are)

1 bag of small carrots rinsed

1 large white onion chopped

1 pint of large cherry tomatoes

8 ounces of water

8 ounces of beef broth

2 bay leaves

salt and pepper

Directions:

Take the meat and place in a large bowl.  Add a dash of salt and pepper and set aside.

Add the remaining ingredients and the meat together in the crock pot.  Take a large spoon and mix everything together.

Add another dash of salt and pepper.

Set the timer to 6 hours and forget about it until then.

The meal is best served with a loaf of warm french bread and some butter.  Suggested sides can include either rice or pasta but the meal itself is just fine without it.  So now hop on over to The Harried Mom and check out what she is cooking.  If you have a blog, link up with us and share your post here.  If you don’t have a blog, post your comments here or on Facebook and remember……

There is Always Time for a Home Cooked Meal!

 

Falling Back into Better Habits

Posted in Crock Pot Thursdays, Grill-More Girls, Health, Time Management, Work Mom Balance by

For the past week, my Facebook feed has been populated with Back-to-School photos.  It really is one of the best attributes Facebook provides – having the chance to share with your friends (some close and some distant) their important milestones.  And along with the beaming smiles and red teary eyes – from both children and parents – the “I need a clone” posts begin.

It is almost certain, that I will be guilty of making such a post at one point between today and sometime in mid December.  However, this Fall, I am going to try an old approach and fall back into better habits.  With scheduling and planning in high gear, I decided I might as well add exercise and eating right to the list as well.  Looking back through my posts and notes, I tend to be the most productive and clear-minded when I participated in some form of consistent exercise.  Words do not lie and it is obvious what an important role exercise plays in my overall happiness and that of those around me!

Along with scheduling exercise, I am going to commit to making 3 wholesome meals per week.  Take-out and dining out is a very easy clutch to depend on during week nights when there isn’t much time in between work, school and practices, lessons and games.  But with just a bit of planning and scheduling, I am going to make the effort to cook – even if it means I am cooking all three meals on Sunday night and re-heating all week.  Going to dust off that crock pot too!

Taking advice from a very wise lady, I am going to make this season My New Year. Having fallen off the wagon over the summer months, no time is better than the present to start! With a little planning, commitment and visit or two on Pinterest, I hope to keep true to this post not just for my health, but for the health of my little happy clan.

 

There is Always Time for Home Cooked Meal with the Grill-More Girls

Posted in Crock Pot Thursdays, Grill-More Girls, Time Management, Work Mom Balance by

It’s 7:30pm on a Wednesday night and half of my family of four have returned from ballet lessons, errands and an unexpected search for a Pocahontas costume which is needed for the school play in less than 24 hours (which by the way, I was told needed to be purchased for the first time that afternoon).  Hubby and Little Man are expected shortly and I have one assignment on the mind – Grilled London Broil Quesadillas.

Knowing this week was going to be near madness, I planned ahead and grilled a lean piece of London Broil earlier in the week.  Marinated for six hours in a homemade garlic and herb dressing, it made for a fine dinner several nights ago.  I purposely selected a large oyster cut piece of London Broil so that we would have leftovers for this very meal.   Already sliced from the previous meal, this terrific meal is ready in minutes.

Ingredients

1 piece of London Broil oyster cut

1 cup of olive oil

1 gloved of garlic crushed

1 tablespoon basil (fresh is better)

1 tablespoon oregano (fresh is better)

Combine all ingredients in a deep dish and marinate up to 24 hours.  Grill on medium 20 minutes on each side for medium well.  Leave for 10 minutes after cooking and then slice.

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1 tortilla wrap -10 inch

1 cup of shredded provolone and cheddar cheese

1 small tomato diced

sour cream

George Forman Grill, Frying Pan or Oven and yes of course, the outside Grill.

Take your warp and layer cheese, sliced London Broil and tomatoes on one half.  Fold over and cook.  Depending on which method you choose to cook the Quesadilla will determine the time needed to cook it.  I tend to use the George Forman Grill because it is quick and cooks evenly. However, each of the methods should not take longer than 10 minutes.

Once the cheese has melted, serve with sour cream and fresh tomatoes. One London Broil Quesadilla will serve one adult or two small children.

Now it’s your turn.  Do you have a quick go-to meal?  If so, share it with us.  Hop on over to The Harried Mom and post on her Blog Hop or visit my Facebook page and share your go to meal with me.  And remember, there is always time for a home cooked meal!

Buon Appettito!

There is Always Time for a Home Cooked Meal – Grill More Girls Style

Posted in Crock Pot Thursdays, Grill-More Girls, Time Management, Work Mom Balance by

With very good reason, last week had me and my brew ordering out most nights of the week.  But with life back to normal crazy, I fired up the grill to make my very own Bodacious Burgers.  What’s makes them bodacious?  Just one simple ingredient.

In my book, nothing is better than a juicy cheeseburger topped with pickles and mustard and ketchup and of course, fresh white onion.  However, in an effort to cook only lean meats, our burgers lacked flavor and were very dry. Buying only 94% lean, the burgers were healthy but hard to pass on the children who were accustomed to the occasional fast food burger.  Then one day, I made a mistake that changed our burger.

Rushing to get dinner on the table , I mistakenly cracked an egg over the lean chop meat as I always do when I am making meatballs.  I had no intention of making meatballs, but out of habit  and while distracted by homework questions and emails pinging on my phone, I cracked the egg.   I decided to go with the mistake and added a dash of pepper and sea salt.  I formed the patties and had them ready for hubby to grill.

That night, my children asked for seconds.  In all honesty, it was the most delicious burger I have ever made.  Still using the very lean meat, the egg brought just the right amount of flavor to the meat.  Now, I am well aware that using an egg when making burgers is not a secret but for my grill, it was an enlightening moment – a Bodacious moment.

Accompany the burger with either a fresh spinach salad or potatoes al forno or even a simple pasta salad and you have a winning meal!

Ingredients:

1 pound of lean chop meat

1 small egg whipped

A dash of sea salt and pepper

Directions:

Combine all ingredients but don’t work the meat too much.  Form either 8 sliders or 4 patties.  Grill for 5 minutes on each side for a medium well burger.

Add cheese and your favorite toppings and make your very own Bodacious Burger!

Now it’s your turn.  Hop on over to The Harried Mom for her scallop recipe and link up your recipe with us.

Don’t have a blog?  Simply share your recipe on our facebook page!

Buon Appetito!

There’s Always Time for a Home Cooked Meal – Caribbean Pork

Posted in Crock Pot Thursdays, Work Mom Balance by

To say the past weeks have been crazy is an absolute understatement.  Sunday nights I glance at the week ahead, make the sign of the cross and hope for the best.  With just eight weeks of school left, every activity, every sport and every year-end anything is scheduled.  Add to this a Hubby who is away on business at least weekly and my office which runs on a fiscal year – let’s just say I am lucky we can sit together for one meal.

This week in particular was a doozy.  I have been in Jury Duty Purgatory – Purgatory because I am “on call” twice a day should my numbers be called.  It’s stressful and aggravating to say the very least and of course adds only more grief to an already crazy week.  As Wednesday morning rolled around, I realized I had yet to grill and nothing but rain was in the forecast.  I contemplated cancelling on the Harried Mom but the skies cleared and I realized I had a wonderful piece of Pork marinated in a Caribbean dressing sitting in my freezer.

So this, my friends, is THE quickest recipe and post.  As I mentioned in a previous post, Wegmans sells already marinated fresh cuts of meat that you can freeze – and the Caribbean Pork is one of them.  While I was running between ballet and rehearsals and CCD, Hubby grilled the pork and fixed a salad.  Close to 8pm, we sat together and share a delicious meal.

This week’s ingredients and directions?

Go to Wegmanns and purchase several pieces of fresh cut meats already marinated.  Place them in your freezer and save them for a rainy day when there are simply not enough hours in the day.  If you are like me, I was keep fresh veggies and fruits in our crisper and will compliment almost any cut of meat.  Sure it would have been easier to order out – and believe me when I say we certainly do – but if your fridge is stocked properly, There is Always Time for a Home Cooked Meal.

So now it’s your turn.  Hop on over to The Harried Mom and see what she is cooking.  Then link up with her and share with us your grilling recipe.