32 Nights of dinner.....

Last night I was feeling pretty optimistic.... So much so that I did something I have never done before... plan an entire months of meals for my family, with no repeats. I did it with the exception of having a leftover night each week. I was feeling so good about it that I posted about it on Facebook and 6 emails letter I was tired of sending so I decided to post it the blog!

All the recipes I have made before and like, they are also easy and tasty. So If you need help or a recipe let me know. I have a lot of them on my computer all ready so don't feel like you are putting me out. I make cookbooks as wedding presents so I have a collection on my computer and don't mind adding to it.

Not all of the recipes are my own creation, I did not invent tacos or the flag fruit pizza(inside joke). This is really what we are having for dinner in July, and maybe in that order, and I just wanted to give you ideas, I do not expect your children to eat Pork Curry.... =) but they should its really good. Also I try to plan as many gluten free meals as possible by using 3 that help me a ton. I buy can tomato and cream of chicken soup at Sunflower Market/Trader Joe's and I buy Farm Rich Meatballs from Walmart. they are not that crazy of food items and they taste fine. So here it the list and I am already thinking about meals for August.

BBQ Chicken- Crock-pot
Hamburger/Pasta skillet (hamburger helper with corn, tomatoes and other veggies of your choice.)
Leftovers/Pot Luck
Spaghetti
Hamburgers/brats/dogs (4th of July)
Beef Dip Subs (from my blog)
Chicken Fajitas (crock pot)
Leftovers
Chicken Pot Pie (use chicken from Fajitas if you want)
Meatball Lasagna
Fried Chicken Salad (ooo fancy restaurant dish )
Hobo Dinners (tin foil dinner hamburger patty, carrots, onion, potatoes)
Cranberry Chicken - Crock-Pot
Tacos
Breakfast
Pasta Salad
Tater Tot Casserole (use leftover Cranberry chicken, and make in crock pot)
Pork Curry or pork chops
Leftovers
Sweet Sour Meat Balls (make a lot so you have a freezer dinner)
Cheesy Chicken and Rice
Shepherds Pie
BBQ Pulled Pork -Crock-Pot
Spanish Rice ( I make mine in the crock pot or use rice a roni)
Leftovers
Pizza
London Broil -grill
Chili
Chicken Spaghetti
Chili Dogs
Mexican Pizza
Orange Chicken and Rice

date-night!

Dear Husband,

Thanks for taking me on a date last Saturday!! I had a lot of fun going out to eat and seeing an awesome movie(star trek) I really did have a fun time, we had two sisters baby sit our son, and they looked really tired when we got home, but they did a good job. I am glad we got two, because he is a ball of non stop energy so much so that I encourage him to watch TV, so he not getting into things or running me ragged. I know its sad but I really do need some quite time. Anyhoo more on that later.

Date night was fun we went to Iggy's in Orem, it was bland food for a big price. My Beef Dip Sub was so much better, but the fries were good. I don't know its getting to the point where I don't like to go out and eat at expensive places expect the Melting Pot and The Cheesecake Factory. Those two places are my all time favorite places to eat. If you do go don't be surprised if you drop big money $$$ Micah and I spent $120 at the Melting Pot last time we went and about $50 at The Cheesecake Factory. But they are so good and worth the trip a couple of times a year. Ah so Iggy's was ok, not my favorite and I probably would not pick it again.

Star Trek was soooooo good! I went with very very little expectations, and left without even getting up to go pee. Holding my pee for 2.5 is a miracle, you can ask my husband. So you should take your husband if he likes Star Trek he would be really excited, and you don't even have to know all about Star Trek because if your husband likes it he will tell you everything you need to know............................ It was a good date night, we hope to start doing this once month if things go right. But kinda pricy after 2 baby sitters, dinner and movie = $75... so I had to put out.... maybe we will do it every other month.

Then on Sunday we watched our Netflix movie The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (PG-13) That was an excellent movie too. Oh I love that movie a lot maybe I will buy it when it comes out. Brad Pitt was awesome like always, I think he is a really talented actor and I enjoy most things he is in. This movie was so different from anything that I have ever seen and that was really refreshing, I loved not knowing what was going to happen. Its a must see, not really for kids or teens but more for couples as it is a love story and how people go through stages of love and the things we do for our true love. It was really tender and I cried at the end for a bit, I am even tearing up now...

On an end note I am beyond tired as I woken up at 5 AM by a crying little boy... I did get a nap for an hour, then I had to get up and do crap..... and now I have to go and change a poopie diaper =(

Love always,
Leah

End of the world???

Dear Celebrities that have passed recently.....

Whats up?? Do you know something I don't?? Is it the end of the world or did you some how void your contract with the devil?? These are questions I need the answers too..... Now I am not saying that all celebrities sign their life away to the devil but come on.... Some of these people are pretty questionable. I don't know, we may never know the answers. But here are my thoughts are those that have passed....

First, Michael Jackson... WHAT IS UP WITH THAT... CRAZY. The guy was on enough pain killers to make a regular person comatose and unable to function. When I had a C-Section I was given percocets and told to take 800 mg of Ibuprofen. I pretty much was a zombie for 2 weeks, I could not image living my life like that. But their are only 2 really sad things about this... 1) His kids... they are going to be messed up FOREVER... for real how could you rebound from him being your father then having him die. and 2) A week ago if I asked 10 people if they liked "MJ" 9 out of 10 of those people would have said "God no, I don't like that perv's music." Now he is a "GOD" and the best performer EVER. Um no. Yes some of his music isn't bad and he did help with the race card but that is all. No God, just a man that made some good music and some bad choices. He probably voided his contract....

Farrah Faucet... Cancer is BAD I am not going to lie... My grandpa had colon cancer and towards the end of it he did not know who he was or anybody else. It was pretty sad, I can only guess what what it was like for her friends and family... its rough. But she is cool, I have no beef with her she was pretty and had great hair. She is probably in a better place now. She probably did not have a contract.

Ed McMahon.... Where we all surprised... Not really he was pretty old 86, that is a long time to live. My favorite memory of him is all the work he did with Publishers Clearing House.... I always hoped he would bring me 10 Million Dollars. He never did. But after reading his Wiki article, it did not say thing about that... But I swore he did. In his old age he got sue happy and sued everyone that crossed his path wrong.... Old men....Can't live with them, and still can't live with them... And he owed a lot of money on his million dollar house... SUCK. Broke it big time.

And lastly Billy Mays that is a true lost.. =( Who will sell us things we don't need?? I am going to go buy a Big City Slider Grill on Pay Day so I can make little hamburgers, because those are delicious. I don't use Oxyclean because I am not sure if it works but it probably does since its been around FOREVER. And if something does not work it usually fades away. Its pretty sad he died he always looked so happy and trusting and stayed out of the tabloids. He probably did not sign a contract with the devil because he talked his way out it.

Oh, I really did think the world was coming to end last weekend because all the people died and the weather was pretty crappy. I am glad it did not because I have lots of things to do this week and I am not ready for the 2nd coming. Also I have been to Adam-ondi-Ahma... Uh I am not walking there and its a big field with ONE bathroom... YIKES. Non-mormons just google that mkay.

XOXOXO,
Leah

Me helping people can sometimes hurt =(

Dear Sherry,

Sorry I made your family e-coli cookies =( Had I know that Nestle was going to recall them, 2 days later I would not have made them for you. I am glad that you and your family did not get sick and we can all laugh about it. (Also this is a TRUE story and I am not making it up.) I wanted to make you and your family a nice dinner because I know things are crazy right now... 5 kids WOW, having your mom and dad live with you WOW, taking care of your dad WOW, being pregnant WOW, and having the best positive attitude WOW. You really are amazing! Not only does she do all these things she belly dances, take water aerobics, and has a vinyl letter business. It was only fair I make her family dinner, I should do it more often. So I make her my wonderful HOMEMADE lasagna bought some bread, salad, you know the works. Make everything and go they really need a desert! All I have are break and bake Nestle chocolate chip cookies... and I go its not fancy but heck i just make them a homemade lasagna, they can deal. So I bring over my BOX of food WITH a HANDWRITTEN note from me. And I pretty much make Sherry cry tears of joy... I KNOW I AM PRETTY AWESOME. All is well her and the kids love the food everything is wonderful and I am perfect.

THEN on Friday afternoon I go and check the news sites like a do a few times a day, just to see what's UP and the big story of the hour is how Nestle cookies have been recalled because people have been sicken with E-coli... My heart sank, I was pretty much devastated. I know things get recalled all the time, but it has never effected us. So I start reading and reading everything I could to find out if we could get sick... Because you know Sherry did not get all 24 of those cookies I did not eat raw cookie dough and that what was making people sick. But I figured if this is when they are breaking the news those people probably ate cookies like say on Wednesday when I made mine. GREAT so I keep reading and nothing is said about eating baked cookies. I call their customer service number... "Your call with be answered in 2 mins" Yeah right 2 mins my @$$... I think I waited like 8 mins before I hung up... So I wrote an email on the 19th and on the 21st I got this back....

Dear Ms. Gorrell,

Thank you for contacting Nestlé® Toll House® Bars.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may have cause but we do not recommend that you consume the product. Instead, we are asking that you return the product to your local grocer for a full refund.

We appreciate your interest and hope you will visit our website often for the latest information on our products and promotions.

Sincerely,

Tara Williams
Consumer Response Representative

Ref: N1680623


Here are some thoughts on this..... Nobody got sick, that is great.... Why they could not put this information about baked cookies in the recall notice that went out, I don't know, they should have. Why did it take 3 days to get back to me, I COULD HAVE DIED!! or gotten sick. I just don't understand... But a few days later while reading my news sites I did find out that 50 or so people had been "fried" from a Nestle Plant in North Carolina because of this... I did not want to read the whole article I was scared of what might have been in it and what they did to my cookies!! Also I don't keep food recipes or packaging so I was unable to get a refund on the 21 cookies that were eaten... the other 3 I had left I threw away.

Thanks for not dying,
Leah

So I am pretty much sick of crap being recalled It seems like everyday something is being recalled for this or that. This has got to stop!! People die and get sick because BIG CHINESE/AMERICAN companies don't care about the people that buy their products. They should because we won't buy their products when WE ARE ALL DEAD FROM THEM.... And it only seems like this has gotten HUGE in the last few years... Why because we are laying off American workers who care about the products they make and outsourcing them to kids who work for 3 cents an hour. Its a horrible cycle that I don't have the answer for. Well what about not buying things made in China... Good luck with that, someone wrote a book about it and I am pretty sure she went crazy from trying not to buy things made in China... She tried that for a YEAR. And I think she said they only bought one thing made in china because it was pretty important and i don't remember the details or the title of the book... So thats my rant for the week hope you enjoy it and try to make some cookies this weekend ... I even posted a cookie recipe for you!!

Also I want to clarify that I don't hate those children that work for pennies a day. We actually donate $20 a month to Unicef (for the rest of our lives) ... I just think its sad they have to so they can survive. I am sure they got the very best training they could get form their company... Like the ride on the plane to the companies HQ for a week of training should have prepared them for their work they do. Who knows, maybe their yearly reviews will shed light on this subject...

Friday Recipe Box!

NO BAKE COOKIES

2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1 stick of butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups quick cooking oatmeal

Combine sugar, cocoa, milk, and butter into a big saucepan on medium heat, bring to a boil and boil for at least a min. Remove from heat, stir in peanut butter, vanilla and oatmeal mix well. Drop by teaspoon onto wax-paper and let cool

MY HINTS: Measure out ingredients first and keep them by the stove so you don't have to run around while you have to stand by the stove and watch them... Why do you have stand by the stove..... so your sugar doesn't burn! And lay out your wax paper before you start cooking so you aren't running around like a crazy person! Preparation is key in this recipe


Super Easy Super Fun!!! One of my favorites. This recipe is found in EVERY Southern's cookbook, its a staple in the summer when its to hot to turn the stove on, yet to hot for the cookies to set right so you have to put them in the fridge!! I have made these while living in Utah and they set up FAST and are a little dry.... But I still love them. I was talking to my friend Susan today who makes something similar and I was surprised there was a different recipe for these. Let me know if you have another recipe for No Bake / Stovetop cookies!

Yogurt Bliss! Spanish Fork

Dear Guy that works at Yogurt Bliss! (and the people that own it)

I had such a good time at your store yesterday, so much fun that I will be back sometime AND wanted to blog about it. Why blog??? 2 reasons 1) It was good and fun 2) You don't have a web site..... The fact that you don't have a web site kinda bothers me but Its OK, you are a new business and I will still frequent your store. I should make my husband do one for you and in return we would like FREE Yogurt for LIFE.... Even if you aren't in business and we are like 75 I still want FREE yogurt or ice cream.... But you should get a Web Site... I really don't trust places that don't have one or a GOOD one that has been updated in the last year or two.

All joking aside I did tell the gentlemen behind the counter I would blog about this.... He is so silly he has no idea the power of my 10 readers... hehehe I did have good time and now I will tell you about it!!

About a week a go I saw signs for a new place here in Spanish Fork called Yogurt Bliss, I thought cool in this down economy its great that we have new business coming into our town... Its pretty obvious Home Depot, Target, Costco, Sams Club, Lowes, IHC, Chilis, A Mall, Best Buy, Applebees, and so on and so on... are not coming..... Instead we are getting a park... Anyhooo I thought I am going to go check this place out and yesterday I did!!

We ( me, my sister-in-law and our children) went and were amazed!!! Its so clean, modern, and new, just what you would expect from a new business that opened a week ago. =) Its pretty much Ikea and white... But now to the good stuff there are 8 flavors of soft serve yogurt to choose from... or you can twist the 2 flavors that are in the same machine together... OR you can make a soft serve yogurt suicide !!! LOL This would be awesome since the flavors are Strawberry, chocolate, vanilla, cookies and cream, cheesecake, rootbeer float, blueberry and some kind of sour thing I was scared to look at.... it was fun to mix and match them up... I just got cheesecake, I am so adventurous. Then after you get your yogurt you can put toppings on them!! ALL THE STINKING TOPPINGS YOU WANT! That great because Coldstone charges you like a $1 for a tablespoon of topping.... But before you get carried away and make a huge yogurt sundae of DOOM... you pay 38 cents an ounce (I think, I am almost pretty sure) So you really don't want to make a 5 lb sundae when you take all 7 of your children with you. Because you really don't want like 8 5 lb sundaes of doom... that would be $48.64 PLUS TAX.... So over $50 of soft serve yogurt.. so be careful go with a plan....

Now on to the employees! He was pretty awesome, so friendly and kind. Just what you would want in a Yogurt shop employee! He even went to find out what ingredients some of the yogurt had in them, so my son could try them. My son is allergic to eggs, nuts, and wheat. The Vanilla has egg in it, so beware! Most of them are Gluten free If not all of them and there are nuts around so be cautious of that. That was pretty awesome in my book. So many times we go to food places and the employees are CLUELESS as to what is in the products they are selling me ... Its pretty sad because that is their JOB. And then don't know what to do when I ask them to check it out.... Sometimes they get their act together and sometimes they are still looking at me with the deer in headlights look. But not this guy He pretty much went above and beyond his call of duty and he was happy about it! I don't know his name because I don't think he was wearing a name tag and if he was I was to engrossed in my yogurt bliss!

UHHHH!

Dear People that read my blog! 

What's up?  Sorry  I have not writing in a few days, I just haven't known what to write about.  I had some ideas floating around and I still may do that some time.  But I did want to tie up some loose ends that I have floating out there in cyber land.  

I am riding a bike FOR REAL! last night my husband went on a 2 mile bike ride and I did not complain once... Well that is not true we did go over a part of the trail that was all jacked up and has not been taking care of in years, but he complained too.  If he complains and I complain about the same thing that equals 0 and everybody is happy!!!  Bike riding is good and its going to make me a super HOT babe, who is to busy to blog... hahah

My blood work came back yesterday and I am fine and healthy.  This upset Kerri over at messes and mudpies because she was sure I had a Thyroid problem.  I called her before my husband and she thinks my doctor and the blood test are wrong, and she is right.   Thats fine she can think that way, I will still make fun of her being smarter then my doctor and blood work.  She thinks all this because I have a moon face.  I am still not sure what that means, the only thing I came up with is that she thinks my face is ugly... =(  Some best friend I have.  I am such a good friend that I am going over there in a few hours to help her package 200 soaps and talk about my moon face! 

OMG did you see the big Jon and Kate show??  I did   They are pretty much getting a divorce.  I am going to give props for TLC not airing them actually going to the court house to file papers and for not showing them telling their kids.   It was pretty heart breaking.  I even cried when they did a "re-cap of family moments"  I just feel so bad for those children, because they don't care if they live in a million dollar house or go on fancy trips.   They just want a normal life with 2 parents that love them.  I don't think they will ever have that, and that makes me sad for them.   Now to BASH Jon and Kate because they are pretty much idiots... Someone somewhere has made this comment many times, and I find some truth and humor in it.   "God knew what he was doing when he made these two people not be able to have children." GASP !!!  Now my disclaimer/apology : Talk to God and see why you can't have kids, don't yell at me I don't have sex with you. But on that same note... why do some people get to be parents when clearly it is not in best interest for any of the involved parties.  I don't know don't ask me.... its messed up.  OH Back to Jon and Kate:  You suck and your children are going to suffer because of what you thought were a good ideas... BOOOOOO to you go back to school!   On a side bar I read lots of web sites/blogs about them.  It seems that Kate is super crazy and mean TRUE.  And that they have had problems since they got married 10 years ago.   =(    I think I am done with them. 

Anyhoo have a good Tuesday and hope you enjoy the new layout that my husband fixed again he is so smart! 

Love,

Leah