Italian "Honeymoon is Over" Soup

Thanks to my hubby for this awesome recipe title!

Italian Honeymoon is Over Soup

This is a lazy version of Italian Wedding Soup. It is so easy and so yummy!

Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef
1 envelope mushroom gravy mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 package of egg noodles (2 cups)
1/2 package of frozen spinach (2 cups)
1 Tbs garlic powder or 1 clove fresh garlic
1 cup of water (more if you want it more soup-like)
Parmesan Cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

Brown and drain ground beef.
Mix together cream of mushroom soup, gravy mix and water.
Combine ground beef and gravy mixture
Add cooked egg noodles, spinach, spices.
Mix well and simmer for approximately 20 minutes.

Serve with shredded Parmesan cheese.

One thing at a time!

So, I have about 20 more minutes of silence here at the house. My mind has been racing lately with ideas. I mean all kinds of ideas...business...crafts...selling...work...home...family....

I need to focus! How do I do that?! I need to start one thing, finish it and see where it takes me. I am all over the place. Luckily, my husband just says, "that is a good idea" a lot. :) He is supportive even though I can be a NUT case!

I have an online resell boutique. I have clothes in a pile waiting to post. I sell Celadon Road products (www.myceladonroad.com/scpolen). I need to dedicate time to that. I want to get my MCT (Microsoft Certified Trainer) certificate....

Our house is chaotically unorganized. It is getting better, but it is still a MESS! Time management has NEVER been one of my strong suits. Anyway, I just needed to get it out there that I'm struggling! Sitting here on the computer isn't helping! But, it feels good to purge a bit even if it is from my mind and not from my piles of stuff!

Stay tuned for the next great idea! :)

We are lucky enough to have natural grocery stores cose by making shopping easier when trying to avoid certain ingredients. But, not everyone is! Today, i purchased several items at dollar tree that meet our criteria (no artificial colors, flavors or high fructose corn syrup)...hydrogenated oils are on the list as well. Now, that is thelist...you may have other criteria...all organic, for example. We are starting with this and moving from there. So what did i buy?
h.k.anderson peanut butter filled pretzel nuggets
minute maid juice boxes
luna nutz over chocolate bars
not too shabby for $6! Bought 2 of each!

"Cleaner" Food!

For 2012, one of our "resolutions" if you want to call it that is no artificial colors, flavors and no high fructose corn syrup! WE can do this. WE have done it before. Here is the challenge. For those of you without an "Earth Fare", "Whole Foods" or "Greenlife" close to you, how do you do this? And, I keep hearing, "It is too expensive to eat like that"! It is so not!!!! So, what for the things I find on a budget that fit into our food budget for the month. You can find items anywhere! I even found snacks that meet our criteria at Dollar General!!!!!

So, stay tuned!

New Year Coming

I can't believe 2012 will be here in just 2 days! And, it seems it will be over on December 21, 2012. So, I guess I need to make the best of this coming year. :)

My mother has found out some news that will affect her health and the coming year/years. Knowing this, has made me think about my own mortality. What have I done with my life? What do I want to do with my life? I'm thinking about a bucket list....Yes....I am OLD! I guess when you hit 40 and start realizing you won't live forever, you think about these things.

This past year has been very trying...But, it has made me and my family stronger. What will I do differently in 2012? I will only control myself and support those who need my support. That is my main goal!

Anyway, look for my bucket list. It will be some silly things and some grandiose things! But, I will start working on me and what I need to do to be the best me, wife and mother I can be!

Pot Roast with German-Style Gravy

I just made something so wonderful that I have to share!!!!

I cooked a London Broil in the crockpot like I always do:
place in crockpot, cover with water.
Press 1-2 garlic cloves onto the roast, place 4 bay leaves in the water
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook on high for 4-5 hours.

Well, I thought since I had some Spaeztle mix, I would add a German-Style Gravy. It is so flippin' good!

I mixed about 1 cup of the broth from the roast with cream of mushroom soup, added in a 1/2 Tbs of yellow mustard
probably about 1/2 Tbs of dill weed (I just love saying Dill Weed)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Mixed it well....and voila!!!! Awesome German-Style Gravy for the Roast!

Next time I'll in some baby Portabella Mushrooms!

So, it smells like a German restaurant today! I love it!!!!!!

Who do I want to be?

So, who do I want to be? I want to be me...That sounds just so flippin' cheesy! But, it is true! I want to wear flowy dresses, have bright red hair, laugh too loudly, be whomever I want to be! But, who am I now. I'm a mom to 2 great boys, a wife to my BEST friend, a caretaker, a housekeeper, a trainer, an employee....But, who am I? Can anyone really answer that? What makes me happy? What can I do to become happier, less stressed? I think honesty is the answer! My husband and I have been talking a lot about this. Even if it is scary, life is too short not to be honest with yourself. So, that is where I am. As scary as it is, I am not Wonder Woman! I am not all things to all people, and I'm going to screw up royally....a lot!

I'm in the process of taking an inventory of my life. What makes me happy? What do I enjoy? So, keep watching to find out how this unfolds! :)