Kitchen Creations: Beef & Potato Stew

Today I pulled out the crock pot! It's December, it's chilly, and the holidays are right around the corner! So I went for southern comfort, and decided to make beef and potato stew over cornbread and rice for dinner.  Tonight, I'm going to share my stew recipe with y'all. Spoiler alert...in involves wine!!

My recipe is super easy, and I set the crock pot on high so it took about 4 hours. You can set the crock pot on low, and it would take the same recipe about 6 hours. This recipe fed 4 adults and 2 preschoolers...So I'm going to say it feeds 5. But that's just a guess! 

Ingredients: 

Stew beef 

1 1/2 cup of Beef Broth

 1/2 cup of Chicken Broth

Seasonings of Choice

  2 Potatoes

1 Celery Stalk

1/4 cup of Butter 

1/4 cup of Flour

1 Onion (optional)

1/4 cup of Moscato...or any sweet wine, really (optional) 

Salt and Pepper (to taste) 

Directions:
1. Put stew beef in the slow cooker. 

2. Clean and cut the potatoes. (You can skin them, but we don't, We eat the skin. It's good for you!) If you are using real onions, cut those up. Then add them to the slow cooker. 

3. Using the seasonings ( I used basil, minced onion, seasoning salt, pepper, and salt-free seasoning) season the meat and potatoes to taste. (I never measure my seasonings.) And turn the slow cooker on high for one hour. Side note: You do not need minced onion if you're using a real onion.  

4. In a saucepan set on medium, mix the butter with the flour. Beat out all the lumps. Then slowly add beef broth,chicken broth, salt and pepper (to taste) and let it thicken. This takes about 5 minutes. Then add the gravy to the stew. If you are using the wine, add that too.

5. Chop celery stalk into little pieces and add to stew, and let stew simmer for a total of 4 hours. Stirring... and tasting, occasionally.

About 30 minutes, before the stew was done. I baked Jiffy cornbread in a pan, according to the directions. And I boiled  the rice. (Because I used two cans of broth, I boiled the rice in all the leftover broth, instead of water, to give it a bit more flavor.) 

When it was all done, I put a ladle of stew over my cornbread and rice.

It's southern and starchy, but it's most definitely a comfort food. It had us feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. It was just right for the weather and the season! 

9 Ways to Do Christmas Year Round

I've found myself in the Christmas spirit, doing a lot of extra stuff. And spending more time doing things with the kids. I feel guilty, to be honest. Christmas shouldn't be an excuse for more kid time, everyday should be. So I out together a list of things I can do even when its not the holidays. This is mostly for me to use as a point of reference, because I'm so lame I go back and read my blogs. But maybe someone else out there could use a reminder too! 

1. Bake cookies, cakes, pies, and brownies. They are available year 'round, we can bake them year 'round! And it'll be just as delicious in May as it is in December.
2. Christmas Movie Night. We have movie night often. But why not randomly have a Christmas movie night on a rainy day in August?! Some of these movies are too good to enjoy only once a year. I vote to set an entire day aside to  completely binge on the Christmas classics in June!
3. Hot Chocolate. We can drink that anytime its cold, and just switch it to chocolate milk when it gets warm. Where has my common sense been?
4. Keepsake Arts and Crafts. Sure ornaments are out the picture, but that doesn't mean we can't make keepsake foot and hand print dough just for kicks. (And for mommy to cry over when their hands grow a little .)
5. Gifts. We can make and mail gifts year 'round. We may as well let our aunt in Iowa and their grandparents in California know we think about them all year long, and not just when it's "time" to! Besides, nothing brightens a day like a surprise package in the mail. And you'll have a valid excuse for getting rid of the crafts you aren't so fond of!
6. Concerts and Games. The schools and communities have concerts and games for things other than Christmas. There's no need for me to wait until December to go searching for them. You may not find a parade, but it'll still be some pretty good stuff going on.
7. Play Dates/Visits. This can be done whenever two adults are free and have the means and the energy. It doesn't have to just be done when you're making your Christmas rounds. Come on, Kayla, do better! Show love to those you love all year long.
8. Christmas music. Because 'Nsync's "Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays" is an awesome song any time of the year! And if you practice all year, you will be able to sing "The 12 Days of Christmas" effortlessly come next year.
9. Do for Others. We often wait until the end of the year to consider the less fortunate. So I'm going to think of the homeless year round. I'll have the kids visit nursing homes in the Spring. And we're going to just try and give back to the community as much as we can throughout the year, instead of waiting for the holiday season.

Easy ToiletTrees

Horrible name, right? Well my husband thought of it and it was pretty Punny. So I stuck with it. 

Anyway, the week before Thanksgiving the boys and I did a "sit at the table" class, it was our first one in over a month. 

But I had a really cool idea for a craft that I wanted to try out. 

I love trees. Especially when they're bare. I think they're beautiful! Autumn is definitely the time of year to do some tree crafts.  (I know it's Christmas time but stick with me here- this was an in between craft!) 

We all loved doing this one because there were no directions required. 

I handed the boys construction paper. I used yellow and orange. But you can use red or green (since its close to Christmas)! In my mind, red makes the most sense; it would easily fit in with Autumn and Christmas decor. I handed the boys fall colored crayons: deep purple, red, brown, yellow, orange.  They colored the blank papers until their little hearts grew tired. 

I outlined a CHRISTMAS tree. Cut it out. And and glued it unto cardboard rolls.

Simple. Easy. And oh-so-cute. (And you can totally use markers or paint instead of crayons). The craft looks absolutely adorable beside their Autumn Wine Glasses. One tree fell down, and one of my monsters destroyed it before I got a picture of both of them.  But the one I still have is adorable enough to feature. 

During this activity I got the kids to count crayons, review colors, and talk about weather.  So you could even consider it educational art!

The Story of the Circle

I wrote an entire post and forgot to save it! But let me tell y'all life has been getting to me the past few weeks.
We took an impromptu weekend beach trip, and other than that I've been all over the place mentally and emotionally.  This is a big reason for why I have not been blogging consistently the past few weeks.
I would apologize, but life happens. I'm out my funk, and Im back today. I even wrote a story that I'm going to share.

Today I am telling the story of the circle below.
On the outside, the circle seems to have it pretty well put together. It's got visible flaws, blemishes, imperfections. But its a whole and happy circle, clearly.
But ket's be frank here, we don't know what is going on inside the circle. It's mostly full of red and blue scribbles. That can be whatever you want to call it: yin and yang, happy and sad, sunshine and rain.  Emotions, senses, thoughts, And they over lap often. At any given moment, I-- I mean this circle can feel two, three things at once. Intimate and withdrawn. Angry and relieved. Grief and excitment. Happy, smart, and lonely. Full and empty. 
And it's completely normal for the circle. The circle just goes through life never fully red, yellow, or blue. Always happy. Always sad.  Never consistent.
Beside the emotions scrambling everywhere, there are bursts of purple fear and anxiety, and spots of white. Spots of nothing. The circle feels nothing. It shuts down. Sometimes, unprovoked. The sun is yellow; the rain is wet; 2+2=4. Yeah, but there's nothing there more than fact. There are brief moments lasting  seconds or minutes. But they are still very real, tangible moments when the circle is just merely existing. I'm assuming, to come back from that must be an exhausting mix of fear, happiness, regret, sadness, confusion, anger, and lonliness .

It's no ones fault; the circle was made this way. The circle has accepted who he is, and will probably always be. The circle ruins conversations with open awkwardness, and has trouble maintaining friendships.  The circle is an intellectual shape, yet it's the most confused. The circle doesn't fit in, and doesn't even try to anymore.  It tells lies to stay home, and considers anything with music a party.
At the end of the day, this train wreck of a circle somehow manages to  light up another's world. Wearily and differently, it functions. And that makes it a good circle; a circle with a purpose.
The end.

Cheap (& FREE) Outings

It's FRIDAY!!! YAYYY!!!!

So the boys are starting to go crazy being home every day.  So I have been putting together a list of things to do that are free or almost free. Some of these things I've done, and some are on my to-do list.  I think they're all worth a try.
(I understand that everyone doesn't live in my area, but maybe this will give you an idea of things to do with your little ones.)

1. Library Visits. Check your local libraries schedule, there may actually be events held for kids.  My local one has one every Monday at 10am. But even if they don't, an impromptu story time is still pretty awesome.  The library may also hold pretty cool kid-free events too; if you can manage to get an hour of baby free time.
2. Play Dates.  Play dates are hard to make, but if you can schedule them don't waste that opportunity! It's a great way for kids (and sometimes even moms) to make a consistent friend.
3. Restaurants with Play Areas.  I don't feel obligated to buy meals in order to take my kids to play at the fast food restaurants.  I will gladly pay for a $1 tea to sip on while my boys run around acting crazy.  I think of them as indoor parks.
4. The Fire House. Please, call first. But a lot of fire house will do pop up tours for your little ones. They get to meet firemen, hear about what they do, and see the trucks.  Bonus points for this activity, it's educational
5. Nursing homes. Kids and elderly go hand in hand.  It's flu season now, but once the winter is over  call around and see if you and the kids can visit.  They'll learn and teach so much.  Come this March, my boys will be going twice a month.
6. Picnic in the Park (or the Backyard).  Simple. Cheap. Fun.  Enjoy food while the kids run around.  It's an adventure if you don't do it often.
7. Downtown Walks.  Our downtown is pretty huge! A downtown walk is our go-to family date! It's scenic and since we're constantly moving, we don't have any issues from the kids.
8. Movies. My kids are 3 and under, so I only have to buy a ticket for me.  The matinee ticket is like $6, and the kids' movies aren't so bad.
9. Museums.  We have museums with family days and neighborhood nights, where admission is free or around $5.  It's a great way to educate the kids and learn something yourself.  We even have free museums,
10. Chic-Fil-A.  They're a regional thing, but they host a lot of community events! Ours has a crafty toddler time, So check their events page, if you're lucky enough to have one nearby! Also, they usually have a play place.
11. Sporting Events.  Whether it's school, community, or church.  The local football games are usually $5 or less (and small kids get in free).  They can jump, they can stomp, they can yell.  It's quite exciting if they've never been.  Basketball games work the same way, but the outdoors gives them a little more space with a lot less echo. (My kids don't like echoes.)
12. Park Explorations.  Go to a different park other than the one nearby.  This may cost some in gas, but I've recently found that there are literally dozens of parks within 10 miles that I have never taken my kids to.  The different layouts and play areas make every trip an adventure for them.
13. Nature Trails. Not my favorite, but my kids are in love with them. (Until they get tired of walking.)
14. Skating. If you have your own skates, admission into a rink is much cheaper.  Or you can just skate for free on a sidewalk, around the neighborhood, or at the park...  Or bicycle.
15. Basketball. There are courts literally everywhere.  My kids can't quite make the hoop, but balling together is a good way to get your heart pumping and get family time in. Who says you can't bring a mini hoop or make up your own game?
16. Car Rides to Nowhere.  My kids like to be in the car. Well, the boys do. So riding around to absolutely nowhere is so much fun for them. We sing, talk, tell stories, dance, observe.  It's a really good bonding experience.  And I have an excuse to have the Chicken Nugget Song on repeat.
17. Children's Theatre.  Our local Children's Theater has events starting at $1 per person.  So look into your local theatres.
18. Bookstore.  Especially Barnes & Noble.  They have story time and a little play area.  Check their page, and it'll have the dates and times listed.  If you don't have a Barnes & Noble, it doesn't hurt to call and ask.
19. Pet Stores. Kids like animals; animals like kids.  We all did this once, and it wasn't too hard to pry our kids from the adorable pets, but there was a major pep talk beforehand.
20. Concerts! Concerts! Concerts! Music makes the soul feel good.  Look around for local concerts, at restaurants, schools, churches, community centers or even outdoor areas.  They are more common than you think, especially around the holidays! Let those little ones dance the night away! 

*Sorry there's no visual, my husband decided on an impromptu vacation, and I had no time to make a poster. 

Kitchen Creations: Cheese & Crackers

Okay, you may think this is a filler post, but I really wanted to share this ...

When we were kids my mom would make this snack for us.  We'd eat it all up over giggles and homework, and it was me and my little brother's favorite thing! This magical snack is cheese & saltine crackers.  I know, it's not really that great sounding. And to most, it's not blog-worthy.  But this is a snack that speaks to my soul, so I'm dedicating a post to it.

My mom would tear up the cheese (any kind of cheese), put it on a cracker and microwave it until the cheese bubbles. So, I do the same for my kids.  And it's as big of a hit with them as it was with me.  I'm lying; I love it way more than them.  But they love it enough, we have even made a lunch out of it by adding meat (tuna, turkey, ham, bologna, etc.) to the crackers before microwaving and pairing it with celery or fruit on the side. Sometimes I even give them ranch to dip it in. 

I don't know whether it's because the snack itself brings me back to a happy place full of fond memories, or if it's because of the convenience (the ingredients are always on hand), or if it's just that good. But there's something about these simple cracker snacks I just had to share! 

Kitchen Creations: Steak Bites & Sides

I'm going to give you guys the entire dinner recipe today. Because some days I feel like I belong on the food network. 

I bought stew meat because it was on sale. But let's be honest here, it is literally cut up steak.  So I threw the stew meat in the crock pot (that's what it's made for!) and made a delicious, tender steak dinner.  

With the stew meat, I seasoned it to taste, added butter, and put it in the crock pot for two hours. I did one hour on high and one hour on low, because those are our only two settings.  I imagine you can just do two hours on medium.  This made the meat tender, pink, and juicy just like we like it. Obviously, if you like your steak well-done you'll have to cook it longer. 

I paired our meal with unsweetened applesauce. I warmed up my applesauce for a minute in the microwave and sprinkled cinnamon on top. My husband ate his plain and cold, like his soul. (Ha, I found that funny!) Seriously, y'all applesauce is a very versatile side dish, especially without the added sugar. It's slightly sweet, but not too sweet and it genuinely compliments most of our meals that aren't chicken or pizza. I love having it with dinner! 

Balancing out our applesauce we had no-bake baked potatoes. This idea came from my husband's awesome cousin! We boil the potatoes for 30 minutes (or until you stick it with a fork and it'a soft in the middle) and then microwave them for 5 minutes. The inside is perfect and soft, and the microwave gives the outside a slight crunch and makes it so easy to peel (if you don't eat the outside). It's quicker than a regular baked potato and just as good! 

And there you have it: Medium steak bites, baked potato, and cinnamon applesauce. From your wannabe bootleg food blogger of the day, Kayla. Enjoy!