Crock Pot Ranch Pork Loin

I have a love hate relationship with the word "dinner." I love when we eat together as a family, but I HATE thinking about what to cook all day! It seems like right after lunch I start thinking about dinner - it constantly goes through my mind- dinner - dinner - Dinner - DINNER ! 

Hence, the best invention ever - the crock pot. I love that after lunch and before my mid day slump kicks in, I can put that sneaky word that starts with a "din" and ends with a "ner" to rest. I throw something in a crock pot and when dinner time rolls around - I've already prepared it! DINNER IS SERVED - no hassle - no fuss! SCORE!

Crock Pot Ranch Pork Loin

1 packet Dry Ranch Seasoning
1 Pork Loin
1/2 c. water

Place your pork loin in a greased crock pot. Add your 1/2 c. water. Sprinkle your ranch seasoning over top. Cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW for 5.

*If you don't have dry ranch seasoning on hand - you can make your own "copy cat" version. If I ever run out I use this...

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Copy Cat Dry Ranch Seasoning:

2 tsp. Dry Parsley
1 tsp. Dill Weed
1/2 tsp. Onion Powder
1 T. Minced Onion
2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp. Pepper

Mix all together and use 2 T. of the mix for the Pork Loin.
Save the rest for another recipe!


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Gluten Free Dutch Pancake

Delicious! If you have a gluten allergy or not this Dutch Pancake is scrumptious! Topped with simple blueberry sauce this breakfast is fit for a fancy restaurant. Take a look!

Gluten Free Dutch Pancake

In a medium bowl whisk together:

2 Eggs

1 tsp. Olive Oil

1/2 c. Milk

Add:

1/2 c. Rice Flour

1/4 c. Sugar

1/4 tsp. Cinnamon

Whisk together until smooth

Pour into a greased 9 in. round pan.

Bake at 425 for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden brown. 

While the Dutch Pancake is cooking, prepare the Blueberry Sauce.

*This Dutch Pancake makes about 4-5 servings (When I have company, I  make two)

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Blueberry Sauce

1 1/2 c. Frozen blueberries (you can also use fresh blueberries)

1 T. Butter

2 T. Sugar

Place all ingredients in a small sauce pan and cook on medium high heat until nice and bubbly. 

Scoop and place the sauce over each individual slice of Dutch Pancake.

DELISH!

Try some other Dutch Pancake Toppings! 

Buttered Apples

Apple Berry Sauce

Peach Sauce

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5 fun "Boredom Busters"

Are your kids bored today? With weather getting colder and not as much play time outside, it gets harder and harder to entertain your kids. Well, here are 5 kid tested activities to help you wipe the boredom blues away. 

1

Play with snack time food! I bring out the pretzels and animal crackers and we make a "Snack Zoo!" We've also made a pretzel alphabet, shapes and rainbows with our snacks! Make snack time fun! 

2

My kids LOVE - LOVE - LOVE to play in the sink! Get out a few bowls, measuring cups, spoons etc. and fill up the sinks with water and bubbles! If the water gets all over the floors and counters - even better! Simply wipe down the counters and floor that were probably on your "to do list" any way! Good CLEAN fun! 

3

Play "Left Over Cafe!" My kids LOVE this! I put a funny apron on and we play restaurant! I take an inventory of what leftovers we have in the fridge - along with easy pantry food - (PB&J's breakfast cereal etc. things that don't require cooking) The kids feel like they're going out to eat, and mom doesn't have to cook! Win - Win!

4

Table tent day a.k.a. "fort day" is always a favorite in our house. I get table cloths and drape them over our dinning room table then let their imaginations go wild. Our Table Tent has been a castle, cave, house and more. Easy and fun!

5

Mattress slide/ trampoline is probably the boredom buster we do most often. We don't have an outdoor trampoline so this is the next best thing! We upgraded our mattresses a few months ago and have been keeping these in a storage room to grab out for fun! We lay them on the floor like a trampoline or prop them on the couch for a slide! SO FUN!

We hope you enjoyed these 5 boredom busters and hope you got a few ideas for your own family! Kid's are AWESOME!

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Basic Buttery Cornbread

Seriously DELICIOUS! We love cornbread and this recipe is great! 

Cornbread is the perfect addition to just about any meal. Cornbread is our favorite when paired with some of our favorite soups. Soups like Creamy Chicken Chili, 4 Bean & Rice Soup, or Beyond Basic Beef Stew. Yumm.... I'm so making some soup and corn bread for dinner tonight!

Basic Buttery Cornbread

In a mixing bowl combine:

3/4 c. Corn Meal

1 1/4 c. Flour

2 T. Sugar

2 tsp. Baking Powder

1 tsp. Salt

1/4 tsp. Baking Soda

Add:

1/2 c. Butter (room temperature)

Mix until it resembles course crumbs then add:

2 eggs

2 T. Honey

1 c. Buttermilk

Mix together until smooth.

Pour batter into a greased 9x13 pan.

Bake at 350' for 20 minutes

Let the corn bread cool for about 15 minutes before cutting.

Serve with butter and honey! DELISH!

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5 fun Halloween party games!

5 fun Halloween Games!

I have never thrown a Halloween Party and so I felt pretty clueless when I was put in charge of our cub scout Halloween party. I came up with a couple ideas - then my cub partner came up with a few too. It was SO FUN! Our cub scouts (and kids) had a blast!

Game 1:

Decorate your own cookies! Easy for the host and fun for the party attendant.

Make a "cookie buffet" by placing plates, cookies, frosting, knives, and candies. Everyone can decorate their own cookies! SO CUTE and EASY!

Game 2:

Simply blow up white balloons and draw "ghost faces" on them with permanent marker. The task at hand is to keep the "ghost floating" and to not hit the ground! WAY FUN!

Game 3:

Mummy walk challenge! Wrap your legs in white streamer paper AKA "Mummy Gauze". On the count of 3 walk, jump or wiggly and race to a designated ending point without the "mummy gauze" ripping!

Game 4:

Place light weight balls even distances away from a large pumpkin then say...

"These baby pumpkins have been separated from their mother. The only way to return them without harming them is to blow them or gently nudge them with your nose to keep them from crying."

 The first baby pumpkin to reach the mom wins! 

Game 5:

Halloween Bean Bag Toss! This classic game is fun for all ages. Using Halloween treat buckets as targets keeps with the festivity and fun! 

Need another game idea? We also played Halloween Bingo - I forgot to take a picture!
Print the Bingo Cards we used HERE

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Garden Fresh Tomato Soup

It's soup night! Use the surplus of tomatoes you have in your garden for a "Garden Fresh Tomato Soup." DELICIOUS! Dive in with a grilled cheese in hand and take a dip.

I love this time of year - it's getting cold and I'm craving soups; warm, rich, delicious, soul healing soups! Check this lovely ditty out. It's soup season, and this one is definitely a keeper!

Garden Fresh Tomato Soup

In a large pot combine:

2 T. Olive Oil

1 T. Balsamic Vinegar

1 T. Sugar

3 Garlic Cloves - minced

1 Onion - chopped

Saute over medium high heat until onions are transparent.

Add:

6-8 c. Fresh Tomatoes - chopped 

(You can remove the skins by boiling in a separate pot and taking the skins off before adding to the soup- but I didn't)

Simmer the tomatoes and onions about 10 minutes.

If you have an immersion blender - use that to blend the tomatoes and onions in your pot until smooth. 

**OR... if you don't have an immersion blender - place all ingredients in a large blender and blend until desired consistency. (This is what I did)

When all is blended - return to heat and add:

2 c. chicken broth

2 tsp. Basil

2 tsp. Salt

Simmer for another 10 minutes.

Dish up and serve with a dollop of sour cream and a grilled cheese sandwich.

DELISH!

Need more soup ideas?

Click HERE

Crock Pot Pork Curry

Crock Pot Curry has become one of our family's favorite meals. We eat it quite often. For one, I love preparing food early in the day and forgetting about it until dinner. That's the best thing about crock pots, they're EASY PEASY! And two, they taste AMAZING! My kids love "rice with curry gravy." Delicious! Check it out! 

Crock Pot Pork Curry

4-6 boneless pork chops - cubed

In a large blender place:

1 (13 oz) can Coconut Milk

1 (15 oz.) can Tomato Sauce
1 can Garbanzo beans/chickpeas - drained
1 Onion - quartered
2 Garlic Cloves - minced
1 Large Green Bell Pepper - core and seeds removed
2 T. Curry Powder
1 T. Salt

Blend until smooth.

Grease your crock pot with cooking spray.

Place your cubed pork into the crock pot.

Pour the curry "soup" into the crock pot. Give it a stir to be sure the pork is evenly coated.

Cook on High for 4-5 hours - or Low for 6-8.

Serve over rice and garnish with cilantro. DELISH!

Don't have pork? Try Chicken Curry!

Click HERE for my Crock Pot Chicken Curry recipe-
Same thing only add a sweet potato!

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