Pepperoni pizza chicken sandwich

I missed blogging yesterday, not just the fact that I didn't blog but I truly missed the process of blogging it's kind of a therapy for me. Crazy I know, it's ok though I excepted that fate long ago. Speaking of crazy...today's recipe is amazingly crazy easy!!! And yummy to boot! Do people still say that? To boot??? 

Oh yea back to the food. 

Sandwiches are a real love of mine, bread is life, but the real thing is I only love hot toasty cheesy sandwiches. I am not a fan at all of cold lunch meat sandwiches, my sister in law worked with me one summer and she brought cold sandwiches each day to this day I still have no idea how she did it. This particular sandwich checks all the boxes for me, toasty bread, gooey cheese, flavorful sauce, filling, easy and my kids eat it! 

Note this is not a recipe you make on school concert night. It's a tad messy. My mom always made my brothers or my favorite on concert nights well my fave happens to be spaghetti. To avoid the dropped noodle on the dress meltdown my mom would wrap a huge tea towel around my neck I always felt like the kings in the old cartoons with the giant napkin wrapped around them. Sorry I think I missed the point of my warning, these are messy, I let my kids eat with no shirt on, HA! 

Enjoy! Question what type of recipes would you guys like to see from me? 

6 Thin Sliced Chicken breasts (you can just slice 3 breast in half lengthwise)

2 TBSP EVOO

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 Jar Marnaria Sauce

2 cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded

6 Italian Rolls (or hotdog buns because obviously that's what I had) 

3 TBSP Butter

Season chicken breasts on each side with salt and pepper. Heat EVOO in a large skillet over medium heat brown chicken breasts on each side they do not have to be cooked through that will happen in the sauce. Once chicken is browned pour sauce over chicken breasts and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes until chicken is cooked through. While chicken is cooking butter each roll and toast in a 350 degree oven. Just before serving top each chicken breast with some mozzarella cheese allow it to melt. Place each chicken breast on a bun. Pour on some extra sauce if you'd like! I serve these with a nice garden salad I mean life is all about balance. 

Restaurant Review- The Ox Cafe and Bakery

 Last week while we were at the Royal, we took the opportunity to try out a newish (really new to us) place in the West Bottoms of KC. And by we I mean the hubs said on show day let's get some lunch I saw that Charlot's actual class was HOURS away, so I suggest we walk down the street to this place I had seen. The hubs was quite reluctant at the moment but eventually gave in. Oh goodness am I glad he did.

The Ox Cafe and Bakery is located inside of the historic Livestock Exchange Building and they are open each weekday for breakfast and lunch. The menu rotates seasonally and features some delicious sandwiches and salads as well as a daily special and soup of the day. The breakfast selection looked incredible as well. As amazing as the menu is the building and restaurant area are just so historic and beautiful. 

I like normal began eating prior to actually taking a picture of my food or anyone else's. I will shout this from the heavens the smoked turkey sandwich is most definitely in my top 5 sandwiches of all time! The apple, brie, and the dijon were perfect but what sat it off and I'm thinking what sets off all their sandwiches is the BREAD...all of their breads are made in house daily. Sweet lord it was good bread and not Keto friendly am I ashamed NOPE. Charlot's grilled cheese was amazing the bread was so soft yet toasted perfectly with several melty gooey cheeses, but the oregano aioli made it complete. I can still taste it. Now all I can vouch for on the hubs plate is that it was pretty and the pumpkin soup was very good (the small taste I got), because he didn't offer to share much. 

Truly though you can't have a great restaurant without a great staff and the Ox sure has one. Each person we encountered was so kind and warm as well as very knowledgeable of the menu and the history of the building. Charlot asked our waiter why the place was called the ox and he proceeded to tell her how important cattle trade was to Kansas City and how the city was the center of it for the whole country in addition he explained that the area behind the building used to be filled with cattle. The hubs and I knew most of his information but it was so sweet that he took the time to talk to our little girl. The coffees I ordered topped it all off! They were delicious and the barista took the time to show Charlot how it was made and show her exactly how to make the pretty designs on the top. Such a great experience. 

If you happen to be in that area of KC on the regular or if you just want to try something new out give the Ox Cafe and Bakery a try your won't be disappointed! 

What's Truly Important

For any of you who know me and know the hubs very well you understand pretty quickly that I am the one who talks the most, ok all the time. Yes the hubs talks of course, if it is about farming or cattle or pigs he will talk to anyone anytime anywhere but in most settings he isn't going to say much, sometimes that is because most of what he has to say isn't exactly appropriate. I have developed a love for the inappropriate over the years. This leads to times when we are somewhere if he speaks up I usually try to listen up because he has something to say with thought and purpose.

One of these moments that stopped me in my tracks happened earlier this week as we were having a parent teacher conference with Charlot's teacher. The teacher and I were talking as normal and the hubs was listening, we were discussing her grades, completing her work, her scores on the Stanford test, how Charlot wanted to do show and tell and anything else we could discuss. When suddenly the hubs says, "All of these things are great but is she a good person, a good friend, is she kind?" I sat for a minute and listened as the teach assured us that yes she is all of those things that she tries her best to be kind to everyone. Maybe we are doing ok at this parenting thing.

Pretty soon the conference was over the hubs told us he had to get back to work and would see us later and Charlot and I headed out to pick up her brother. As I drove the hubs words just kept coming back into my head, is she a good person, a good friend, is she kind?. I just couldn't shake the fact that possibly I was focused on the wrong things, now hear me out yes grades and test scores are very VERY important, but is being kind not just as important. All my years of focusing on her grades never once had I asked the simple question he asked, and I know he didn't ask it to make me think, he wanted to make certain we weren't raising a jerk. He for sure didn't ask the question in hopes it would cause me to blog, LOL. But he asked because he cares.

So get to the point right? Maybe just maybe if we all focused a little more on being good people, being good friends, and being kind we would and could truly change the direction this world is headed. I guess next time you or I might see our kid not performing quite as well as we'd expect weather it be sport, showing, school, whatever remember that yes these things are very important but there is a bigger picture in life that we need to help paint as well.

Be good, be a good friend, and be kind.

Charlot's Famous Shrimp Pasta

My children LOVE shrimp is that strange? When asked what her favorite foods are out of Charlot's, top 10 because who doesn't have a top ten, at least four are shrimp of some kind. But this dish it takes the cake for number two spot on the little bits list...why isn't it number one because tacos are number one and truly I never question or doubt someone who keeps tacos so high on their priority list. 

The awesome thing about this dish is Charlot can make nearly all of it on her own with very little supervision from me! BONUS DAYS!!! She loves to cook and create in the kitchen and obviously by the below picture her brother has no problems being her assistant. If you are in the mood for a quick and easy yet delicious supper this should be on your radar!!! Get your kids involved as well you might be surprised just how much more they will try when they are helping to prepare the meal! Charlot created Conrad recommended! 

Shrimp and Spinach Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce

1 lb Raw Shrimp (peeled and deveined)

1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

3 TBSP Butter (divided)

1 pint Heavy Cream

1 TBSP Minced Garlic

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Pepper

1 Lemon (zest and juice)

2 Cups Fresh Grated Parmesan Cheese

1 bag fresh spinach

½ lb Fettuccine Noodles

Place shrimp in a large bowl and toss with Red Pepper Flakes. In a large pot boil water and salt it prior to adding noodles cook according to package directions and drain. While pasta is cooking in large non stick skillet melt 1 tbsp of butter add in the shrimp and cook until just pink. Remove shrimp from skillet in the same skillet melt additional butter add in cream and garlic and cook over a medium heat allow to reduce until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Stir in lemon juice, zest and cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Add in spinach and allow the leaves to wilt. Toss the sauce with noodles and top with shrimp. Add additional cheese to the top.   

Here my celebrity chef is making her cooking publication debut, she reminded me she has been in the paper before for coloring contests. Well thank you sweet child I will try to remember just how famous and multi-talented you are. But in all honesty I couldn't be more proud of her and more excited for this love of cooking to continue to develop.

Royal Recap and Retirement

If you guys are friends of mine on the Instagram and Facebook you probably saw most of these pictures but the blog does have pigs in the title I'm thinking it's ok to share as many pig pictures as I'd like. Wait it's my blog! I'll do what I want, hahahaha.

Last Friday a dream came true for me! Oh my good gosh of gravy did it! It all started not with that little girl with perfect on point pink bow nope it started many and I mean many years ago when I found this (below) picture.

That beautiful, lady right there is my grandma. And that picture is from 1947 when she took her horned Hereford steer butch and showed him at the American Royal. I found this picture or she gave this picture to me long ago and I always thought how awesome it would be to show at the Royal just like she did. Well I never got that chance, timing, age of pigs, school several things stopped me. But the dream remained.

When Charlot started showing at the ripe old age of 2 I hoped and prayed she'd fall in love with it. Ladies and gents she has. After the state fair was over this year when the hubs asked her if she possibly wanted to enter a pig in the Royal she exclaimed with sheer excitement YES! In that very moment I could see this dream I had coming true, I never actually told anyone because that's just kind of how I roll.

As we walked up to the building on Friday morning show day I could tell Charlot was super nervous. This was her first national show, a big step outside her comfort zone. I asked to go stand in front of that cattle mural in front of the building for a quick picture, she obliged but still was hesitant. She kept saying her belly was rumbling, I know the feeling it is the same one I get each time I watch her walk into the show ring.

A quick hello to a few friends as we walked in and she saw so many pigs the nerves nearly made her walk right back out. All was cured shortly as soon as she found Ariel, that girl and Charlot have quite a bond that has been going strong since the day Ariel stepped on to our farm. The day at the Royal the bond seemed no different, Ariel walked with ease and followed each tap of Charlot's stick like a champ. 

The few minutes of the day that were spent in the show ring provided all of us with memories to last a lifetime. Little girl, cute pig and beyond proud family I'd say my dream for sure came true. 

 And having my grandma there to witness it all 71 years later couldn't have made the day any more complete. Can we just stop for a second and say how incredible my grandma looks she doesn't look nearly old enough to be the great grandma of 14 great grandchildren!!!

Now that this years show season is over and Ariel is "retired" and headed to the farrowing barn, oh man her babies will be cute, I see how much Charlot has grown in the show ring. She walks in with confidence, and grace like no other. Sweet Charlot as long as you love this your daddy-o and I will be right there with you me coaching like a crazy lady (I'm working on that) from the side and your dad being your sparkly water bottle carrier. 

Let's just keep the sas in check little one...I have no idea where she gets it from!

15 Go to Ground Beef Meals for the Slow Cooker

Hey friends and I do say friends because you are and because friends give one another some grace especially when it comes to the frequency or infrequency (cough, cough) of their blogs. That's ok I know you all will forgive me especially after you read this post. It could possibly change your life, well probably not but hey you can't say I didn't try. 

What in the world prompted me to finally post a blog again, ha! Well dears it was you guys! I saw several people over the past few weeks asking on their Facebook what some favorite crock pot meals were, especially those with ground beef. I kept commenting and then others would ask for recipes and finally light bulb!!! I needed to do a blog post, hahaha! 

So I will admit I wasn't all that in love with slow cooker cooking for very many dishes outside of roast and soup because so many things ended up mushy, is that a word??? Then I discovered programmable slow cookers, HOLY MOLY!!! If you don't have one and you are serious about adding more crock pot meals to your life add one to your life, Christmas is coming. Yes I ask for kitchen appliances for holiday presents, don't judge me. Here is a link to one I love. The thing about these is that you can select the cooking time then the machine goes to keep warm once that cooking time is over. Say what!!! I know! 

Another problem I had is even with the programmable pot I still felt like many recipes were mushy, still is this a word? Most people who know me know I am a HUGE texture person (hence my aversion to coconut), this didn't bode well for most slow cooking. Then I read a recipe that suggested throwing raw pasta into the cooker...I was nervous but man alive did it help! Most of the recipes I have included have instructions on what to do with the rice or pasta. 

Lastly it drove me crazy to read this delicious recipe that then required me to break out a skillet to cook the meat up ahead of time. Listen lady I really want to make this but for real I am putting this together before 6 am, remembering that I need to brown the meat then drain it is wayyy too much for that time of the morning. This all changed one day when I bought twenty plus pounds of ground beef in the store because it was a good deal, I roll like that. The thing was even though it was a good deal it still was a chunk of change, I was determined to not let this precious meat go to waste in my freezer. I went home and chopped up like 10 onions and began browning hamburger with some onions and salt and pepper. I drained it and cooled it then placed it in quart freezer bags. At this point was thought it would be ready for me to use for tacos, spaghetti sauce, soups whatever I was making for supper that night...then one fateful morning before 6 am I was mad because I forgot to get burger browned for a crock pot recipe I wanted to make. The heavens seemed to open and my deep freezer called my name reminding me of all that glorious burger meat that was pre-browned and waiting for me. 

Obviously a life changing day. HA! But seriously it does make life easier and I save a ton of money when I buy ground beef and can buy it on sale. 

Yes you read that, I am married to a man who raises not only hogs but cattle too and I buy meat but that is another story for another day! 

Below are some of my favorite recipes with links for both pre-cooked burger and using raw burger. If you have any questions please feel free to check in with me. 

 One last question...Do you guys actually enjoy my rambles??? Should the blog continue???

Using Pre-Cooked Burger 

Asian Lettuce Wraps- Below! (I just mix all ingredient in the crock pot and cook all day) 

Stuffed Pepper Skillet-Recipe Link (follow the directions except omit the rice until you get home, then stir in the rice and cook for 30-45 minutes)
Taco Lasagna- Recipe Link
Nacho Soup-Recipe Link
French Onion Beefy Noodles- Recipe Link
Pizza Pasta- Recipe Link (I do not pre-make this, I throw all in ingredients, minus the cheese and pasta and let it cook all day on low, then stir in pasta and let it cook for 30 more minutes, top with cheese.)
Tater Tot Casserole- Recipe Link
Shepard's Pie- Recipe Link
Cheeseburger Soup- Recipe Link (I skip the whole making a thickner in the skillet step and I put my hamburger in first thing in the morning.)
Stroganoff- Recipe Link
Pasta Fagiola- Recipe Link
Cheesy Tortellini- Recipe Link

Using Raw Burger
Mozzarella Stuffed Meatball Subs- Recipe Link (I just place a little cheese in the center of each Meatball as I am rolling them up and also add about 1 cup of water to the sauce)
Barbecue Meatballs- Recipe Link (I take these to the just past the browning step and use the crock pot to cook them in the sauce. 6 hours on low)
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls- Recipe Link (I omit the Rosemary because well I'm not a fan)

Copy Cat PF Chang Lettuce Wraps

Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients

1 TBSP Olive Oil

1 lb Ground Beef

1 Onion diced

2 Cloves Garlic minced

¼ cup Hoisin Sauce

2 TBSP Soy Sauce

1 TBSP Rice Wine Vinegar

1 TSP Ginger

1 TBSP Asian Chili Paste (or Sriracha) 

1 TSP Teriyaki Sauce

1 TSP Sesame Oil

1 (8 oz) Can Water Chestnuts drained and diced

2 Green Onion Thinly Sliced

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 Head Lettuce (Butter, Ice Berg, Romaine)

Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add in beef, onion, and garlic cook until meat is browned. Make sure to break up the meat as you cook it. Drain off any excess fat.

In a small bowl mix Hoisin, Soy, Rice Wine Vinegar, Ginger, Chili Pasta, Teriyaki, and Sesame Oil. Return meat mixture to the skillet and add in the water chestnuts heat on medium. Pour sauce over the mixture and stir to combine, cook until heated through and sauce has reduced a bit. Add in green onion.

This mixture can now be served in lettuce cups or froze. To freeze allow mixture to cool slightly. Place in a gallon freezer bag.

Serving Day-

Thaw bag in fridge or a warm water bath (if your forgetful like me). Pour mixture into a skillet to warm through. Serve with lettuce.