How to Clean a #Crockpot (and more great kitchen tips, etc.) ~ PLUS giveaway WINNER!

When The Chef and I found out we were going to be featured in the That Works for Me! eBook, we had no idea how many great (800+) from other bloggers would also be included.  The Chef immediately tried the tip on how to clean a crockpot, and we now use it every time we cook with the crockpot.... it definitely "works for us"!

Thank you to all who entered our giveaway of the book.  The winner, as selected by Rafflecopter, is Alison, and the entry she received for sharing about the giveaway on her Facebook profile was the winning entry:

Congratulations, Alison!

If you would like to purchase a copy of the eBook, you can receive a discount of $1 off the price of $8 with the following coupon code: SAVE1.

Now, here's the good part.  A portion of the proceeds from the sale of every eBook benefits Mercy House, a non-profit ministry that empowers a maternity home in Kenya, Africa.  So it's a win-win.  You get and you give back all in one purchase.



To purchase:  Click here to visit wearethatfamily.  

Disclosure:  Affiliate link included in post.  Please see Disclosure Page for full disclosure statement.

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Wordless Wednesday ~ Foodie Edition (Graduation Ideas)

{NOTE: For words, please visit our Graduation Ideas Pinterest Board}

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Greek Rotini Salad Recipe

This Saturday Evening's recipe is a bit unusual in more ways than one.  First, The Chef is not a fan of salads, so you will generally not find him serving our salad recipes.  Also, this recipe reflects one of my culinary quirks.  ;)  I don't think I have many, but notice the name of the recipe: Greek Rotini Salad.  Now look closely at the picture... notice a key ingredient that is obviously missing.... OLIVES!

I guess it is odd that I love most Greek flavors, except for olives, being that Greek cuisine is pretty much defined by the olive.  If I order something in a restaurant that has olives in it, I will always request that they be left out of the dish.  I mistook an olive in a salad once for a grape... yes, once.... never made that mistake again.  Yuck!  I believe that was at The Olive Garden, for crying out loud!

So enough about my disdain for olives, and onto this otherwise delicious recipe.  Oh, and if you want the olives in this dish, the recipe called for 1/4 cup of pimento-stuffed olives (double yuck!), so add them right in, and....

Enjoy.

Greek Rotini Salad

Ingredients:

• 3 cups rotini, uncooked
• 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
• 2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 small cucumber, seeded and chopped
• 1 small green pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup green onions, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried whole oregano

Instructions:

1. Cook rotini according to package directions; drain. Rinse with cold water, drain well.
2. Combine rotini and next 6 ingredients (include olives if you are including them) in a large bowl; toss gently.
3. Combine olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper and oregano in a jar.  Cover tightly and shake vigorously.  Pour over rotini mixture; Toss gently to combine.
4. Cover and chill thoroughly.

NOTE:  You probably notice diced ham in the picture... this was an adaptation recommendation from The Chef when I have wanted to add some additional protein to it. 





NEED ANY OF THE TOOLS USED?

Rating scale

1 star - Feed it to the dog
2 stars - Surprise your neighbor

3 stars - Definite keeper

4 stars - Looking forward to leftovers

5 stars - Clean plate and nap time! Are there enough ingredients left to make it again soon?

The Chef - 2 Stars

The Lucky Wife - 5 Stars

The Well-Fed Son (5 years old) - 4 Stars
The Well-Fed Daughter (21 months old) - TBD (Note: She has not eaten this yet, but based on her love of pasta and salad dressing, my guess is it will be a 4 or 5 for her!)

*Rate it yourself in the comments!

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Wordless Wednesday {Hydrangea Cake} ~ Foodie Edition 1 & Feature!

Source: iambaker.net via TheChef/TheLuckyWife on Pinterest

(NOTE: If you want the words, just click the picture!)  :)

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That Works for Me! eBook Review & GIVEAWAY!

Don't you LOVE coming across timely information that either makes your life easier or helps you out in some way?  I know I do.

We are honored to have a link to one of the posts from our Christmas series last year published in That Works for Me!, an eBook compilation of 800+ great tips from bloggers.  These are tips that have been shared in the weekly Works for Me Wednesday Blog Carnival, hosted by Kristen Welch at We Are That Family.

I was given the opportunity to review this book, and let me tell you, it is packed FULL of amazing, helpful tips with something for everyone!  It is a book that I know I personally will come back to time and time again.

To give you a little taste of what's in this treasure, here are the categories into which the 800 tips fall:

Baby
Beauty
Blogging
Cleaning
Craft
Decor
Frugal
Garden
Gift
Green
Holiday
Homeschool
Hospitality
Kitchen
Laundry
Marriage
Odds and Ends
Organization
Parenting
Pets
Recipes
Time Management
Tech/Computers
Travel


Here are a sampling of my favorite tips from the book ("tips for foodies" I've made bold!):

1. Homemade Baby Wipes Tutorial
2. Miscarriage/Infant Loss Support (with 4 thoughtful gift ideas)
3. Eat for Your Skin (specific foods that can help with different skin challenges)
4. DIY Organic Eye Makeup Remover 
5. Online Tools for Bloggers (4 free tools)
6. Cleaning Index Card System
7. 10 Fun Ways to Clean with Kids
8. Natural Drain Cleaner
9. Design Your Own Fabric
10. DIY Photo Words
11. Sheets into Curtains (no-sew!)
12. Expense Audit
13. Use Your Freezer (7 things you can stock up on when they're on sale)
14. Meat Cut Calculations (Easily convert boneless to bone-in meat prices with this helpful guide.)
15. Do Your Own Landscaping
16. Teacher Gifts (Ideas from... a TEACHER!)
17. Seed Strip Garland Gift (great gift idea for a gardener/flower lover)
18. Small Things Add Up (There are lots of little green things we can do)
19. Kids at Thanksgiving Dinner
20. The Mom Shop (Let siblings find presents for each other with a little help from Mom.  See how to select appropriate gifts and set up shop)
21. Homeschool ideas (3 DIFFERENT ideas for planners, several ideas for a "typical" daily schedule, curriculum ideas and more!)
22. Teaching Children Hospitality
23. Help for Grieving Families (Alternative ideas for helping families grieving loss)
24. Candy Buffet
25. Butter Pats (Add a touch of elegance to your meal by serving individualized butter pats)
26. Cleaning a Slow Cooker
27. Cut Onions Tear Free
28. Removing Underarm Stains
29. Speed Up Drying Time
30. Questions to Ask Your Spouse
31. Gifts Your Man Will Love
32. An Old Fashioned House ("People in these days forget that creativity and hard work are what make an inexpensive home lovely and valuable.")
33. Happiness Scavenger Hunt
34. Uses for Coffee Filters
35. Puzzle Bags (great idea for organizing/storing children's puzzles)
36. Hold a Kid "Pow-Wow"
37. I Like You
38. 7 Ways to Wait (with kids)
39. Mommy Business Cards (WHY you need them and WHAT to put on them)
40. Flourless Chocolate Brownie Cookies
41. Chocolate Cake in 5 Minutes
42. Peanutty Chocolate Puffs
43. Edible Play Dough
44. Fun Food for Kids
45. Knock-off Restaurant Meals
46. Best Time to Purchase Airline Tickets
47. Beach Sand Removal
48. Tracking Lost Children

See what I mean?  Something for everyone!

Here's the good part... you can WIN a copy of this eBook in a giveaway (see details below), or you can purchase a copy with the following coupon code for $1 off: SAVE1

Now, here's the REALLY good part.  A portion of the proceeds from the sale of every eBook benefits Mercy House, a non-profit ministry that empowers a maternity home in Kenya, Africa.  So it's a win-win.  You get and you give back all in one purchase.



To purchase:  Click here to visit wearethatfamily. 

To enter the giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

*Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link; however, all opinions are 100% mine.

 

*If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment (don't be a stranger!), subscribing (it's free!) to receive e-mail updates of future recipes, or sharing it with your family/friends:

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Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake

Since learning we had food sensitivities and having to restrict our consumption of different foods, and some different for different members of our family, we've had a challenge finding "substitute recipes" that resulted in an end-product that tasted comparable to "the real thing".  The Well-Fed Son loves bread.  The Lucky Wife and I have often said that if he could live off of bread and fruit, he would!  He does have a sensitivity, however, to gluten, wheat AND yeast.  Go figure.

So at Christmas, The Lucky Wife looked around for a special breakfast recipe that our family could enjoy utilizing ingredients we don't have to monitor.  She came across this coffee cake recipe, and it was a hit.  You can find the recipe at Gluten Free Easily.

Enjoy.

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Crockpot Hamburger Soup ~ Crockpot Sunday

This Crockpot Hamburger Soup has the same flavors as one of our favorite recipes, Old Fashioned Pot Roast (which I also make in the crockpot).  The Well-Fed Children do not care for pot roast due to the texture of the beef (stringy and chewy), but The Lucky Wife and I love the flavor of potatoes and carrots cooked with pot roast.  So... I came up with this recipe as a compromise.  The kids don't have to deal with the stringy, chewy beef, and the parents get the flavor of the pot roast potatoes and carrots.

But I used an ingredient in this dish that I had never cooked with before.  The idea came, in all honesty, from a commercial I heard on the radio, advertising the product as being on sale.  The item is smoked pork jowl.  The announcer described it as cheaper and better than bacon, if you "slice it up and fry it".  And I did just that.

The flavor that this added to the soup was incredible.  I can't describe it.  It does not taste like bacon, but it doesn't taste like ham either.  The only thing I can say is to try it!  This one will be added into our regular menu rotation.

Enjoy.

Crockpot Hamburger Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 ounces smoked pork jowl, diced with excess fat trimmed
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 5 small white potatoes, diced with skin on
• 48 ounces chicken broth
• 8 ounces whole baby carrots
• 8 ounces sliced button mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat until warm.
2. Add oil and smoked pork jowl. Slowly brown pork until crispy and fat has been rendered.
3. Add onion and celery and saute until onion is soft.
4. Add sliced mushrooms and garlic; saute approximately 2 to 3 minutes, until mushrooms soften slightly.
5. Add crumbled ground beef and brown. Once hamburger is brown, drain excess grease and pour contents or mixture into large 5 to 6 quart crockpot.
6. Add diced potatoes and carrots. Fold together. Pour in chicken broth. Cover and cook on high setting for 3 hours or until potatoes and carrots are tender.

NEED ANY OF THE TOOLS USED?
 
 

Rating scale

1 star - Feed it to the dog
2 stars - Surprise your neighbor

3 stars - Definite keeper

4 stars - Looking forward to leftovers

5 stars - Clean plate and nap time! Are there enough ingredients left to make it again soon?

The Chef - 4 Stars

The Lucky Wife - 4 Stars

The Well-Fed Son (5 years old) - 4 Stars
The Well-Fed Daughter (21 months old) - 4 Stars

*Rate it yourself in the comments!

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More ideas for Foodies, etc.:  Makin' You Crave Monday, Tip Me Tuesday, Works for Me Wednesday, Women Living Well Wednesday, Tatertots and Jello, Titus 2sdays, Foodie Friday, Friday Favorites, Feature Yourself Friday

Easy Slow Cooker Pinto Beans and Smoked Sausage ~ Crockpot Sunday Recipe

This week's recipe, Easy Slow Cooker Pinto Beans and Smoked Sausage, was developed for convenience.  I got tired of the hassle of having to soak pinto beans overnight and then stand over a pot as they cooked.  So out came the crockpot for a good ole overnight attempt.  The result:  Delicious.

Most people season pinto beans with some sort of pork, but we like to add a lot of smoked sausage to it for a slightly different twist and since pork can be problematic for the Well-Fed Son's food sensitivities.  This is a regular family favorite.  We usually eat these with Tasteless Collard Greens, which we sometimes cook on the stove since the crockpot is tied up with the pinto beans.

Enjoy.

Easy Slow Cooker Pinto Beans and Smoked Sausage

Ingredients:

• 1 16-ounce bag dried pinto beans
• 1 medium onion, diced
• Approximately 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Approximately 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 pound turkey smoked sausage, cut into small bite-sized pieces
• 6-8 cups water

Instructions:

1. Pour dried beans into bottom of large 5-6 quart crockpot. Sort with fingers, removing any rocks or hulls.
2. Add chopped onion and smoked sausage.
3. Sprinkle with garlic powder and salt.
4. Slowly add water until beans are covered at least by 1/2 inch of water.
5. Cover and cook on low heat for 5.5 hours. Serve over cooked rice.

*(Note: May need to adjust seasoning to your liking after beans are cooked.)

NEED ANY OF THE TOOLS USED?
 
 

Rating scale

1 star - Feed it to the dog
2 stars - Surprise your neighbor

3 stars - Definite keeper

4 stars - Looking forward to leftovers

5 stars - Clean plate and nap time! Are there enough ingredients left to make it again soon?

The Chef - 5 Stars

The Lucky Wife - 5 Stars

The Well-Fed Son (5 years old) - 4 Star
The Well-Fed Daughter (20 months old) - 4 Star

*Rate it yourself in the comments!

*If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment (don't be a stranger!), subscribing (it's free!) to receive e-mail updates of future recipes, or sharing it with your family/friends:

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