Amazing Cheddar Dates

I promised a friend I’d post this amazing recipe for Cheddar Dates. It’s from Southern Living’s Easy Entertaining book. I make them around the holidays, or any other time I’m in the mood for this rich appetizer. It’s quite a process but totally worth it!

• 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 24 pitted dates
• 24 pecan halves, toasted
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar

1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl, stirring well.
2. Add butter, stirring until moistened. It’s a very dry dough.
3. Make a lenthwise slit in each date and stuff with a pecan half.
4. Press 1 generous tablespoon dough around each date. Just take a tablespoon and squash it flat in your hand. Then put a date on top and wrap and squish the dough around to cover the date.
5. Cover and chill for 45 minutes, or freeze for up to a month.
6. Place dates on a greased baking sheet and brush with egg white. Sprinkle with sugar.
7. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Serve at room temperature.

I sometimes break up the process into toasting, slitting, stuffing, then covering the dates and cooking. The whole thing takes quite a while, but if you break up the steps you can get a little done at a time.

Rock the Crock: Pork Chops

You know I am a huge fan of the crock pot. It’s one of the reasons fall is my favorite time of year. Not only are crock pot recipes comforting and convenient, they’re easy on the budget. And these days frugal cooking is even more important. The crock pot helps me get a healthy dinner on the table in between homework and sports practice. Whether you work at home or away from home, the crock pot is a godsend!

Here’s the easiest pork chop recipe ever:

Ingredients:

• pork chops, assorted, bone-in or boneless, doesn’t matter
• flour, about 1/2 cup
• garlic powder and salt, or garlic salt, about 1 tbsp
• dried mustard, about 1 tbsp
• oil
• 1 can chicken soup with rice
• 1 cup chicken broth

Directions:
Okay, I know the ingredients are vague, but I don’t have better measurements. You don’t need them, promise. Mix garlic, salt, and dried mustard into flour. Then dredge chops in the mixture. Fry to brown, a few minutes on each side. Put in the crock pot and pour the soup and broth over top. I have cooked this on low for several hours, but have also left it on high for just a couple of hours and it is amazing either way. The meat literally falls off the bone and the broth it creates is great over rice. I got the recipe from my SIL and now it’s my family’s favorite. Nuke up a bag of frozen green beans and you’re golden!

Note: Find out when your local grocery store marks down meat and buy it! Near expiration date meat can be frozen and used as needed. This is how I buy my pork chops!

Rock the Crock: Pot Roast

In an effort to be more useful, I’m starting a series of crock pot recipes. Not only is using the crock pot easy and economical, it’s comfort food, and don’t we all need a serving of comfort? I’m eager to know all your favorite recipes and tricks for crock-potting! Here’s my first recipe:

Crock Pot Roast

This is so easy it’s not even really a recipe.

Ingredients:
2-3 pounds beef roast
seasoning packet (look in the spice envelope section, or you can use onion soup mix)
1 cup water
3-4 carrots
3-4 potatoes
1-2 onions

Directions:
Put the meat in the crock pot (do NOT waste your time browning on the stove – just don’t). Cover with veggies. Mix up the seasoning with the water and pour over top. Cook on low all day (8 hours) or high for about 4 hours. That’s it! This is why we love the crock pot!

I serve the pot roast with extra vegetables or a salad.

Take Baby Steps to Sanity

Well, it is here. Summer. I have dropped of the kids with teacher gifts in hand and completed the last of my home mom duties. At 3:00 today I will no longer enjoy the freedom of my days. To write at home or at Starbucks? To work out now or later? To hear myself think? All that will be over in a few short hours. Are you getting nervous? Fear not – I have teamed up with Life+Kids to offer Summer Sanity Tips! Each day this summer I will be posting a quick tip to help you make it through in one piece. God willing.

More summerful resources:

Travel:
Traveling With Kids: The St. Louis Arch
Traveling With Kids: Children Flying Alone
Traveling With Kids: The Beach
Traveling With Kids: How To Fly With KidsTraveling With Kids: All-Inclusive Family Vacations
Family Camps: Summer Camp for the Whole Family

Food:
Momma Knows: Meal Assembly Services
Family Favorite: Best Taco & Tortilla Soup Recipes
Rosemary Beef Skewers Rock!

Summer Camp:
All About SIG – Summer Institute For The Gifted
How To Choose a Summer Camp for Gifted Children
How To Choose a Summer Camp for Your Child

Sanity in General:
How To Host a Balloon Themed Party
How To Deal With Back Talk
How To Celebrate Father’s Day
How To Create a Babysitter Checklist and Keep Your Sanity While Away From Home
Keep Kids Safe From Strangers in SummerHow To Play With Your Kids