Green Bean Salad

Green Bean Salad
Serves 4-6

1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and julienned
1/2 c chopped green bell pepper
1/4 c chopped fresh parsley

For dressing:
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
1/4 c olive oil
1/4 c fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/8 tsp salt

Wash green beans thoroughly. Drop the green beans into a saucepan of boiling water. Cook until slightly crisp, about four minutes.

Drain water off and let beans cool. Add tomatoes, peppers and parsley.

To make the dressing: Combine mustard, oil, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Stir well.

Then add pepper and salt and stir again.

Lightly pour the dressing over the salad, then toss. Transfer the salad to a serving bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour until well chilled.

Fruited Pork Chops

Makes: 6 servings

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 4 to 4-1/2 hours (low) or 2 to 2-1/2 hours (high)



Ingredients

6 boneless pork loin chops, cut 1 inch thick

1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

2 7-ounce packages mixed dried fruit

1 medium red and/or yellow sweet pepper, seeded and sliced

1 cup bottled barbecue sauce

Fresh thyme sprigs (optional)

Directions

Trim fat from pork chops. Place chops in a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker. Sprinkle with thyme. Add dried fruit and sweet pepper to slow cooker. Pour barbecue sauce over all in cooker.



Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 4 to 4-1/2 hours or on high-heat setting for 2 to 2-1/2 hours.



Transfer chops to a serving platter. Skim fat from sauce. Spoon some of the sauce over chops; pass remaining sauce. ,If desired garnish with fresh thyme sprigs. Makes 6 servings.



Nutrition Facts

Servings Per Recipe 6 servings Calories 450, Total Fat (g) 11, Saturated Fat (g) 4, Cholesterol (mg) 92, Sodium (mg) 421, Carbohydrate (g) 49, Fiber (g) 3, Protein (g) 40, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

God's Picture Show

I recently moved my bedroom around so that I could open the curtains to the large window and look outside when I'm working. It's one of those "ah-ha" moments when you sit down and just look outside. That's because its spring and everything is bright green and the birds are chirping and flying around, the kids are on their bikes and running around their trails and forts they've made at the tree line. The grass looks lush enough that you could lay on it for a nap and it be as soft as your matress. The dogs and cat play around and lounge around in the lush grass all day long and I get to watch. Its like God's own picture show and its peaceful and it reminds me of why I love my life and am thankful for everything that is in it.

Today it is partly cloudy and I've been doing my usual Saturday routine of homework and cleaning the house. The cleaning of the house that doesn't get done during the week because of ball games and class and just lack of time to even care. My husband is at work until five so its just me and kids all day...sometimes its peaceful (like today) or other Saturdays its stressful because I either have too much to do or the kids wont quit arguing. Thankfully, today isn't that day. The floors get vacuumed and mopped and the clothes actually get folded and hung up. Dishes are all done and dried and placed in their respective places. This is when I feel my life is most in order.

Recipe of the Day: 4/14/2010

15 Minute Tuna & Rice Primavera

5 min prep
15 min total time
4 servings

1 can (10 3/4 oz) cream of mushroom
1 1/2 cup Water
1 pkg (16 oz) frozen vegetable blend, thawed, drained
1 can (6 oz) Tuna, drained, flaked
2 cups white rice
1/4 c cheese

1. Bring soup and water to boil in a large skillet on med-high heat.
2. Add veggies and tuna; Return to boil.
3. Stir in rice and cheese; cover. Remove from heat. Let stand 5 min. Fluff with fork.

350 calories
25 mg chol
4 g fiber
50% Vit. A
20% Iron
10 g fat
840 mg Sodium
3 g sugar
70% Vit. C
3.5 g Sat Fat
49 g carbs
18 g Protein
15% Calcium

Tell me what you think when you try it!

{Not So} Typical Day in Our Life

I'm not sure what it is about blogging and reading other blogs that makes my day complete. I love reading what goes on in everyone else's life to confirm that my family isn't as disgruntle as I think they might be.

Here is a typical {busy} day in our home:

6:00 am: Alarm goes off. Wake kids up about four-six times. Hubby and I get ready for work.

6:50 am: Hubby leaves for work and kids go out for school bus. I finish up getting ready for work, get my lunch ready, etc.

7:00 am: I'm on way to work (45 min drive, one way) and hubby is already at work beginning his busy day (mechanic--one of the best in the town).

7:45 (or so) am: I'm at work...working through the pile of emails and phone messages I've accrued since 5 pm the previous day.

8:00 am-5 pm: Work

4:45 pm: Hubby leaves work to get ready for school (three nights a week).

5:00 pm: I leave work and drive 45 mins.

5:45 (or so) pm: Get mail. Get kids. Matt changes into ball practice attire.

6:15 pm: Leave for practice.

6:30 pm: Practice starts

8:30 pm: Practice ends.

8:45 pm: Start dinner. Look over kids papers from the day. Sign notes, get money ready if they need it, start laundry, etc.

9:00 pm: Hubby home from class.

9:45 pm: Kids in bed. I start on homework due, hubby works on homework, finish up laundry.

10:30 pm - 11:30 pm: Somewhere between this time is when I FINALLY get sleep.

This doesn't account for the stops at the store for groceries or the game nights when we may not get home til later than 8:45 pm. Life is so busy.

I'm not really sure when I fit in blogging...I think it just magically comes from my brain to my fingertips and is just easy to type out.