Spicy Cabbage Saute

Let me just tell you this stuff is amazing and it's a million times better the next day.  I got this from my friend that I teach with and it literally came about by her just putting things together that she thought would taste good.  And let me tell you, she hit the nail on the head with this one!

Ingredients
Summer sausage (I used 2 packages)
2 heads of cabbage (less if you don't want as much)
2 diced bell peppers
2 cans Rotel (use one if you don't like it as spicy)
1 onion
celery (I love cooking with celery, so I used the whole bunch)
garlic
green chilis (however much to your liking)
salt & pepper to taste

1 - Saute onions, celery, bell peppers and garlic until tender.
2 - Add Rotel & chilis.
3 - Once mixed, add chopped cabbage.  You MUST use a deep saute pan or something that can hold this much volume.  Put the lid on it and let it simmer, stirring periodically.  Add salt & pepper to taste.
4 - While simmering, grill or "pan fry" the sausage.  Cut into pieces once grilled.
5 - Add to cabbage mixture and simmer for about 30 minutes.

This will make enough for 2-3 meals.  You will not be able to stop eating it!  Enjoy!

Linking up with 33 Shades of Green!

Meal Plan 03.25.12

Saturday - Spicy chicken Romano pasta (didn't make it from last week)...OMG this stuff is good!

Sunday - grilled steaks & salads

Monday - shrimp salads

Tuesday - spicy cabbage and sausage saute (Got this recipe from a teacher I work with and will post it later in the week.  Sooooo good!)

Wednesday - Turkey stuffed pasta shells - this is a fav around here!

Source: skinnytaste.com via Kara on Pinterest

Thursday - Fish Sandwiches

Friday - turkey and basil paninis


Baking some goodies this weekend...

Nutella Swirl Cake...talk about yummy!!!!

Source: mykitchenintherockies.com via Kara on Pinterest

Red Velvet Smores Bars...testing this week, so we will need these at school! :)

Source: howsweeteats.com via Kara on Pinterest

Spring Progress Report

This school year is the first for us to have parent/teacher conferences with Spencer's teacher.  I was a little apprehensive at the first one, but I love the communication.  We had his spring visit a couple of weeks ago and he's doing great.  They go over their progress report and you can see how they have progressed since the meeting in the fall.  The first letter was from his fall progress report and the second letter is the spring progress report.  (P = making progress, M = does it most of the time, Y = Yes, he can do it consistently and N = not learned yet)  He's doing great and is right where he should be.  I love the fact that he acted like he didn't know what a circle was, but knew what a trapezoid was!  Ha!

We are raising a class clown...

Impeccable manners??  Wow...we are so proud of him!  We work hard on manners at home and it is something that is extremely important to us because he is growing up in a time that manners aren't as important as they used to be.  Rick has taught him to hold the door for ladies and he does it all the time without being asked to. 

Spencer we love you so much and could not be prouder of you!  We can't wait to see what the future has in store for you!



Meal Plan 3.18.12

Some of you are wondering why I start my week off with Saturday instead of Sunday.  I grocery shop every Saturday and so that's where I start. 

Saturday - pulled pork sandwiches, homemade mustard potato salad, baked beans and carrot cake for dessert  (My parents are coming over and we have so much fun when they do!)

Sunday - Spicy Romano chicken pasta

Source: grouprecipes.com via Kara on Pinterest

Monday - grilled chicken salads

Tuesday - grilled cheese sandwiches w/tomato soup

Wednesday - jalepeno burgers w/broccoli

Thursday - Ginger & cilantro baked tilapia w/Applebee's oriental salad

Source: thekitchn.com via Kara on Pinterest

Friday - chili dogs

Breakfast this week:

Source: under400.tumblr.com via Kara on Pinterest

Fun with Friends

Spencer is so lucky to have so many good friends at his age!  Most we have met through his school and he's been with a lot of them since they were infants.  Other friends are because they are daddy and mommy's friends.  Doesn't matter in the end!  We've used this spring break to have some great times outside of school with our sweet friends!

Wednesday we went to the Science Spectrum with our sweet friends, the Graves.  We've known them for forever & they live down the street from us.  Erica and I work at the same school and Greg and Rick work together.  And to boot, Cash & Livi go to school with Spencer.  I've talked about this before on here and I'm just realizing this as I'm typing it.  ;)

 A milk snake!

The money pit...haha..."Can I have some more money?"

On Thursday, we met Emie, her brother and mom to go see the Lorax in 3D.  This was Spencer's second movie and first 3D.  He wanted to take his glasses off a lot, but otherwise did great.  I wish I would've gotten a picture of these cute things in the theater.  They were so much fun and we have such a great time when we get together!

 Spencer, Cooper & Emie

I'm sooooooo ready for summer!  This week has given me a "taste" of what summer is going to be and I don't think I can wait!!

Beautiful Weather

The weather here lately has been gorgeous and of course that means we are spending tons of time outside.  Spencer would spend the night outside if we would let him.  We thought it was time to update his athletic equipment.  We started yesterday with all new baseball gear.  He will be old enough to play this summer and so we figured we'd get a jump on it. 

He also got a new basketball and has been dribbling like crazy.  He insists we count his dribbles as he does it.  I've never seen a kid with more tenacity.  He woke up this morning wanting to practice dribbling...so we did.  And I counted.  And counted.  And counted.  ;)

 Mr. Serious...

Camera Fun

Spencer loves a camera!  It usually ends up with him and I taking turns making funny faces.  Man, I love this little guy more than life itself!!

Someone needs to get some make-up on...oh wait, it's spring break.  Not gonna happen! ;)

Meal Plan 03.11.12

With it being Spring Break this next week, I'll get caught up on my regular blogging.  The past week and a half has been crazy.

Saturday - spaghetti w/garlic bread (yes, buy the sauce at Orlando's and do the rest at home...so cost effective!)

Sunday - macaroni and tomatoes w/chicken salad sandwiches...if you haven't tried macaroni and tomatoes, you should.  Just make your macaroni like normal, add a little butter, can or two of diced tomatoes and pepper.  Sooooo good!  We get our chicken salad at our local grocery store because they make it fresh almost every day.

Monday - grilled chicken salads

Tuesday - Southwest chicken wraps

Source: melskitchencafe.com via Kara on Pinterest

Wednesday - Hamburger steak w/peas & carrots

Thursday - Chicken & wild rice casserole

Source: picky-palate.com via Kara on Pinterest

Friday - Baked potatoes & soup

This to snack on this weekend, Chex Lemon Buddies:

Source: chex.com via Kara on Pinterest

Meal Plan 03.04.12

We have 2 huge frozen turkeys in our freezer that were donated to the teachers on Thanksgiving by a local food company.  One teacher gave me hers and we didn't eat them for Thanksgiving.  Can't let those suckers go to waste and boy did our grocery bill thank us for that today!

Sunday breakfast - Ina Garten's blueberry muffins...these are the BEST!!

Source: foodnetwork.com via Kara on Pinterest

Sunday - turkey sandwiches on sourdough
Monday - Zesty Italian Chicken w/rice

Source: forkinit.blogspot.com via Kara on Pinterest

Tuesday - turkey salad sandwiches (made the same way you make tuna salad)
Wednesday - Sausage squash casserole
Thursday - Tilapia tacos
Friday - eating out

Eating these for breakfast this week:

Source: greenlitebites.com via Kara on Pinterest

Big Boy Shirt

Yesterday was school pictures and since the beginning of the week, Spencer has known that he was going to wear his "big boy" shirt as he calls it.  I guess when you don't wear button ups on a regular occasion, they become a big thing. 

This was our big boy yesterday morning before he went to school.  *tear* ;(   Oh my gosh how is it possible he's this big???