Slow Cooker Chicken and Noodles

Time is often of the essence at my house.  Although we do not have children, we seem to be busy all of the time.  If there isn't a night meeting to attend, there is something to be done on the farm.  With that being said, I ran across this sign at the Indiana State Fair in the Pioneer Building..."Without good farming, there can be no good food.  Without good food, there can be no life." 

Bill and I strive each year to be good stewards of the farm ground that we are entrusted with by our landlords.  We want to be good farming neighbors to those that live around us. We also like to eat "good" food.

Everyone enjoys chicken and noodles, but when you run short of time, try using your slow cooker!

Slow Cooker Chicken and Noodles

Ingredients:

4-5 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
2 cans (14.5oz) of chicken broth
2 cans (10.5 oz) Cream of Chicken Soup
1/2 cup of butter
24 oz bag of frozen egg noodles


Directions:
Put the first 4 ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for 5-6 hours.  Remove the chicken and shred (I actually shred the chicken in the slow cooker).  Return the chicken to the slow cooker , add the egg noodles and cook for another 2-3 hours (until the noodles are tender).  Add salt/pepper to taste.

For a complete meal, serve these with Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes and Homemade Sweet Rolls.

Sweet Pea Salad

Eating peas right out of the garden is one of the best parts of my summer.  I only wish that Bill enjoyed eating them as much as I do.  He doesn't dislike them, but they aren't his favorite neither.  Several years ago, I came across a recipe for Pea Salad and adapted it.  Bill will actually eat several helpings of it, so you know it has to be good:)


Judge for yourself...

Sweet Pea Salad



Ingredients:
1 (12oz) bag of frozen (or fresh) sweet peas, thawed and drained
1/4 cup of diced onions
1 cup of peanuts or sunflower seeds
1 lb bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
1 t sugar
1 T and 1 t of vinegar
1/2 cup mayo
1/4 t soy sauce
1/4 t Worcestershire sauce



Directions:
Combine the mayo, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce together in a small bowl.  Whisk well.  Add the remainder of the ingredients to another bowl.  Top with the mayo topping and combine well.  Let set in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.




 

Happy Father's Day

One of my favorite things in the entire world is when my Dad shows up at my office and takes me out for lunch.  Since my parents live in another state, I don't get to see them as often as I'd like.  When Dad comes to Indiana, he usually surprises me by just showing up.  I am always excited to see him and it's the highlight of my day.

My Dad and I getting ready to go to lunch.
Had to take a selfie first!

My Dad, is really my step-dad, but he adopted my brother and I when we were younger (it's a long story, but my parents went through an ugly divorce) and has treated us as his own ever since.  I can't thank him enough for always being there for me and I can't thank my two step-sisters and step-brother enough for sharing him with us.

Dad,

• You didn't have to take on the responsibility of providing us with food, clothing and shelter - but you did. 
• You didn't have to take on the responsibility of making sure we went to church and had a relationship with Jesus - but you did.
• You didn't have to take on the responsibility of making sure we had a good education and a positive upbringing - but you did. 
• You didn't have to love us like we were your own - but you did.

Although there have been several important men in my life (my grandpa's, Bill and my brother's) my Dad has always been that one constant and voice of reason for me.  Here's to my Dad on Father's Day and to all of yours!

  

Slow Cooker Pork BBQ

Slow Cooker Pork BBQ

One of my favorite go-to recipes is for Slow Cooker Pork BBQ.  It's quick, simple and there isn't a lot of work involved.  I have to admit though, I am a little weird...I eat mine with potato chips instead of on a bun. This is also an easy recipe to make and take to the guys if they are in the field.  I simply make their sandwich up, wrap it in aluminum foil to keep it warm and deliver it with some chips and a cold drink and they are happy little farmers!  You can also find this delicious recipe on the McCormick website!

SLOW COOKER PORK BBQ

Ingredients:
3 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast
1 package of McCormick's Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork Seasoning
1/2 to 3/4 cup of ketchup
1/2 to 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 to 1/2 cup of cider vinegar

Directions: 
Place pork in slow cooker.  Mix seasoning mix, ketchup, brown sugar and vinegar until blended.  (We like ours with a lot of sauce, so I usually use 3/4 cup of the ketchup and brown sugar and 1/2 cup of cider vinegar).  Pour over the pork.  Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.  After the pork has cooked, remove it from the slow cooker, and shred it using 2 forks.  Put the pork back in the slow cooker.  Mix and heat it with the sauce before serving.

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Basic Baked Beans

Basic Baked Beans


Baked Beans can go with just about any meal and is a staple at most summer cookouts.  I admit that I have no tried and true recipe for them.  I've tried several and honestly, I think it boils down to how you are used to them being made.  That being said, here is a basic recipe that you can adapt easily and call it your own.


Basic Baked Beans

Ingredients:
1 large can of baked beans (any variety)
1/2 c chopped onion
2 T mustard
2 c ketchup
1 c brown sugar
3 to 4 slices of bacon

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together.  Pour into a casserole dish and place bacon strips on top.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 to 1.5 hours.

Beer Simmered Smoked Sausage and Potatoes

 

Beer Simmered Smoked Sausage and Potatoes

I could eat smoked sausage every day.  There is just something about it that my taste buds like.  After surfing the Internet the other day, I came across this new favorite recipe from Hillshire Farm.

It was very easy to prepare on a night that I came home late.  I didn't have a few of the ingredients, but it still turned out delicious.  The flavor was addicting.

The only thing that I might do differently next time is to add some peppers to the recipe.  If you are looking for a quick evening go to meal, this would be perfect.  Thank you Hillshire Farm for a yummy meal!

Beer Simmered Smoked Sausage and Potatoes

Ingredients

• 1 pkg. Hillshire Farm® Smoked Sausage
• ¼ cup butter or margarine
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 bottle (12 ounces) regular or non-alcoholic beer
• 2 lbs. red potatoes, cut into 1” cubes (about 6 cups)
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Directions:

1. Cut sausage into ½”slices. Melt butter in a 4-5 quart pan over medium-high heat. Add sausage, onion and garlic; cook 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently until onion is soft and sausage is lightly browned.
2. Add beer and potatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are just tender.
3. Stir in green onions, salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium-high and cook uncovered for 4 minutes or until liquid thickens slightly. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Sadie Girl

My beautiful Sadie!

 

I admit it!  I am a pure sucker for fur babies.  Sadie, our lab-chow mix, who has never (in the eight years we have had her) left home...until April 15th.  On this particular day, Sadie was there in the morning when I left for work, but when I came home that evening, she was no where to be found.  Bill didn't want to jump to conclusions and said she would probably be back later. 

When the next morning came and there was still no Sadie, I was concerned and so was Bill.  He spent most of that day driving around the farm and up and down the roads, checking the ditches, looking for her.  No luck. Wednesday, April 16th came and went with no sign of Sadie.  On Thursday, April 17th, Bill enlisted the help of a friend and searched the woods and neighboring fields.  Nothing.  By this point, I am beside myself.  Where did she go?  What happened to her?  I had Good Friday off, so I was determined to find her.  Libby, my other lab, and I took the Gator and went on a 5 hour search...still no Sadie.  By that evening, I had given up hope and started to accept the fact that something tragic had happened to my precious pup.  

Saturday morning came and Bill had gone into town.  Libby and I were sitting on the front porch when he came home.  As he came up closer to the house, he was pointing in the back yard.  I thought he was nuts UNTIL I figured out that Sadie must be back there.  I ran to the backyard and there she was.  A bloody mess.  She had been hit. Her back right leg appeared to be broken, her front left paw was split wide open, there was a huge gash in her side and part of her right arm pit was hanging down.  She looked awful and all I could do was cry and tell her I loved her as I tried to comfort her.

Bill got the truck and pulled it up in the yard to where she was, I got a blanket and a towel to wrap her in so she wouldn't get blood everywhere and Bill lifted her in the truck.  She never made a sound, but I could see the pain in her beautiful brown eyes.  My baby had come home, but she was hurt.

The next few hours were so stressful.  We took her to Country Acre Animal Clinic where Dr. Nathan Rich said he would check her over and call me.  We were sent home.  Within the hour Dr. Rich called and gave me a detailed report of her injuries.  Bill and I talked and discussed putting her down...but she was our first pet together as a couple and we love her so.  No, that wasn't an option.  We would do what we could to save her.

I urge anyone who hits an animal to STOP and tell someone.  If we had known Sadie had been hit, we could have provided care for her wounds a lot sooner.  Accidents happen, but driving off and doing or saying nothing is not acceptable.

I must warn you that the following pictures are a little gross and little ones should not look at these.  When I was finally able to visit Sadie, this is how my poor baby looked (but she was alive)!

Sadie, with the cone of shame.  She hates that thing.

This is the huge gash in her side that they had to stitch up.
The thing that looks like bone sticking out, is actually a drain tube.

This is the leg she had surgery one because it was broken.
She now has a splint on there as well because she keeps trying
to put weight on it.

This photo shows her armpit and again the things that look
like bones are actually drain tubes.  You can see they have
wrapped the left front leg with a wet/dry bandage.

This is my baby once she finally came home.
She needs a bath, but that will wait until she is better.
She likes for us to rub her belly while she lays on the floor and snores!
 

Sadie will have several long months of recovery but for now she is doing well and healing nicely.  She will be 11 in October and we are thrilled that we will still have her around with us.