CHEESY SAUSAGE TATER SKILLET

I came across this recipe in an interesting way. My husband pinned it to my page on Facebook... He has never been the suttle type. I decided to treat him to it tonight. 

I did change the original recipe a bit just because he is a big meat eater. 

I first browned a pound of ground chuck and then added the sausage to brown and create drippings.

For the potatoes, onions and green peppers. It didn't create quite enough "drippings so I added a little olive oil to prevent it from sticking.

Ingredients

1 lb ground chuck or leaner (you could also use ground turkey)
1 lb of your favorite smoked sausage, sliced into bite sized pieces

4 potatoes, cut into bite sized cubes

1 green pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 teaspoon salt free Cajun seasoning

8 ounces Colby Jack cheese, shredded (or your favorite cheese)

salt and pepper to taste

sliced green onions for garnish

Over medium heat in a medium skillet, cook your smoked sausage until browned and crispy. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Leave the drippings in the pan.

Using the same pan and drippings, add your potatoes, green pepper, onion and Cajun seasoning. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender and crispy and can be easily pierced through with a fork.

Spoon the sausage back into the skillet. Stir to combine and cook for about 2 minutes to reheat the sausage.

Top the dish with the shredded cheese. Turn off the heat, cover the pan and leave it on the stove for about 5 to 6 minutes until the cheese is melted. Garnish with the green onions.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons Butter
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast (or 6 skinless chicken thighs)
1 Onion, finely diced
2 cans of Cream of Chicken Soup
2 small packages Grands Jr biscuits (10 biscuits)
flour

Directions
1. Place the chicken, butter, soup, and onion in a greased slow cooker, and fill with enough water to cover.

2. Secure lid and cook for 5 to 6 hours on High. About 30 minutes before serving, roll each torn biscuit piece in flour (to prevent them from sticking together), then drop into the slow cooker. Replace lid and cook remaining 30 minutes.

Rolled Cinnamon Bread

1 cup boiling water
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 ½ tsp salt
1 Tbsp melted shortening or lard
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cake yeast, 7 g. = ¼ oz = 2 ¼ tsp yeast
¼ cup lukewarm water
6 cups sifted flour
6 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Pour boiling water over granulated sugar, salt and shortening. Add milk and cool to lukewarm.

Soften yeast in lukewarm water; add to milk mixture. Add flour, ½ cup at a time, mix until smooth after each addition.

Turn out on lightly floured board and knead until dough is smooth and elastic to the touch and bubbles appear under the surface. Place in greased bowl, turn over so all sides are coated; cover, place in warm area and let rise until double in bulk.

Turn out on lightly floured board and knead again. Divide dough into two portions. Pat and stretch each portion into a sheet about nine inches square. Sprinkle with mixture of brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll up like jelly roll; place in greased loaf pans with seam side down. Cover and let rise again until doubled in bulk. Bake in hot oven, 425 degrees F., 15 minutes, reduce heat to moderate temperature, 375 degrees F. and bake 25 minutes longer. Makes 2 loaves

Something New

One of my goals for the upcoming year is to unplug my evenings. Working on the computer all day then at night can burn you out fast. During the times when my phone is in the other room and my laptop is packed away I watch television and crochet or cross stitch to keep my hands busy.

This is a beanie that I crocheted for my oldest daughter's boyfriend, Mick. He has really thick hair so I had to make it a little bigger. I can't wait to see if he likes it.

If you like it you can download this super easy pattern here.

Setting Goals

We all make resolutions at the first of the year. They are usually focused on the things we saw fault in ourselves the previous year.

I am making a few goals for myself both in my personal life and my business life. While sitting here I thought I would do a little research on New Year’s resolutions.

According to Wikipedia many different people made promises at the beginning of the New Year. Babylonians promised to pay their debts and to return everything they borrowed that year.  The Judaism’s reflect on anything they did that was bad that year and then find and give forgiveness.

The most common goals that people have is live a more healthy life, make and save more money, get a better job or improve their skill set in something, take up a new hobby, volunteer, take more time for themselves and family, and the list goes on.

The ideas we have to better our life and our finances often get clouded by the reality of life.  So how do we keep the goals we have set in the forefront of our minds?

Keep your goals realistic.

Schedule your Time Get a planner or a calendar and schedule the things that you want to include in your day. Put in the time that you will take each day to exercise, spend time with family, work on your hobby or learn something new for your career.

Saving Money If your goal is to save money, you can set it up at the bank where a percentage of your check goes in another account. This is easy if your check goes in automatically.

Get the family involved. Living with others can undo a goal quickly. It is hard to lose weight if your spouse wants pizza every night LOL. Sit down together and go over your goals together, encourage and reward each other when you hit a goal.

Setting goals are hard enough but sticking to them can seem impossible at times. You must be determined and ready to stand up against yourself and others to achieve it.

What are some of the things you have done to stick to a goal you had?