Did You know yesterday was National Bowtie Day? No? Well, neither did I, until late last night anyway. But to celebrate this wondrous day,
there is a little giveaway of sorts over on my FB page!
If you are not already following
Kimberly Sminkey Designs /Tiaras on FB, head over now and enter your comment to win a little something something...mmmmKay? {you need to have "liked" the page to enter}
It's cooling off a bit here, no more 90 or 100+ days lately... I sort of miss it and my pool lounging, but every good season has to open a window to the next, right? The kids start back to school here in 6 days {mixed emotions about that} and this Momma needs to get majorly organized! I'm flustered now so I can't imagine being back on a schedule with homework and strict bedtimes again... perhaps it's what we need though for Momma's sanity.
This family has been taking baby steps for the past few months, making changes to be more fit and healthy. Ms Boom has lost 26 pounds over the course of the past few months and I and her doctors couldn't be more pleased for her. It's not about looks, it's about health so the slow progress is okay with us... she is feeling better- no more achy joint pain and her stamina is through the roof! I have also jumped on the bandwagon recently, realizing I've been more of a 'do as I say' Momma rather than a 'lead by example' Momma... yes I admit it!
Part of walking a path to better health is to make changes to your everyday routine, especially with the foods you are eating {yea, I know, you know}. Summer's been a whirlwind of activity and we have been eating out A LOT... and that's gotta change. I've made a promise to myself and to the family that I will cook more healthy yummy meals from here on out, with takeout becoming the exception not the routine.
After a recent trip to our local farm, Linvilla Orchards, where Boom and I visited lots of animals, we picked up lots of fresh produce like fresh corn and white plums... and some delicious local apples.
Check out the lips on that horse! We cracked up as he made faces at us!
I know it's still a bit warm out, so many of you may not quite be ready for a hearty belly warming meal just yet, but I wanted to share an easy peasy slow cooker recipe we made using some of those gorgeous apples! Think OUtsiDe the Box when cooking...try something NeW!
What you will need:
A few apples {I used 2}
Kraut {rinsed and drained if you like less of a bite}
Polska Keilbasa {2 pkgs feeds my family of 5, plus leftovers for my mom!}
1/4 Cup of Brown Sugar {not shown and optional}
1/4 Cup Water {not really an ingredient right, so not in the ingredient count!}
... and of course, the Slow Cooker!
What to do:
1. Chop everything up into bite size pieces {Pink knife optional, but sure makes cooking fun!}.
2. Core and cut your apples {I simply use a corer slicer, we like the bigger chunks}
3. Dump everything into your slow cooker, give a quick stir.
4. Turn on Low for about 4-6 hours {til apples are soft and hot}
Now you can go craft your day away, knowing that dinner is taken care of! Yes, that's part of getting organized for me as I usually get into something, forget to take out anything for dinner, and panic when I realize later that I must feed my family... or be thrown out to the front yard!
"Bolsy" as the kids call it is an OuT of the BoX alternative to chicken or beef... not something we have every week so it adds a bit of variety to our monthly meals! The apples and brown sugar lend a yummy sweetness to the otherwise sharp bite of the Kraut, not too sweet but Oh So Good! Love the dish as the weather starts to cool down, we love to visit our local farm and see the animals so knowing that dinner is ready when we get home is a lifesaver!
Do you use seasonal fruits and veggies in your meals? What do you consider your family's
Out Of The Box meals? I'd love it if you shared!
Tip Toe Thru Tuesday is still open, stop over and link up your out of the box meals and projects from the week!
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