Mmm Mmm Monday Ham and Cheese Sliders

Along with Christmas usually comes a Christmas Ham.  But what to do with those leftovers that you are always left with?  Introducing the BEST way to use ham leftovers for maximum potential.  I found this recipe over a year ago from one of my favorite, low fat recipe blogs Gina's Skinny Recipes. She has some of the most amazing dishes I have ever eaten, and breaks everything down so you know how many calories, protein, carbs, ect are going into everything.  She even has what the Weight Watchers points would be on most recipes. 

So I am stealing this recipe from her, because it is one of my families favorites and we will be making them tomorrow from our leftover ham we make tonight! 

Ham and Cheese Sliders

24 good white dinner rolls

24 pieces good honey ham
24 small slices Swiss cheese
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup miracle whip

Poppy seed sauce (you probably could half this...I had plenty extra)
1 Tablespoon poppyseeds
1 1/2 Tablespoons yellow mustard (I use Dijon mustard and it's amazing!)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 Tablespoon minced onion
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise and miracle whip. Spread onto both sides of the center of each roll. Place a slice of ham and a slice of Swiss inside of each roll. Close rolls and place them into a large baking dish or heavy cookie sheet. Place very close together.

In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the poppy seed sauce ingredients. Pour evenly over all of the sandwiches. You do not have to use all of the sauce! Just use enough to cover the tops. Let sit 10 minutes or until butter sets slightly. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Uncover and cook for 2 additional minutes or until tops are slightly brown and crispy. Serve warm.

** sandwiches can be assembled a day ahead and kept in the fridge ready to bake.

These may take a little more time than a regular ham sandwich, but trust me, they are sooooo worth it!  

Mmmm Mmmm Monday Mistake

Today's recipe I have eaten before and am OBSESSED with it.  However, when I tried to make it today, I made a critical mistake!  Disclaimer: I have never made pulled pork before. This was my first attempt.  It was not a successful attempt.  I will now attempt to prevent you from making this awful, terrible, no good, very bad mistake like I have done.  Here goes nothing!

I received this recipe from a good friend of mine who lives and loves by her crock pot.  But really, what busy mom/wife doesn't love a good crock pot meal to take the edge off of preparing dinner for your family during a busy life? I love cooking meat in a crock pot.  It's always so tender and juicy!  So pulled pork is a no brainer for a crock pot recipe, right?  Apparently not so easy for the crock pot impaired...eh hem...I may or may not be included in that particular group. Anyway, moving on.

Fist I guess I should share the recipe, THEN I will share with you all my awful, terrible, no good, very bad mistake.

Chipotle Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp packed brown sugar
2 tsp salt
2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp ground mustard
3 tsp chili powder
1boneless pork shoulder (3lbs) trimmed of fat
1 can (8oz) tomato sauce
2 canned chipotle chiles, finely chopped
1 Tbsp adobo sauce from canned chipotle chiles
20 burger buns
5 medium avocados, peeled thinly sliced

Directions:
1. Spray crock pot with cooking spray and turn on low. In a small bowl, mix first 5 ingredients, then rub on pork shoulder.  Place pork into crock pot, and sprinkle with any left over mixture.  Cook on low for 7-8 hours.
2. Remove pork from crock pot.  Let cool slightly, then shred pork with forks (or in my case, cut into fourths and place in kitchen aide mixer with paddle attachment on speed 4 for 1 minute) 
Drain liquid from crock pot, and place pork, tomato sauce, chilis, and adobo sauce over meat.  Mix well. If desired, add some of the reserved cooking liquid for desired moistness. 
3. Increase heat to High.  Cover and cook for 15-30 minutes.
4. Serve on buns with avocado slices.  Pork can be kept warm in crock pot for up to 2 hours on low or warm setting.  Enjoy!

Sounds easy enough right?
WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!
Remember those members of the crock pot impaired group? Ok, ok, I will finally admit that I am one of them.  All was going well with the meal, I cooked the meat, shredded it in my mixer (which is the easiest thing and takes no time at all, plus no mess!).  I tasted the pork at this point and it was amazing! Here is where I went wrong. 
You see where the recipe calls for 2 CANNED CHIPOTLE CHILES CHOPPED.  Well, when I was reading the recipe, I thought I read 2 CANS OF CHIPOTLE CHILES CHOPPED. So basically, instead of using 2 chiles, I used about 10.  OUCH!!!

This pork ended up being so hot, nobody could really eat it.  We tried toning it down with sugar and peanut butter (got that idea from my pulled pork expert mother), but unfortunately there was now fixing this mistake.  I am so bummed that I messed this up.  But note to self...read instructions carefully!  Hope your attempt goes better than mine!  I will try again soon though.  I  refuse to fail!

Mmm Mmm Monday

I think I am going to start dedicating Mondays to recipe days!  And to kick it off, I'm going to start with our family tradition of Christmas punch! 

What you will need:

Sprite (I like to get a couple 20oz bottles because I think they keep the carbonation better than a 2L bottle does.)

Vanilla Ice Cream

Lime Sherbert

Pineapple Juice (We usually get a large can of pure pineapple juice.)

How to make it:

Scoop about 2 cups vanilla ice cream and lime sherbert into a large punch bowl. 

Pour about 20oz Sprite into bowl

Pour about 10oz pineapple juice in bowl.

Now mix together carefully.  You don't want large chunks of ice cream, so we use a metal potato masher to make the mixture a little more smooth.  

Here is where the taste testing comes in, some like the punch to have more of a pineapple kick to it, some like a little more carbonation, and some like more of a lime flavor.  You can add more of whatever you want to make it the consistency and taste that you like best.  We like to dish it out then top with an extra scoop of ice cream and sometimes a pineapple garnish if we happened to pick one up.  

I hope you try this with your family for Christmas this year, I know we will be making it!  Let me know how it turns out or if you make any adjustments!  Recipes are ever changing in my book and I would love to see what you do for Christmas punch ideas!  Merry Christmas and enjoy!!!

The Bump...

As many of you probably already know, and if you don't this will come as a surprise...I'm PREGNANT!!! 
We just announced it to the world a few weeks ago and could not be more excited.  My due date is June 14, but I have no doubt that I will deliver this little bundle earlier judging by my previous history of pregnancies. 
I'm going to attempt to put up one of those pregnancy countdowns on here, so we will see how that goes!  Right now I am 13 weeks along and feeling pretty good.  The only problem is that I am hungry...all the time!  So every few weeks I will hopefully get around to posting pictures of "the bump" and answering a set of factual questions about my pregnancy.
So here is up to week 13 so far!

How many weeks: 13

Weight Gain: -.5 lbs (Weird right!)

Cravings: Anything and everything at this point.  I have been so hungry from about week 6.

Clothing: Most of my shirts I can still wear if they are longer, and a couple pants. I have bought 2 maternity pants and a couple shirts though.  There's only so far I can roll my pants over!!

Feeling: Tired, but very excited!

I will get some pictures up here later I promise! I just need to get them off of my phone!  Oh BTW I won't find out the gender probably until the end of January :(

End of an era

e·ra  

/ˈi(ə)rə/

Noun A long and distinct period of history with a particular feature or characteristic. A system of chronology dating from a particular noteworthy event.
So what is this era I speak of?  What is my noteworthy event that has ended?  I am officially a college graduate!!! Yes, it's true!  After starting my college career at Utah State University in August 2004, getting married, having two children, taking 2 years off, moving multiple times, and transferring to a different college, I have graduated in December 2012 from Idaho State University with my BS in Elementary Education and an Emphasis in English.  So this truly is the end of an era.  It's doesn't feel completely real to me just yet.  My diploma isn't here yet, my teacher certification isn't here yet, but it's all in the works.  If ISU had a winter graduation ceremony I would post some pictures, but they don't.  So I guess you will just have to trust me on this one :)  Now the real work begins...time to find a job!

Long time coming...

Okay, I admit it.  It has been a really, REALLY long time since I have updated my blog!  I've been wanting to get back to it for months, but finally reading my good friend Meagan's blog this morning prompted me to get back into the swing of things.  The last 8 months (I know I shutter to think it has really been that long too!) have been some of the most eventful, crazy, and exciting times in my life and I can't wait to share everything with you!  But for my first post back, I just wanted to say hello!

Precious

Today is a tough day.  I believe that every day holds its own challenges, but today is a tough day.  Having children is the greatest gift that has ever been given to me and I try to cherish them on a daily basis, and sometimes it is so hard and not take any moment with them for granted.  

Today a good friend of mine had to say goodbye to her little girl who lost her battle with cancer.  4 years old.  It's heartbreaking.  Yet it amazes me the courage that this little girl had and the strength that her momma showed.  

I thank God every day for my healthy children and the time I get to spend with them here on Earth.  I'm going to go hold my babies now, I hope you all do the same.