Thankful for My Blogging Friends

Have I mentioned that cooking is not my favorite activity?

Have I mentioned that I love take-out? About any kind?

Have I mentioned that we really, really need to be watching the budget since I haven't been paid since June and won't get paid until mid-October?

Well, it's my Hamilton Beech Stay-or-Go crockpot to the rescue! Thanks to my fun college friend Lori (hi Lori!), I was turned on to the blog to the side: "The Year of the Crockpot." If you haven't clicked on that link before, please do. That chick is adorable. And this week, she's saving my life. Well, no. She's saving our pocketbooks. Not that Alan carries a pocketbook.

Every week, I plan out a "menu" for every day before I go grocery shopping. Learned that from Momma. So, this week, before I went shopping, I once again clicked on Steph's blog and got the following meals:

1. porkchops with green beans, carrots and potatoes. OK. No. That is a total lie. I did not get that from her, but she did inspire my crockpottiness. Easy. Cut up potatoes into chunks. Open bag of frozen green beans. Grab handfuls of baby carrots. Throw it all into the crockpot. Add pork chops on top and pour in some water and toss in a couple of bouillion cubes. Eight hours later (on low) - done. Nice when you have worked eight hours. Love the smell when you walk into the house.

2. Lazy Crockpot Chicken (January 20, 2008) with salad. Easier than meal #1. Well, duh. The name told you that. But nice when you have your own tot and then pick up his bro and his carpool friend at school. And then get roped into their pretend play about a "seashell show" for a while when we get home. And then mediate a few squabbles. And then have to return some emails. And then get all the laundry folded and put away because heaven forbid there be a wrinkle. But I digress. Cut chicken breasts in half. Cover with marinara sauce. Sprinkle some basil and oregano. Cook on high for three hours and serve over egg noodles. Friend's mom thought it smelled fantastic when she came to pick her daughter up. Too bad she didn't pick her up at dinner time.

3. Crockpot 3-Packet Pot Roast (August 26, 2008) with onion, celery, more carrots, peas, and maybe mashed potatoes if I feel ambitious: Well, we all know that pot roast is the quintessential crockpot dinner. Here's the twist: combine dry ranch and Italian dressing mix with McCormick Grill Mates Peppercorn & Garlic powder and rub on roast. Surround with veggies if you want. Pour one cup of water over meat and cook on low 8-10 hours. Pour two more cups of water into C.P. 20-30 minutes before eating and turn on high. True confession: this is tomorrow's dinner, so who knows how it's going to be. But how can you wreck a pot roast in a crockpot? Am working eight hours tomorrow. And it will be great to come home to this dinner (and avoid yet another Thursday night at Mi Pueblo. Which I love, but you know, cha-ching!).

Crockpot dinners to come this week: Crockpot White Chili (March 6) with salad and Crockpot Beans and Rice (June 20) with asparagus and baked sweet potatoes.

Expect McDonald's stock to take a dip this week.