Friday Night Wife: November 2012

Monday, November 26, 2012

Cyber Monday Giveaway!!! Update, Update!!

So obviously it is past Friday when I said the giveaway would end! I promise I have not forgotten! It has been CAAARRRAAAZZZYYY around here! I will choose a winner tomorrow and I will fill you in on our madness tomorrow! I promise!

Update: I am extending the giveaway until Friday! This is a good one and I want to make sure everyone sees it! Stay tuned to see the winner! Oh, FYI- If you watch "smut" shows like I do (Real Houswives of Beverly Hills) you might have noticed that Adrienne Maloof was wearing these earrings in the episode on Monday night. Pretty cool!

Hello!!! It's been a while! I have been crazy busy! We are super glad to have Dad home now that football is over (sooner than wanted). Every year when football is over I have to get used to our new schedule. I have to cook dinner a little earlier or wait and cook it by myself after he is home. I have to put my girls down a little earlier for naps so they are awake when he gets home (generally they take long naps). For the first week after he is home I am always a little caught off guard when he walks in the door at 4:30 instead of 7:30. The only sad part about it all is that it gets dark so early and we don't have much time to go outside and play with him. We have him home early until track starts. I am taking those moments in slowly! I love having him home and so do the girls! Mucho family time!

So...because I haven't talked to you guys in a while, and because it's Cyber Monday I am having a giveaway! I have a friend from college that sells Stella and Dot jewelery. She sent me these earrings for the giveaway! Serenity Stone Drop Earrings

If you haven't heard of this company go check out her website http://www.stelladot.com/sites/rachelbigham to see all of the super cute stuff! I am a little sad I have to say goodbye to them! This jewelery doesn't feel cheap at all. I was actually a little surprised at how nicely made they were when I received the box. They are adorable and would look good with anything.

Here is the juice!! To enter you have to join the blog as a follower, comment on this post, or comment to my link on facebook! If you do all three you get your name in the hat 3 times! I will choose a winner on Wednesday! That way there is plenty of time for everyone to check out the blog and enter the giveaway!

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Thanksgiving Prep...

When it comes to Thanksgiving we plan on being home each year. With football and the potential of having a game it doesn't make much sense to plan a trip out of town. For the past 4 years we have had Thanksgiving at home just us! Usually I have my stuff in the freezer a month ahead of time but this year I am behind a bit. Today I made the dressing and broccoli and cheese casserole and put them in the freezer. My dressing recipe makes two batches and I always put one in the freezer for Christmas. I made two of the broccoli and cheese as well. Might as well get that one done and in the freezer for Christmas too.

Dressing is like a birth mark. It follows you wherever you go. It doesn't change. It's in your blood. It's part of who you are. The stuffing recipe you make almost always is one that has been passed down from generation to generation. You make it the same each year because that's what your mother did, or that's what your grandmother did. If you happen to be in charge of the dressing and you show up with a different recipe than what has always been made you might as well clear your plate from the table! This recipe I use is not passed down from generation to generation in the Lewis, Goudeket, or Gonzales family. My mom got this recipe from a lady who we went to church with years ago. If we happened to not be traveling to Tulsa to see my Nana and Papa, or Granny and Grandad happened to not be in Lovington this recipe was used. If we were at Nana's she used her recipe, which is delicious! If we were at Granny's she used her recipe, which was also delicious! Granny isn't here to tell us her dressing is better, but Nana is and don't tell her I don't use her recipe! This is what my mom has always made and so this is what I make. It's very good! I love me some dressing and this will stick to your ribs! If you decide to venture away from "Yo Mamma's" dressing, here is "My Mamma's"!

My Mom's Dressing

2 recipes of cornbread made according to package directions (no sweet cornbread)

1 loaf french bread diced up and left out to harden over night

(I was in a hurry for my french bread to be stale so I put it in the oven on 200 for about 30 minutes)

1 pkg. Seasoned Stuffing Mix

2 cups chopped Onion

2 cups chopped Celery

2 tbsp. Sage

1/2 tbsp. Black Pepper

1/2 tbsp. Salt

6 Eggs beaten

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

2 - 3 boxes of Chicken Stock

Make the cornbread the day before. Dice the french bread the day before and leave out to become stale. Cook the onion and celery in a pan with a little butter and olive oil until tender. Add the seasonings to the vegetable mixture and set aside to cool. Add the eggs to the vegetable mixture when it has cooled. In a large bowl, pot, bucket, or whatever you choose mix all the ingredients together. Pour in 2 9x13 dishes that have been sprayed with cooking spray. Freeze for later or bake at 400 for 35-40 minutes. If you freeze it let it thaw before cooking. I always use two boxes for sure. When I am cooking it I make sure and have another box on hand just in case I need to add it while cooking to keep it moist.

Broccoli and Cheese Casserole

The only recipe I use for this is a cheese sauce recipe to pour over the steamed broccoli. It's the white sauce recipe from the Better Homes and Garden cookbook.

2 tbsp. Butter

2 tbsp. Flour

1/4 tsp Salt

dash of Black Pepper

1 1/2 cups Milk

I triple this to make two casseroles.

To make it a cheese sauce you omit the salt for the above recipe and add cheese of your choice. I use Velveeta for this recipe. I use a full 2lb box when I triple the sauce recipe.

Melt the butter in a sauce pan and add the flour. Cook the flour and butter for a few minutes. Do not let it brown. Add the milk slowly while stirring with a wire whisk. Add the pepper and bring to a slow boil. Stir continuously and it will start to thicken as it boils. Add your cheese one cube at a time until it is all melted. Pour it over the broccoli in a dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Top with toasted bread crumbs.

All four ready for the freezer!

Wrapped and labeled!

I had planned on making spaghetti for dinner tonight but I am tired of looking at pots and pans and standing in the kitchen. Looks like we will be having take out tonight!

Monday, November 12, 2012

Finally...Spanish Rice!

I have promised two times that I would post my rice recipe! Sorry it has taken me sooo long! When I graduated from HSU I moved home for a semester before Gonzo and I got married. I worked in the Pre-K building with the Lovington Schools. A lady I worked with told me how she made her rice and I have been making mine this way ever since. Gonzo says its the best rice he has ever had. I take that as a compliment coming from him! That boy knows his mexican food! So here it is! I hope you like it!

I cook my rice according to package directions. I usually cook at least 4 servings worth of rice at a time. I add one of these tomato bullion cubes to the water as well as a good 1/4 cup of salsa. I use a little less water than it asks for.

Cook the diced onion with a few tbsp. of olive oil until they are tender. About 5-10 minutes.

Add the rice and enough olive oil to coat everything. Cook on medium heat until the rice is golden brown. Stir frequently because the rice will burn quickly.

Just before it is to the color you want turn the heat off and continue to stir the rice.

I heat the liquid to boiling in the microwave because that helps the splattering when I pour it in the pan. I always do this over the sink because it will make a big mess on your stove top with all the splattering (I have learned from experience). That is why I turn the heat off ahead of time and let the rice cool down a little bit.

Pour the liquid in and stir quickly.

Return to the stove with a lid and cook as directed on the box. Turn the heat off and let it sit for about 10 minutes and then fluff with a fork.

Here it is! Try it! It's delicious! It's easy and much better than the box kind! You could even freeze leftovers and have it for your next Mexican meal!

Ella - 9 months, Adda - Rat Tail!

Our little monkey turned 8 months yesterday! We are starting to see her personality come out more and more each day! She is laid back most of the time but has an opinion about some things. She loves to try and take her diaper off right when I put it on. When I sternly say her name as she pulls the tab she looks at me and smiles! Oh my! When we talk to her she carries on a big conversation with us making all kinds of noises. When Adda dances she watches intently and starts to move to the beat! She loves her sister so much! After nap time when I come out of her room she lunges towards Adda's room to go get her up! She loves to wake Adda up by laying on top of her and laughing! She has even started to say "Adda" sometimes! That makes Adda so excited to hear Ella say her name! I love both those girls so much! I know you hear this all the time but it's so hard to remember what it was like without both of them! I'm looking forward to all the memories we make as a family of four!

At 9 months Ella loves:

To bite everything! Including the carpet! Might have to do with the fact that she has about 4 times the amout of teeth than other kiddos her age!
Brush her teeth! She is obsessed with her tooth brush. When she sees it she starts squealing until you start brush her teeth.
To eat! In the past month she has started food. She eats well and has enjoyed almost everything she has tried. We have made sweet potatoes, peas, acorn squash, carrots, prunes, and apple sauce! Out of them all I think her favorite has been peas.
Crawl! She is crawling. She goes very quickly backwards but in the past week has started moving forward. Before long she will be getting places quicker than me.
Take a bath! I think her favorite part of the day next to nursing is taking a bath! She scoots all over the tub, forward and backward and turns around. The best part is when Adda gets in with her! It's nothing but squeals and splashing!
Daddy! She loves Gonzo so much! The minute she hears the back door close or hears his voice she lights up. She turns and starts looking for him and smiles from ear to ear! Adda loved her Daddy too but Ella thinks he is the BOMB!
Sit up in her bed! Each time I go get her from sleeping she is sitting up in her bed staring at the door! We are lowering the mattress tonight! It's a matter of time before she is pulling up on the side! She has started pulling up on the fireplace ledge in the living room!

Adda is turning into a big girl before my eyes! She is starting to try and sounds words out, write her name, and retell me stories (her version of course)! I see so much of myself in her! We are starting her in soccer in January and I am praying that girl gets her Daddy's athletic ability. At this point she is still running like a baby chicken! We are working on pumping those arms! She looks at me like I'm crazy when I say "pump your arms!" I finally got the guts to cut her little "rat tail" off the back of her hair the other night! She was so proud of her "hair cut" in the bag! In fact she carried it all over for a few days. I'm no professional but the back looks nice now! Gonzo was a little sad to see it go! He loved her "rat tail"!

Still nice and curly! She was a little nervous as we turned her around and Gonzo held her head! She said, "Mom what are you doing with those scissors!?" Who knows maybe that little cut will give her hair a boost of growth!