Author Archives: Tarah

Sweet potato-apple dish

Posted on by
2

Sweet potato-apple dish

We love sweet potatoes in our house. We especially love this sweet potato-apple dish. My mother-in-law started this dish, but I’ve changed it a bit. Her version has cranberries, and while I love cranberries, they aren’t always readily available. I normally just make it with the potatoes and apples, but this past few times I’ve added in the pecans. It’s like a nice fall evening in your mouth. (I even made myself laugh with that one)

Sweet potato-appleI just wanted y’all to see my awesome photography and photo styling skills. Maybe I should start a new hobby.

Print
Sweet potato-apple dish

Ingredients

  • 3 large sweet potatoes
  • 2 apples (I use Gala apples, but you choose what you like best)
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 3 TBSP stick butter (the real stuff, not margarine and not in a tub)
  • 3-4 TBSP pecan pieces (optional)
  • sprinkles of cinnamon
  • sprinkles of nutmeg (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rinse sweet potatoes.
  2. Leaving the skin on, cut sweet potatoes and apples into cubes. Place into a 8x8 baking dish. Cut butter into thin pats and place in with the potatoes and apples. Be sure to stick some in the middle. Sprinkle the brown sugar and spices over the top and lastly, top with pecans.
  3. Cover your dish with aluminum foil and cook for 45-50 minutes.
Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by ZipList Recipe Plugin
http://www.rchotx.com/sweet-potato-apple-dish/

I know, I know. It’s not Tex-Mex or Mexican food. Pick your jaw up off the ground. ;)

 

 

 

 

tarahsig

Mother’s Day cleaning

Posted on by
6

I hope y’all had a great Mother’s Day! I had breakfast made for me, watched a movie with my 2 little boys, giggled with my sweet little girl and they gave me a beautiful new purse. It’s stunning and has purple accents! I love purple!

While I know most mothers relax on Mother’s Day, I suddenly felt the urge to do a “mother’s day cleaning” of the banisters of our stairs. I have been going up and down those stairs, noticing them getting dirtier and dirtier. I rarely have that “urge” so I ran with it. However, after going through the cleaning supplies, I found that I didn’t have any “all purpose cleaner”.
All purpose cleaner

  • spray bottle
  • 2 cups warm water
  • 1 cup distilled white vinegar
  • 2 TBSP dishwashing soap

Directions are very simple – mix it all together in the spray bottle. See, very simple.

I started cleaning with a paper towel, the graduated to a sponge and followed with a paper towel. Now, there’s a before and after picture. Don’t judge. Remember, I have 3 young children that go up and down these stairs at least 50 times a day.

Before and after cleaningI found a few “recipes” for this all purpose cleaner. I just went with the one I had all the ingredients for. Cottage Sweet Cottage is the one I chose to use. Big Box Detox also has one that’s similar. Any of these will work. I think it worked very well and I love my clean banisters

I finally used the white vinegar for what it SHOULD be used for instead of, I don’t know, plotting to seriously injure my husband.

tarahsig

Tex-Mex Chicken Salad

Posted on by
Reply

Tex-Mex Chicken Salad | Real {Cheap} Housewives of Texas

And again, with the Tex-Mex food. We clearly have an addiction to it.

I found this recipe at Weight Watchers. I did change my version. I never use fat free/reduced fat anything. They seem appealing but they only add in more stuff (typically sugar or sodium) to make the stuff taste decent enough to eat. Just don’t do it, use the real stuff. The original also never mentions exactly how you should eat it. A typical chicken salad you eat on bread. This Tex-Mex chicken salad (which we’ve had twice) is best on a bed of lettuce or salad mix.

Kids loved it, husband loved it and my parents loved it. My brother was on the fence even though he had two helpings. I’ll say it’s a winner.

Print
Tex-Mex Chicken Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 pounds uncooked boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/4 tsp chili powder
  • 1 small sweet red pepper, chopped
  • 1 small green pepper, chopped
  • 2 medium uncooked scallions, sliced
  • 15 1/4 oz canned yellow corn, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
  • Salad Mix

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF (I have boiled it as well)
  2. Place chicken in a glass baking dish and bake until juices run clear, about 25 minutes. Cut into bite size pieces.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, cumin and chili powder.
  4. Stir in chicken, peppers, scallions and corn; mix well. Gently fold in beans; cover and chill at least two hours. Yields about 1 cup per serving over your choice of salad mix.
  5. *Optional - add tomatoes and/or avocados
Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by ZipList Recipe Plugin
http://www.rchotx.com/tex-mex-chicken-salad/

tarahsig

100 by 100 Challenge

Posted on by
7

What’s 100 by 100 Challenge? Well, its very simple. Michelle over at Life on the Horizon is hosting this personal challenge to walk, jog, swim, cycling 100 miles in 100 days.

This will be the 3rd challenge Michelle has facilitated. With each challenge, she has learned more about herself but also about helping and motivating others. The main thing she has learned through these challenges: Just because you don’t meet a goal DOES NOT mean you have failed! She has yet to meet the 100 miles in 100 days, but has become stronger mentally and physically with each one. Michelle has also met some incredible individuals with amazing stories and is so blessed and humbled by their determination!

And y’all, another cool thing about Michelle? She’s a Texas girl!

Why am I posting about this challenge? Well, it’s simple. I’m participating in this challenge and it starts today, May 1. I’ll be walking/jogging/running for this challenge in addition to all the gym time I’ve been putting in. Remember that 50 Days of Fitness challenge we had back in the day? Yeah, I’m still working on it. Maybe I’ll be nice and update my picture because apparently I look much different now according to a lot of people. I love running even though I’m not the greatest at it. I always get some teasing at Pinterest Parties or last year at Haven Conference when I’ve taken the time to go for a run or workout. (And for Haven this year, I’ve already looked online at the gym facilities in the gym. It’s an addiction.)

If you like to walk/jog/run/swim/cycle, you should consider joining in the challenge here. It’s just something to help be encouraged and encourage others.

tarahsig

Uh no, Pinterest.

Posted on by
12

Y’all, it’s been exactly ONE month since we had an “Uh no, Pinterest” discussion. And when I say discussion, I mean, I (or Heather) talked and y’all laughed. That’s how this relationship works sometimes. I think it’s great.

Are you ready? I guarantee you’re going to think “uh no” as well.

 

If you have lego decor in your home, you might … need to rethink your decor. Legos are kids toys, not for your kitchen utensils. Also, the beer bottle opener? Yeah. THAT goes with your legos.

Source: oddee.com via Tarah @ on Pinterest

 

This might be the most uncomfortable looking chair I’ve ever seen. And really, does anyone still have “those useless tapes” laying around? I know I don’t, and let me tell you I had my share of those bad boys. Milli Vanilli, New Kids on the Block, all the best of course.

 

I’m all for redecorating. I love me a good furniture makeover. Note – a GOOD furniture makeover. This looks like it belongs in Rainbow Brite’s bedroom, or a what I’m sure someone sees during a good high. And don’t act like you don’t know what kind of “high” I’m talking about. ;)

 

I simply have no words. Really. I don’t. I can’t even think of something nice to say about this pin.

I changed my mind. I do have words. Uh no. Just don’t do it. Your family will look like Chia pets mated with pineapples.

 

Let’s rehash my thoughts on glitter. First its glitter pantyhose, now a wall … in your child’s nursery? Look at that crib right against the craft herpes wall. Your kid could eat that right off the wall. Kids do things you would never imagine. They touch everything. They lick things. Your little girl is going to grab some glitter off that wall and put that in places … I shudder to think. Just don’t do the “awesome” wall (shout out to my BFF, who finds this AWESOME).

I think we needed an easy going post today. Not much thinking, gives you laughter.

tarahsig

Spiked pulled pork

Posted on by
8

Spiked pulled pork

I bet you’re asking me why it’s called “Spiked pulled pork”? Last weekend, while I was at Pinterest Party I sent my husband a text asking him to put the roast in the slow cooker at noon so we could have it for dinner when I got home on Sunday. I sent him the very simple directions to follow. He okayed and did it.

Fast forward to Sunday night when I arrived home, after the Pin Party and going grocery shopping. We get everything all together for dinner and to the table. I’m pulling the pork apart, commenting on how tender it was. Literally falling apart as I touch it with the fork. He makes no comments, we sit down to eat, I take a bite. It might be the best pulled pork we’ve had in a while.

He happily announces “Oh I added a little to it. It didn’t look like it was going to cook well with just the BBQ sauce so I looked up and saw the vodka on the fridge.”

At least he didn’t make it spicy. And … he did cook.

Print
Spiked pulled pork (crockpot/slow cooker)

Ingredients

  • Pork shoulder (also known as pork butt, I don't ask why.)
  • BBQ sauce (I use Austin's Own or Weber brand - neither have HFCS)
  • Vodka

Instructions

  1. Cover bottom of the cooker dish with some BBQ sauce.
  2. Place pork roast on top of BBQ sauce and pour BBQ sauce over the top of the roast
  3. Add a 1/2 cup to cup of vodka (or in his words "Pour freely")
  4. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, turning over a few times for perfect tenderness
Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by ZipList Recipe Plugin
http://www.rchotx.com/spiked-pulled-pork/

 

And I’m really not kidding when I say its probably the most tender, fall apart pork I’ve had.

tarahsig

A self-interview {Tarah}

Posted on by
7

A Selfie Blogger Interview
The wonderful ladies at Texas Women Bloggers are kindly holding a “self-interview” link party. Since it’s the middle of Thursday, and I’m not being crafty or domestically active, I thought I’d jump on the wagon.

1. What part of the state do you call home?  The FW of DFW – we all know it is the better part of the DFW anyway. ;)

2. How long have you been blogging? Really actively blogging since July 2012

3. Why did you start blogging? What had happened was …A DIY conference attended by friends turned into THIS very blog.

4. What do you hope to get out of the Texas Women Bloggers community? Its always fun to have more friends, and even better if they’re Texas friends!

5. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? In 5 years, we may or may not still have this blog. BUT I will still have 3 children (they’ll be 10, 8 and 7 – holy cow.) and maybe my husband will make it another 5 years (I kid. maybe.)

6. If you could choose an actress to play you in your life, who would you choose and why? Well, honestly? Melissa McCarthy. I’m not even joking. If you guys have ever seen her show, Mike and Molly, that’s totally me and my husband. TO a T.

7. Name 5 things on your Bucket List that you hope you’ll check off before you die? I’m simple – travel to NYC and Chicago, run a marathon, visit all 50 states at least once, learn to swim like a pro (okay, not a pro, but decent), and keep my house clean (haha!)

8. If you could be known for one thing, what would it be and why? I have a huge passion for children who are placed in foster care. I also have a huge passion for drug exposed/addicted newborns/children and preemie babies. I have no doubt most of my friends know this. It all holds a special place in my heart and I like to help others who need someone with that experience.

9. Describe one “wow” moment in your life. When a judge gave my husband and I a seal of approval for our first child. I looked at him, then Jody and then realized that I was then a “mommy” permanently and no longer “pretending” to be a mommy to children who needed one for a certain amount of time.

10. If you could “be” anything (no consequences, no fear), what would you “be”? I would love to be someone that has no worries, whether it be money worries, family worries, etc. But alas, that will never happen. :)

tarahsig