Simple Crock Pot Beef Stew

Photo from Pixabay

I love a good hearty stew. Especially on days I don't want to stand over the stove to long or I feel I need to warm up inside. I do alot of hands on cooking where I don't measure ingredients. I have a tendency of grabbing what is on hand and knowing how much to add by eyeing it. This is a way of cooking I have learned from my grandmother and my mother. This recipe does have some bite to it. So, if you like a little fire. You will enjoy this recipe.

Ingredients :

Beef tips
Carrots, chopped
Potatoes, chopped
Chili mix (recipe follows)
I large can of tomato juice for base

Mix all together. Place in crockpot on high for 6 to 8 hours.

Chili mix ingredients :

1 tablespoon paprika
2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon basil

This can be prepared ahead of time. Keep in an air tight jar.

Recipe, Crockpot, Food, Stew

What Is Moose?

Moose isn't a moose.

Moose isn't a pug.

Moose isn't a chihuahua.

Moose isn't grown.

Moose isn't alone.

Moose isn't mean.

Moose really isn't a purebred.

Moose is a dog.

Moose is a pup.

Moose is a chug.

Moose is a designer breed.

Moose is comical.

Moose really is a mutt.

Moose is crate trained.

Mooose is potty trained.

Moose has a fenced in back yard.

Moose has a soft bed.

Moose has a lot of toys.

Moose has a favorite stick.

Moose has a bone.

Moose has a forever home. Moose is my Chug that was born right before Halloween in 2012. He was a product of an unwanted pregnancy of a previous owner getting rid of their dog. Claiming it was their boss's dog but knew nothing about it. Turns out the previous owner was a known dog flipper and wanted to get rid of Moose's momma before anyone noticed she was pregnant. Her lose, my gain.

Chug , Animal, Dog, Moose, MooseDDog

Things To Be Thankful For March 1st, 2015

©rusty2rusty

Someone challenged to write 5 things to be thankful and pick one to write about.

Here is my list of five things to be thankful for : 

1. Eyesight

2. My daughter did not have an episode today

3. Signed house papers

4. grocery shopping

5. Time

I choose to write about signed house papers. The other day I went in to sign the disclosure papers at the bank. I ended singing a huge stack of papers. 

The house I am applying to buy was built in 1931. It is a bungalow. It sits on less than one acre. It is in town but on the outskirts. Where I will have no close neighbors. It has the feel of the country being surrounded by open fields.

I plan on putting in a garden this summer and a chicken coop by next summer. I also plan on adding a 2nd bathroom door stairs and turn an unfinished room into another bedroom. Change the master bedroom in to a living area. This is all downstairs in the basement.

The bigger yard will be a benefit to my three dogs. One being an English Mastiff. My current home he is out growing. 

The home is off a main highway leading out of town. I will be able to host a garage sale and draw in more people who like to come to those. Hopefully, I can make some extra money that way.

I am excited and praying that God allows me to get this loan and buy this home.

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Who Has My Heart

©rusty2rusty
Created at funny.pho.to

I decided to write about my heart tonight. As I created a photo collage at funny.pho.to of those that I hold closes to my heart.

The middle photo is of my oldest boy and my his son, my grandson. They may live in their own place. However, my son will always be my first baby. I experienced the joy of motherhood the first time through him. I knew I wanted more children.

The top right corner is my teenage son. I am proud of him. He has gone further grade wise than any of my children. He is smart. He gets A's and B's. Plus, is a member of some honors classes.

The bottom right corner is of my boyfriend. I have been with him for three years. The present he bought me finally came in today from a jewelers. It is very pretty. I'll have to take a photo and write about it.

The photo on the bottom left is my teenage daughter. She does give me a lot of trouble. She is a rebel to the heart. I wish she would learn to choose her battles. Instead of making everything in a battle.

I challenge you to write about what is in your heart.

Spell Out Love

From Pixabay.com

It is all about love. Spell out the word love, using each letter describing it in some way. Something called a "Acrostic".

Here is my try at it :

L is for love. Love is hard to find. Once you finally find true love. You never want to let it go. When it leaves it hurts to the core.

O is for Open. You need to open your eyes and ears when it comes to friendship and love. Otherwise you can miss your chance in time for true love.

V is for Valentine. I have my Valentine for this year. My boyfriend of three years. I hope you all have or find a Valentine to enjoy.

E is for Everyone. I wish everyone in this world can experience and feel love. Everyone deserves to be loved. Love helps change people for the better.

Challenge - Use the word love, to write a 'Acrostic'.

Photo created at pho.to.com using my own photo.

A - Z Challenge F : Finches

Finches are my favorite birds. I don't know why but I fell in love with these little beauties when I was a child. Maybe because they are small compared to most birds you find in the back yard. That I could relate to growing up. Out of 2 brothers and 5 sisters. I still remain the shortest.

Finches are found throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Finches come in many different colors and patterns.They are song birds who love to eat seeds.

Small, black oil sunflower seeds tend to attract them to your backyard. Sometimes in flocks of up to 50 at a time. It is best to have several feeders if you plan to attract Finches in your backyard. Or low lying bushes where they will hide and feed.

Do you like birds? What is your favorite kind?

Photo from a free use website called Pixababy.com. Unless stated otherwise.

rusty2rusty
Finch
Bird
Animal
Photo
Image
Photograph
Photo essay

A - Z Challenge G : Garbage

Let's talk about garbage. Do you burn yours or pay to have yours hauled away? I live in the city where I pay to have mine hauled away. It is included in the city water bill.

We do have the option to recycle. I do alot of recycling. So, much that the container provider does not fit it all. So, I started to use extra clothes baskets I had around the house to place the excess recycling stuff. This has helped reduce our garbage out put immensely. As the city will only pick up four bags a week unless you you pay more than the normal fee. I refuse to do that. When I know I can save money by recycling.

Over the past weekend I held a yard sale. My mom and one of my sisters went in with me. The sale went great. After the sale was over, my mom and sister placed what they didn't want to keep along side of the street out with our trash. I placed ads on Facebook stating the stuff was free, come haul away. Take the whole box and not make a mess.

Some people who came and looked at the stuff made a mess. They would throw things on the ground or break them when moving them. My boyfriend went and hollered at them to get out of the trash if they were going to make a mess. Most people were really good and did not make a mess.

Now what was not picked up, went in to our shed til big up day. Which is the first Monday of the month. On big pick up we can still only have 4 bags. But we are allow to get rid of big items. Such as a bed broke down.

Anything as long as it is not grass clippings, tree limbs or construction. What I thought might sell later, I grabbed out and placed in to another pile. As I plan on having a garage sale later this summer.

I have no problem with people picking things up from the garbage. As it saves from filling up the landfill. Another man's trash really can be someone else's treasure.

However, I do believe even picking up trash people need to follow a few rules. Here they are:

1. If it is covered up, stay out of it.
2. If it is a bag, feel or untie the bag. Do not rid it open. Take the whole bag.
3. Do not throw trash or leftovers all the yard.
4. Go through the boxes but place what you don't want back in the boxes. Not on the ground.
5. Do not block traffic. Pull over to the side of the street, or in the driveway. Don't park in the middle of the street.
6. If you are doing it at night, make sure your 4 way blinker is on, so those that come up on you while stopped, can go around you with out stopping.

Just recently, I picked up a rocky chair that someone threw out in the trash. Nothing wrong with it. I really like and have been wanting a rocking chair for years. So, I am not against picking things up that have thrown out. Why would I? It is recycling.

All Photos use in this blog is from Pixabay.com a free use photo site. Unless stated otherwise.

A - Z Challenge : Letter E

I absolutely love eating eggs. Eggs seem to go with everything. You can cook hard boiled eggs. Take them and some biscuits when going out on a long walk or picnic to have for a quick pick me up snack.

You can add them in recipes or make omelets. Eggs are also used as a binder to hold things together when cooking. Like when you are making meatloaf or cauliflower pizza crust.

Eggs can also be used when you what to bread something, it acts as a coating for the flour to stick.

I wish I didn't have to leave the yolks of the eggs out. My cholesterol is way to high. Doc says if I eat eggs to not eat the yolks.

At first, I thought bummer. I love eggs. I started experimenting creating things with no egg yolks. It does not change the taste in breads or cakes. I separate the yolks from the egg whites. I give the yolks to my kids, I just add it into their scrambled eggs.

Now I place different veggies in a cupcake pan, than pour the egg whites over them. Than bake til done. You will know when they are done baking because they will fall right out of the pan. It makes for an easy to pick up and go all in one mini omelet. I love adding mushrooms, sweet potatoes and red bell peppers the most. Other times I will add onion, mushroom and bacon. Or shredded cheese and pre-cooked sausage. The possibilities are really endless.

Let's talk about eggs. How do you like your eggs? Do you use them as a binder or coating? Do you make meals out of them or combine them in recipes for flavor?

All photos are from Pixabay.com while searching for the word eggs.

A - Z Challenge : Letter D

Image from Pixabay.com

Let's talk about diaper wipes. Do you buy them? They come real handy when changing a baby, toddler or older person. They also come in handy when you have to go so much and your bum starts hurting because your running to the bathroom ten times in less than an hour. (You know what I am talking about.) Espically, when your to sensitive for toilet paper.

Wipes work great. Try using a wipe and see how smoothing it can be. If it works on a baby or toddler. It sure will work on adult as well.

I keep wipes on hand for all bathroom patrons to use. Diaper wipes also come in handy to clean a sticky toddler in a cinch when out and about or needing to go somewhere quick. My daughter no matter how old she is, seems to always have a dirty face or hands. I am always telling her to go wash her hands/ face. Alot of times this isn't notice til right before I want to walk in to a store. I get my handy stash of wipes out and have her clean herself up.