A new start to a new year

I have blogged on and off for years. Life just always seemed to get in the way and blogging was pushed to the back burner.

Over the last few years I worked with an agency and I had to write narratives every month. My boss at the time was resigning her position and she called me on her last day at the office. She told me that I needed to write a book. She said that I know my own voice and that I need to do it. She is an author. She has one book published and a deal for several more, so that was a very high complement, one that I have thought of many times since that day.

I have always wanted to write a book about my life. Not that my life is so exciting, I have just been through a lot and have some interesting stories. I would title it Almost the Truth, not that I would lie, I would just protect. I have since come up with a better title, one that I will keep close to me, for now. I will start to write as time allows.

In the meantime, I am taking a blogging course online, Intentional Blog Course, and have started a new blog/website  Considermecoffeed.com  It is a blog about my life and family and will have lots of recipes because along with writing, cooking is a passion.

I hope you all will join me on my new website.

What We ate last week

Last week we decided to go camping Monday morning. There is a post coming about that soon, something always seems to happen when we go camping...this one was eventful and cold. So, here is what we ate:

Monday- Sloppy joes
Tuesday- Hibachi style steak, zucchini and rice
Wednesday Italian Sausage, potatoes and peppers (This was a new one, I will make it again)
Thursday Leftovers
Friday Sandwiches ( I worked)
Saturday Leftovers or clam chowder (I worked again)
Sunday Baked Ziti

I was planning to be out of town for family dinner so we cancelled but, I wound up coming home on Saturday night so I called everyone and uncancelled. Since I wouldn't have time to go to the store I just looked through my pantry to see what I have on hand to throw together. I decided on Baked Ziti, a family favorite. I didn't have any ground beef or Italian sausage so I pulled out a pound of pork sausage from the pig that we butchered. I have used it before in this recipe and it was very good. While I was browning the sausage I called my husband over to ask him if he thought the meat had an off smell to it. I thought it did, but we decided that it was just the pork itself and we were just used to the smell of beef. So, I was satisfied and went on cooking.

When It was all done I pulled it out of the oven and it looked so good with the cheese starting to brown on top. I dished it up with a side of buttered bread and took a bite.  It was horrible! The pork gave it a greasy "off" taste. I couldn't even swallow the bite I took. So, we had carrot cake for dinner. That was good and we could all stomach it! I don't know what the problem was with the sausage. I hope it was just with that package because I have several more of it. We didn't even feed it to our dogs we just tossed it in the trash.

It's been a while since I have had a dinner fail like this!

What We Ate....Brisket Edition

I think I’ve mentioned in a recent post that since we have been home from our trip, I have been trying not to go to the grocery store and just use what we have on hand  in our pantry and freezer. I have not meal planned and gone on a big shopping trip but, I have gone to the store several times to pick up some necessities like bread and milk and then some extra things that we wanted for a movie night and maybe a few impulse buys like pumpkin spice bagels. They are so tasty. Then we decided to go camping so that did require a shopping trip with a list. More on that later.

So, What have we been eating? Every Sunday my family has “family dinner.” My mom, brother and sister and their families come over and we eat and play cards (well the moms do). Last Sunday my mom made Beef Stew, it’s my grandma’s recipe and it’s one of the bests out there. I made some Roads Rolls, my new fave, to dip in the juice. So good! We ate that for two nights and then I had it for a few lunches as well. On Tuesday we went to Tucson to visit some of the best people in the world and they fed us and sent us home with a half of a smoked brisket. They smoked it themselves with a killer dry rub and it has the best bark on it! So we ate that for dinner for three nights. I know, but its that good. I made different sides to go with it like, mashed potatoes, rice and vegetables.  Saturday night we had frozen ravioli, that was an impulse buy, it was by the Roads Rolls in the freezer section and it just sounded good, and easy. We all need some easy, right? Then it was Sunday again....More on that later

Sunday- Beef stew and rolls
Monday-Beef stew and rolls
Tuesday-Brisket and broccoli salad (the one with grapes, bacon and bow tie pasta)
Wed- Brisket on tortillas
Thursday-Brisket with mashed potatoes and corn
 Friday- Brisket with rice and green beans
Saturday- Cheese ravioli and bread

Breakfasts were  Chorizo (Mexican style) and eggs, oatmeal or bagels.
Lunches were beef stew, PB&J or brisket