Recipe: Instant Pot Porcupine Meatballs

Was Black Friday/Cyber Monday good to you?  Did you finally buy the Instant Pot you've had on your Amazon wishlist for months?  If so, congratulations! 

You may find once you've unboxed your new prize and quickly skimmed the owner's manual/recipe book that comes with it that it is sorely lacking in recipes that you'd actually include in your meal rotation.  Never fear, I've got another classic to share with you today.

This recipe falls under the nostalgia category for me (much like Sausage and Rice Casserole).  Porcupine Meatballs is the only reason that I had a pressure cooker on my wedding registry.  I fondly remember my mom making it when I was growing up and knew that she cooked it in her original stovetop pressure cooker.  The recipe came from the Presto Pressure Cooker cookbook included with the pressure cooker.  The original recipe has a tomato based sauce; my mom made it with a cream based sauce and so do I.

Instant Pot Porcupine Meatballs
    serves: 4-6
    time: ~35 minutes

Ingredients
- 1lb of ground beef
- 0.5 cups of white rice, uncooked
- 1 cup of Pictsweet Seasoning Blend (frozen) or fresh diced onion and celery
- 1 packet dried onion soup mix
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 cup of water

Directions
1. In a mixing bowl, combine the ground beef and uncooked white rice.  Season as desired with salt and pepper.  Form into small meatballs, 1-1.5" diameter.
2. In the inner pot, mix together the remaining ingredients.
3. Place meatballs on top of soup/vegetable mixture.
4. Lock cover into place and seal the steam nozzle.
5. Press [Manual] and set timer for 8 minutes.
6. Allow to [Keep Warm] for 10 minutes then turn off the release any remaining pressure.
7. Serve over cooked white rice.

Notes

• the name "porcupine" is derived from the fact that the uncooked rice with poke out of the meatballs once cooked
• plan ahead and cook your rice for serving in the Instant Pot prior to cooking your porcupine meatballs.
• The Pictsweet Seasoning Blend is a great time saver -- it's a pre-chopped, frozen blend of onions, celery, green and red peppers and parsley flakes.  Look for it with frozen vegetables.
• This recipe is a great way to use of any leftover vegetables you might have in the refrigerator.  You'll notice my picture of the finished plate has quite a few carrots.  At the time, I had about 1/2 a bag of baby carrots which had passed their lunchbox prime so I diced them up and added them to the mix!

Thank YOU

It's Thanksgiving Day 2016 and this will be my 20th post.  Today, I have no words of wit or wisdom to share.  I only wish to say

Thank you for being my friends and liking, commenting and following my posts.  Thank you for joining with me and walking beside me as I work to find my voice and share my thoughts and ideas. 

I hope you have an enjoyable Thanksgiving holiday with good food and good company!

Running for Two

Here's my own personal Top Ten List of "How You Know You're Pregnant and Still Running"

1. You gauge your distance by the urge to pee.

2. You give serious consideration to wearing more subdued colors so it will be easier to hide in the bushes to pee.

3. Active wear if your new every day wear because it is so nice and stretchy!

4. Your shoe laces are barely tied because your belly isn't the only thing expanding lately.

5. Layering is a must since you can't seem to regulate your temperature and you go from burning hot to freezing cold in an instant.

6. Instead of catcalls you get wide-eyed, jaws dropped stares -- yes, it's ok for me to run while pregnant.

7. You've given your foam roller a name and have daily "dates" with him to help work out the kinks.

8. Run:Walk intervals are the name of your fitness game.

9. Three words: Double Sports Bras

10. Every run is a new PR because let's face it, you've never been # weeks pregnant with this baby running this route, even if you ran the same route yesterday. Each day is one day closer to the Big Delivery finish line and each day makes a difference!

26 weeks and feeling strong!

That's right, Baby #4 will be arriving February 2017.  Until then, I'll do what I can do keep on movin' and stick with my current mantra "Listen To Your Body". :-)

Keeping the Kids Busy -- Thanksgiving Craft Ideas

I have a confession.

I have never cooked a turkey or cooked a Thanksgiving meal for that matter.  Coming from someone who loves to cook, this may come as a surprise but it's true.  We've been fortunate that usually Thanksgiving finds us as guests at the table of friends or family who graciously take on the bulk of the cooking responsibilities.  I help out where I can but know when to stay out of the kitchen.

The past few years, my role on Thanksgiving has been one of child entertainer.  Depending on the weather there may be a slew of young cousins running amuck with no way to productively expend their energy. 

Today I am going to share with you links to come of my favorite crafts for Thanksgiving.  Now's the time to peruse the options, see what crafts supplies you have on hand and which you might need to buy and decide on a craft or two!

First Palette -- this site has fantastic, step by step instructions with pictures!  A great resource for the craft challenged.  I've made the paper strip pumpkin, Mayflower ship, and paper cup turkey from the directions on this page.

The Crafty Crow -- this site is a compilation of links to other blogs and craft pages.  Be forewarned may of the ideas here are a bit more labor, time and skill intensive.  Still great ideas!

Red Ted Art -- a great blog with many kid friendly craft ideas

Google Images if my friend for craft ideas!

Projects for Preschoolers -- if you have a younger crowd this is a good resource for less intensive activities

Preschool Express -- I have this bookmarked under "learning" instead of "crafts" but this is a great source for written ideas on activities or things to do with the preschool crowd that may or may not involve an actual craft activity

Google Images -- Google is my friend.  Google Images is a particularly good friend.  I use the search engine to visual scroll through a ton of ideas [try searching Thanksgiving Kids Crafts] and if something looks appealing I can usually link directly to the source.  Also a great way to see different variations of the same craft.

It might be a good idea to search for some quick Christmas countdown crafts too!  Black Friday is a great time to work on those.
My kids have enjoyed a candy countdown like this except we use after-dinner mints as the candy.

Recipe: Paleo/Whole 30 Breakfast Sausage Patties

My husband and I recently completed a Whole 30.  If you're not sure what that means, basically for 30 days we ate only meats, fruits and vegetables.  During that time frame we excluded all grains, dairy, legumes, sugars and alcohol from our diets.  There is a ton more information at the official Whole 30 website here if you are interested in finding out more.  We undertook the Whole 30 challenge as a way to reset the amount of added sugar we were consuming and to focus back in on eating whole, unprocessed foods.

Anyways, one of the biggest aspects of the Whole 30 for us was the need to eat a nutrient dense breakfast.  You can't get by on just a bagel (no grains) or banana (not enough food) and hope to make it until lunchtime.  That's where these protein packed "sausage" patties saved the morning.  They are tasty, filling and relatively easy to make.

Paleo/Whole 30 Breakfast Sausage Patties

Ingredients
- Lean ground beef (I buy the bulk packs at Sam's Club and use 5lbs at a time)
per 1 pound of ground beef use
- 1/4 tsp sage, rubbed or ground
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds (this helps impart the quintessential sausage flavor)
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp smoked paprika (if you don't have smoked paprika increase the amount of regular, however smoked really adds so much to the flavor)
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp salt

Directions
1. Using a spice grinder, grind up the fennel seeds so that you have a powder.  I like to add in some of the other spices to ensure a uniform mixture.
2. Combine all the spices together in a small bowl and mix thoroughly.
3. Using your hands, thoroughly incorporate the spice mixture into the ground beef.
4. Form the meat mixture into patties of your desired size.
5. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 375*F for 12-15 minutes, depending on size/thickness.
6. Allow to cool, flash freeze on a clean baking sheet and store in freezer bags.  Use as needed.

Notes
My biggest tip for making sausage patties is to make a tester patty so you can see if spice level is to your liking or if it needs adjusting before you cook up the whole batch.  To do this, after incorporating all the spice mixture, simply make a sample patty the size of a quarter or so.  Microwave it for 10-20 seconds until cooked through.  Taste and adjust your seasonings as desired. 

Squeezing in a Workout -- 10 (or 5) Minute Abs

Let's face it, October was crazy, November is chaotic and December is just insane.  We haven't even celebrated Thanksgiving yet and I am beginning to feel the squeeze of necessary holiday prep, school activities and a million other things that come up before we ring in 2017.  One of the first things that tends to get axed to make time for other things is my gym time, sad but true!

Today, I'm going to share with you a workout that has been printed out and kept handy in my house for the past 10 years.  No equipment needed, all you need is yourself and a watch.

10 Minute Abs

Perform each of the listed exercises without a break for 1 minute each.  If doing "5 Minute Abs" perform each for 30 seconds.  Try to do as many QUALITY repetitions as possible; don't focus on quantity.  Rest in the up position.  The exercises may be performed in any order -- order can affect total difficulty! 

1. Sit-ups: all the way down, all the way up
2. Crunches: tighten your abs and keep your lower back pressed against the floor, raise neck/shoulders
3. Flutter Kicks: legs and knees are straight, move from the hips
4. Leg Raises: alternate bringing both legs straight and together from 6" off the ground to 90*s
5. Ankle Touches: in a crunch position rotate your torso side to side stretching your arms to touch alternating ankles
6. Center Plank: hold a straight back pushup position from your elbows
7. Right Plank: rotate your plank so you are balanced on your right elbow
8. Left Plank: rotate your plank so you are balanced on your left elbow
9. V-Sit: with either bent knees or straight legs, balanced yourself on the meaty part of your butt and hold your body in a "v" position
10. Bicycle Crunches: from a crunch position, slowly push one leg straight and the other toward your chest, rotating your elbows to touch the opposite knee

For added difficulty, perform 1 upper body exercise in between every 2 ab exercises.  This will extend your time to 15 (or 7.5) minutes.  Suggested upper body exercises include:

1. Regular Rushups
2. Wide ArmPushups
3. Diamond Pushups
4. Narrow Pushups
5. Staggered Pushups: right arm slightly forward of shoulder, left arm slightly back; alternate
6. Negative Pushups: 5 second count to the down position
7. Tricep dips
8. Mountain Pushups: with your butt raised into the air (think downward dog position) press your head toward the floor

Your abdominal muscles are just like any other muscle group and need time to rest and recover in order to get stronger.  Do not do this exercise sequence on consecutive days to allow for proper recovery.

A Tangible Way to Honor Veterans

​

The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month -- the cease fire that ended WWI began a great armistice and marked what we as a country regarded as the end of the greatest war of all time. Unfortunately, since 1918 we have experienced many more conflicts and have called on our military servicemen and women to courageously protect and defend our great nation and its ideals.

Taryn Ashley Robinson, US Air Force Academy Class of 2005

As we wrap up this year's Veterans Day activities, I want to encourage you to consider purchasing a wreath for yourself and for the grave of a veteran through the Wreaths Across America organization. For only $30, you can receive and display at your own home a beautiful handmade balsam fir wreath and guarantee that the grave of a veteran will be appropriately adored on December 17th.  Or for $15, you can choose to simply sponsor a wreath which will be placed on a grave at Arlington National Cemetery.  

Each year, I am brought to tears upon seeing the pictures of thousands upon thousands of graves solemnly and respectfully adored with a wreath.  The most iconic pictures are from Arlington National Cemetery but there are hundreds of cemeteries across the country that participate. I look forward to getting in the Christmas spirit by hanging a wreath on my front door but I most look forward to honoring those who gave all by volunteering on Dec 17th.

 Donate, Buy a Wreath, Volunteer

Remember. Honor. Teach

#SayTheirNames

@WAAHQ

#MomHacks -- Kids' Art Display

My kids are prolific artists, especially BigSis, so today's #MomHack is brought to you by my desire to not be overrun by artwork but to satisfy the children's desire to have their prize creations displayed in some manner.  Oh, and not to spend alot of money! :-)

Introducing, the Curtain Rod Artwork Display

Materials
- cheap curtain rod ($2-3 at Walmart or Target)
- ribbon
- clothes pins (Dollar Tree)
- hot glue or regular white glue if you have more time and patience than me

Instructions 
- Cut ribbon into assorted lengths.  This will help prevent artwork overlap when hanging.
- Glue one end of the ribbon to the clothes pin.  With the other end, glue the ribbon to itself to form a small loop.
- Once dry, attach the ribbons to the curtain rod by passing the clothes pin end through the loop, forming a sort of slipknot over the rod.
- Mount the curtain rod wherever desired.

When all the display positions are full, the child(ren) must decide to take something down before a new piece of art can go up in its place!  My kids and I also have an understanding that once something is no longer displayed it will very likely end up in the trash or mailed to a grandparent or other family friend.

Happy creating!


 

Going Unplugged

Today was a good day.  My husband had the day off from work so I was able to run outside, in the morning, on a weekday!  [It should be noted, my outside running is usually limited to weekends with weekday workouts happening at the gym after BigBro and BigSis get on the bus.]

The air was perfectly cool and crisp and most of the trees had started to show their colors -- all in all, an idyllic fall morning.  Instead of lacing up and cranking up some of my favorite jams, I decided to take this run unplugged -- no music, no GPS.  At first, it was rather bothersome to only have my own thoughts, my breathing and my footfalls to listen to but after settling into my pace I began to take stock of my situation. 

Mindfulness is a buzz word nowadays and I've been intrigued enough to do some reading up on it.  The biggest factor in being mindful is not necessarily being in a zen-like state all the time but really focusing on being present in whatever it is that you are doing.  When you have distracting thoughts, you acknowledge them but don't dwell on them.  You focus your brain on your breath, a mantra, your body and how it feels -- things that integrate seamlessly with running.

I'll admit, large chunks of my run were occupied by the song "Sunshine in my Pocket" that was stuck in my head but when I used my lack of electronics to focus in on how I was feeling and the status of my run I began to notice little things.  I noticed how my left hip tightened up as I ran uphill.  I took care to control my breathing on a particularly tough part of my route.  I felt the slight sting of the cooler air on my legs as I cruised downhill.  I took in the kaleidoscope of colors that the trees painted across the sky and left scattered on the sidewalk.  Essentially, I was an active participant in the environment and mechanics of my run instead of being an observer.

I haven't truly tried being mindful during a treadmill run as I imagine that to be much more difficult but I'd encourage you to take some time each day to "unplug" in whatever way you can but especially during your next run!

Living the Dream?

Are you living the dream?

The phrase seems to get thrown around as if real life can be everything we've dreamed of but I'll be honest, I'm not living the dream nor do I think I ever will.  Something in adulthood, motherhood in particular, has given me the sense that we need to live our own reality, working toward our goals not our dreams.

My reality is different today than it was 5 years, 1 year, even 1 week ago. I've found that while I do have goals and aspirations its important to not confuse those with dreams. I can take active steps in my day to day life to slowly and persistently work toward achieving my goals. I can work on transforming myself into more of the person I aspire to be. But the things that I classify as dreams, the things that occasionally cause me to pause and sigh longingly -- If I focus on them instead of my current life I miss out and I start to feel bad or downtrodden. 

Much like social media can distort our perceptions of reality, letting ourselves dwell on these, often unrealistic, dreams can steal away the joy we might experience if we instead focused on our reality.

     I dream of having an immaculate house but clean and livable where kids help put away laundry and board games are strewn about will have to do.

     I dream of being able to pack up and travel with minimal planning but relish instead taking staycations and exploring the area we live in.

     I dream of being able to sleep-in, drink my coffee extra-hot and sit quietly in my PJs and read a book on Saturday morning but grocery shopping alone is now my guilty pleasure.

     I dream of running a half-marathon and marathon PR but for now I run slow and steady and admire the fall foliage that I would miss if I only focused on my pace.

Don't get me wrong, I can't let the kids trash the house because it's still my job to teach them responsibility and stewardship but I have to, as hard as it is, let go of my own crazy standards. I have to focus on living my ideals and values (patience, courage, responsibility, kindness) and let those translate into material gains.

Have goals, have aspirations, work toward them with persistence and dedication but leave the dreaming to nighttime and wake up ready to be present in your day!

Recipe: Instant Pot Pork Loin and Potatoes

As promised in my Favorite Quick Serve Dinners post, below is my recipe for cooking a whole Pork Loin Roast and Potatoes in the Instant Pot.  The ease of the recipe is unsurpassed and it is so tasty -- I've made it twice in the past month!

Instant Pot Pork Loin and Potatoes
   serves: 4-6
   total time: ~1hr

Ingredients
- one 2.5-3lbs pork loin roast
- 5-6 baking potatoes, scrubbed and cut in half
- 1 cup of water or chicken broth
- seasonings of your choice

Directions
1. Pat dry and generously season your pork loin on all sides.  I like to use salt, pepper and herbs de Provence. 
1.1 (Optional) Using the Instant Pot [Saute] function, brown the pork loin on all sides making sure to crisp up the fat cap as much as desired.  Remove pork loin to a separate plate while you assemble the rest of the dish.  If you skip this step, no biggie, your exterior just won't be crispy.
2. Scrub each potato and cut in half.  Layer potatoes in the bottom of the inner pot, stacking and overlapping as necessary.
3. Pour in one cup of water or chicken broth.
4. Place seasoned pork loin on top of the potatoes.  The potatoes will act as a rack to keep the meat elevated.
5. Lock cover into place and seal steam nozzle.
6. Press [Meat] and set the timer for 25-30minutes depending on the size of your pork loin.
7. When cooking time has finished, allow to [Keep Warm] for 10 minutes and then turn off and release the pressure.
8. Remove the pork loin to your carving board and use tongs to remove the potatoes.
9. Serve and Enjoy!

Notes

• because of the extended cooking time needed for the meat, the potatoes are only halved and the skin is kept on.  This helps prevent them from falling apart into mush at the bottom of the pot.  When it is time to serve, the skins will slip right off and they can be mashed with a fork, cut into chunks or served as it.
• Using a 3lb roast and 30minute cooking time, my roast's internal temperature was 158*F prior to carving.  If you like your pork loin roast a little more pink in the middle, feel free to experiment with slightly less cooking time.
• For a true one dish meal, have a half-head of cabbage chopped and ready to go when the meat and potatoes are done.  Once you've removed the meat and potatoes, toss in the cabbage, reseal your Instant Pot and let it come to pressure for 1 minute on [Manual].  Quick release the pressure and you'll have an additional vegetable ready to go!

Halloween Aftermath: What to do with all the candy?

The ghouls and goblins have all gone to bed and woken as tired, tummy-aching children who still have to go to school and you have to figure out what to do with all the candy that under NO circumstances can be kept around the house.

1. Remove and save actual food items and non-food items that you like-- goldfish, animal crackers, pretzels, pencils, erasers, etc.

2. Each kid gets to fill a sandwich size bag with whatever candy they personally want to keep and eat over the course of the next week.  Make sure to set a timeframe!

3. Decide what YOU want to keep
     - bag of parental prerogative goodies because we all have our favorites!
     - future baking ingredients: I now have a stash of plain M&Ms in my freezer ready for cookies
     - emergency tantrum kit for the car: I fill a bag with non-melting candy (Starburst, Skittles, Nerds) and keep in the center console of the car.  This is particularly handy for a) long drives or b) a child who is losing his mind

4. Donate the rest (and get paid!)
Find a local participating Halloween Candy Buy Back location and take your candy in to be weighed.  You get $1 per pound and the candy is then donated to military service members overseas and veterans in VA hospitals around the country.  Most of these buy-backs are hosted by dentist offices so you usually get a free toothbrush and toothpaste too!  Win-Win  To incentivize my children even more, I offer to double their money (if they sell back 2lbs and get $2, I'll give them another $2) so that they have a chance to buy something a little more pricey with their new found spending money.

Happy November!