Hunk of Meat Monday: Sausage Corn Chowder

I love cooking over a stove but as of late we have been so busy working with the calves in the barn, that my time has been limited.

So, I have started converting some of my fall and winter favorites over to the crock pot.

I love this recipe and it's a favorite with my family too. The spice from the sausage and sweet from the creamed corn are such a unique blend of flavors.

Hunk of Meat Mondays: Budget Saving Meals for Show Moms

Tired of eating over priced state fair food?

Tired of watching your money run out the door?

So am I!

Showing cattle, or any species, is not cheap. Life as a show mom is not easy nor cheap.  Showing cattle, or any other species, can also be expensive. You have entry fees, hotel expenses, travel expenses and miscellaneous items that accumulate during your trip.  I couldn't stand the thought of watching my money float away and having my kids eat one greasy cheeseburger after another.

So, I took the time to figure out how to use my crock pot at shows.  In addition to cooking meals in my crockpot, I also make fresh sweet tea every morning at the hotel.  Those cold brew tea bags are a blessing!  It brings me a great deal of comfort to give my family a cooked meal at least once a day!

 Here are some of my money saving meals that I use while on the road at cattle shows.  Simply figure your meals out in advance, make your lists, pack the slow cooker, a few plastic spoons, slow cooker bags, and the utensils to eat with. Then buy your food at the grocery store as you need it.

Chicken & Black Bean Stoup - Cooks in 4 hours in the crockpot. Serve it with tortilla chips or tortillas

Cowboy Stew - Make this stew in advance and freeze it.  I made this last fall before NAILE and it stayed frozen in a cooler in my car for three days! Then warm it in the crockpot.

Pepsi Pork Chops - Throw in a can of potatoes and you have a meal!

Smoked Pork Chops with Hashbrown Casserole - So easy and so delicious! This is one of my family's favorites!

Cheesy Hamburger Burritos - Brown your hamburger in advance and freeze it. Then throw it in the cooler and keep it on ice. The meat will stay frozen for 2 or 3 days.

I hope these recipes save you & your family a little money. I'll have another update this fall on more meals to make a shows. Oh - and if you want to know how to make the sweet tea, drop me an email. I'll gladly share my secret!



Best. Chicken. Marinade. Ever.

Best. Chicken. Marinade. Ever.

Hunk of Meat Monday: Leftover Easter Ham

The joy of a holiday.

The hustle and bustle of preparing food and cleaning the house.

The conversation with family and friends.

The excitement of a child getting to see his cousins or search for Easter Eggs.

And the dreaded cleanup.

And the leftovers.

What do you do with the left over ham from Easter dinner? I have a solution: freeze your ham and save it for a later date.

Hunk of Meat Mondays: Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta

Ground Beef.....

Each year we get a beef butchered so we can have meat at our fingertips. And each year, I clean out the freezer with what was left over from the previous year to use up.

And each year, I have the same thing leftover.

Ground Beef.

Sometimes I feel as though I run out of meal ideas for ground beef. I even give 6 to 10 lbs to my babysitter once a month - just to help me get throught it faster. Plus I know what beef my children are eating.

 Let's face it - we eventually get tired of casseroles and hamburger and tacos and spaghetti and we go searching for something different.

I found it. Something different. A crowd pleaser.

Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta.

Hunk of Meat Mondays: Texas Steak Rub

I love grilling season. Nothing tastes as good as a fresh piece of meat hot off the grill - especially a juicy steak!

Hunk of Meat Mondays: Honey BBQ Baked Chicken

So, Squirrel and Bugs are not huge fans of chicken or yard bird as they prefer to call it. However, I like to be a well rounded individual and support all aspects of livestock farming. Plus, there are only so many ways to fix a hamburger or ground beef!

This recipe was an instant hit. Simple, easy, and delicious. It will be fixed again! Especially now that April showers are upon us.

I love spring......but loathe this dreadful windy days and the stormy days!

Hunk of Meat Mondays: Pepsi Pork Chops

This is a great recipe for working mothers. Why? It calls for a slow cooker!

I'm not sure how my grandmother taught school for 35 years and functioned without a slow cooker!

 Pepsi Pork Chops - before cooking

Hunk of Meat Monday: Beef Brisket

When the word brisket is mentioned at our house, the people start salivating like Pavolov's dogs. It's insane!

I love cooking a brisket and I don't think enough people give it a fair shake. Nothing tastes as good as a slow cooked brisket. Give it a try, you might be surprised. And people might start act strangely!

Hunk of Meat Mondays

Cider Glazed Pork Chops with Parsnips and Carrots

Nothing like a wonderful meal of pork chops and veggies. Not to mention a great dessert.

I have very few ingredients pictures as I had a true BLONDE moment when I started this receipe.....I forgot to put in my CF Card. Oops! Oh well, this recipe is so easy that that you don't need photos. All you need pork chops and a few ingredients.

The rest of the ingredients are easy.....olive oil, apple juice, brown sugar, cider vinegar, soy sauce, garlic cloves, mustard, and ginger. Brown the chops and then pour over the ingredients.

These pork chops go great with parships and carrots. This dish is a wonderful way to get your children to eat a new veggie. Granted, parsnips aren't cheap but I want my children to try a little bit of EVERYTHING.

The ingredients for the Parsnip Carrot Medley are simple.....chicken broth, parsnips, carrots, butter, honey, salt and cayenne pepper. For those of you who aren't familiar with parsnips, my children call them white carrots.

Peel the parsnips and carrots and slice into bite size pieces. Bring them to a boil in the chicken broth. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 6 to 8 minutes or until veggies are tender.

Add the remaining ingredients and heat through. Serve with the pork chops.

This dish is delicious and great combination of sweet and salty! Be adventurous and try a new veggie! I'm anxious to hear the comments.

Dessert will be posted on Tuesday.....delicious, sinful Caramel Bars!

Jill

Hunk of Meat Mondays

Cowboy Stew

I found this recipe while living in Montana. It's supposed to be cooked in a a cast iron pot, but I'm a working mother and don't have the time to babysit a cast iron pot on the stove. Althought I just imagine how much more flavor this dish would have with cast iron!

I love this recipe for it's simplicity. It's easy to fix. Minimal labor and a great way to use hamburger.

The ingredients all mixed together. We are ready to seal the lid and start the time.

Of course, I had to put in a slow cooker liner to minimize my cleaning. I would love to meet the person who created these little bags.....I'm sure it was a woman!!!

The finished product.....just looks like a meal fit for a hard-working livestock farmer!!

Cowboy Stew.....fix it for your farmers and enjoy!!

Jill

Hunk of Meat Mondays

Chicken and Black Bean Stoup



My husband is not a big fan of chicken...unless it has a lot of flavor added to it! Actually, it's all poultry, yard bird, etc. - he just says chicken doesn't have the flavor of a good, juicy steak, grilled to perfection. What can I say...we like our red meat!

I found this recipe about a year ago and it was an instant hit! I highly recommend it to any working mother as it covers both meat and veggie, and even dairy.

It's really quite simple, two cans of black beans (note I was out of black beans and opted for pinto beans), frozen corn, salsa and four to five skinless chicken breasts. I can my own salsa, thanks to Mrs. Wages! For this recipe I used a jar of hot salsa.

Place the chicken breasts on the bottom and dump the rest of the ingredients in. Set your slow cooker on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.

I serve it with shredded cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips. My family loves this and I am sure your's will too! Happy Cooking!!

Hunk of Meat Mondays - Texas BBQ Beef

Nothing like slow roasting some chuck roast in the crockpot, shredding it and making Texas Beef BBQ. I love to slow roast the meat over the weekend and use it for a meal in the middle of the week. It saves this full time, working mother time and energy!

I put two chuck roasts in the slow cooker, but first, I put in one of those handy, dandy crock pot liners! I don't know who invented those bags, but she's one smart woman!

Slow roast the meat all day.

I shredded my meat with two forks and place in a tupperware container to store in the frig.

Some of the key ingredients.

You can see the ground mustard, ketchup, pepper, V8 juice, and brown sugar.

The finished product after 30 minutes of simmering.

This recipe is great! I often slow cook enough meat to make a double batch of BBQ. We eat one batch for supper one evening and I freeze a second batch. Happy Cooking!