Day 120

Logan LOVES horses right now.  One day, I had the TV on with The Pioneer Woman's cooking show on and it showed some horses.  He now wants to see them ALL the time.  I decided to video him today watching the horses :)

Simply Delicious Pork Chops

So I'm TERRIBLY behind on my post a day for Logan, but I have pics (for most days - so mad at myself for forgetting some - ugh!) and will eventually get them all up.

For now, I want to write a post about my entry in PW's grilling contest.  The winner (and a guest) get to travel to her ranch for a weekend of fun, food, and demonstrating their recipe.  I'm sooooo excited about this.  I missed entering last year, and even though I know the likelihood of me winning is so super tiny, I still can't help but hope that I get picked.  I seriously feel like meeting her (outside of a book signing - I have been to both of hers in Houston, and Logan got to go last time! So fun!) and going to her ranch are right up there on the top things I want to do - like if I was dying and got to meet some celebrity as a dying wish, it would totally be to get to cook with PW on her ranch.

If you want to enter your own recipe, go here.  However, I will say, that if you enter because of me, and you get picked, you HAVE to take me with you.  PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE!!!!!! :)

Ok, now that that's over, here's the recipe.  And, because I love Ree (I can call her that because we're tight - see this and this - ha!), and want to be just like her ;-) here is my attempt to do a recipe like she does...

Simply Delicious Pork Chops

The cast of characters...

 Garlic powder, soy sauce, sugar, and pork chops (we prefer bone-in ones that are about 1/2 inch thick)

Doesn't get much simpler than that!!

 Add 1/4 cup of soy sauce to a bowl (or as I like to do, a glass measuring cup because it makes it easier to pour later).

 Add 1/4 cup of sugar to the soy sauce.

 and then last, but not least, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder.

 Stir it up well!

Then pour it over your pork chops.  I like to do it in a ziplock bag because it's less clean up, and I feel like the marinade gets all over all of the pork chops better a if you take all the air out rather than just the bottom ones getting all the good stuff when you put it in a dish/pan. (Also, be sure to pour the marinade immediately after mixing, otherwise the sugar will settle at the bottom - oh and squish it all around in the bag to get everything good & coated).

Like I said, SIMPLE!!

I also like to reserve a little bit of the marinade to pour on my pork chops after they have cooked.  Once you've done that, place them in the fridge for at least an hour.  We prefer to make it in the morning so they marinate longer though.  Longer means more flavor, and more flavor is better in my opinion :)

Now this next part, I made a little goof.  I was busy making these, and forgot to take pictures of my handsome hubby grilling the pork chops.  So, imagine there is a picture here :)  I don't feel too bad though, even PW forgets pictures sometimes too ;-)

For these particular pork chops, you will want to grill them approximately 3-4 minutes a side (or until internal temp reaches 145 degrees according to the USDA).  If yours are thicker, add more time.

This next part, I feel is super important.  It really helps to make them nice and juicy.  Once they are done, put them on a plate/dish/whatever, and cover with foil.  Let them sit for at least 5-10 minutes.  I'm usually still finishing up getting sides, drinks, etc. ready.

Doesn't get much more delicious than that!  Yum!

Notice those juices in the bottom of the plate?  That's what happens when you let them rest.  I like to mix those juices with the marinade that I reserved and pour it over my pork chop.  Soooo delicious!!

And, be sure to serve them with your favorite Bush's Grillin' Beans ;-)  I am going to recommend the Bourbon & Brown Sugar because I think those are yummy, however, they have 7 flavors - some of which are spicy, so I haven't tried them because I'm a big sissy when it comes to spice.

PS. Ree also says she does the dishes if you win, but as much as I hate dishes, I'd totally do them for her if I win :)

PPS. Taking pictures while preparing/cooking food is hard. Not sure how Ree manages to do such an awesome job. Although I'm sure experience helps, but I think I'd get tired of having to snap photos every time I cook.

PPPS. Everyone we've made this for has loved it! Either that or our friends & family are liars - ha! :)

My New Hobby

So I think I've found a hobby!  Thanks to my friend, Tracy, I now know how to make SUPER cute sugar cookies.  What's even better is that they taste awesome too!!

Yesterday I made the dough, cut the cookies and baked them.  I chose to do cowboy boots and hats since "Go Texan Day" is on Friday (I got the cookie cutters for this from the last Pioneer Woman book signing that I went to, so I'm glad I finally got to use them!)  I thought they turned out pretty good for my first attempt, and not feeling 100% confident that I knew exactly what to do.

Then today, my friend Tracy, had me (and some of the other MOPS Mommas in our group) over to show us how to do the icing.  She showed us how to make the icing and how to ice the cookies.  Then she had some cookies for us to practice with.  It was lots of fun!

After we finished, I had to get Logan home for his lunch and a nap, but I couldn't wait to start icing my cookies.  Once Logan went down, I got to work!  I did all the brown first...

This is definitely one of those things that takes practice and you have to learn to get a feel for the right consistency for the icing.  I did the brown a little too thick, but I think I have a better feel for it for next time around :)

Then I added some pink, and finished it up with some details...

I thought they turned out pretty good for my first time.  I am somewhat of a perfectionist for things like this, so I definitely wished I had done a better job, but I'm proud of them.  I know that each time I will get better and can't wait to keep making more!

Oh, and I am now accepting orders ;-)  Haha! Just kidding...maybe... :)

5 Months

Logan,

You are 5 months old!  You sure have been up to a lot this month and are still growing way too fast!

You rolled over from your back to your tummy for the first time when Grandma was babysitting on April 15th.  Mommy was sad she missed it, but you did it for me 2 days later (Daddy was out of town, so he missed it again - poor Daddy!).  I was so proud of you!  You actually did it sooner than that, but it was when you were in bed in the middle of the night, so I didn't get to see it then either.  Now, you are rolling all over the place!  You are so cute when you do it too.  As you roll from your back to your tummy you fold your arms and tuck them so they do not get in the way when you roll over.  Such a smart boy!

You have been working soooo hard to sit up.  I knew it would happen any day this month.  In the last 2 weeks you have been getting really good at it.  You can sit on your own for a few seconds, but as soon as you get interested in something it causes you to wobble.  Pretty soon we're going to have a full sitter on our hands :)

 

This week you got sick for the first time.  It has been hard on Mommy to see you sick, but it doesn't seem to have phased you too much.  You really have only had a cough and a little bit of congestion.  We are so blessed that you are such a happy baby, even when you are not feeling your best!

Your hair is getting very long.  You need a hair cut, but Mommy just isn't ready for that yet.  You are her baby, and getting a hair cut is just too much of a "big boy" thing.  One day, after your bath, Mommy was playing with your hair and decided to try to give you a Mohawk.  However, your hair gets curly when it is wet, and it just would not stick up.  What resulted was very cute, but made you look a little too pretty, so we probably won't be doing that again :)

You keep figuring out different sounds that you can make and you do them over and over.  Right now, it's screeching at the top of your lungs.  Almost so high that only the dogs can hear.  Ha!  Other sounds that you have figured out how to make are spitting, coughing (on purpose), grunting and sometimes it sounds like you are trying to make the "mama" and "dada" sounds even though I know those have no meaning to you yet.

The dogs have become one of your new favorite things.  You have really taken notice of them this month.  If they are near, you reach out to try to touch/grab them and if they are playing and fighting you are mesmerized as you watch them.

As much as Mommy wishes it was not the case, you seem to LOVE the TV and anything electronic for that matter.  Anytime there's a TV on you're very interested in it.  And, you love the iPhone.  Gigi and Papa both have one and when they share it with you, you get very excited!

Here you are watching Top Gear with Daddy

Here you are trying to take Gigi's iPhone from Poppy

Your first Easter was this month.  It will be a little while before you understand the importance of this holiday, but it was fun nonetheless.  Ms. Melodee dressed you up as an Easter bunny and you were soooo cute!  The cutest one I've ever seen ;-)

You have been teething like crazy this month.  The drool pours out of your mouth and you will grab anything and stick it straight into your mouth.  Gigi bought you the Sophie the Giraffe teething toy and you LOVE her.  Unfortunately, we took her shopping with us and you dropped her out of the stroller somewhere, and we never found her.  Lucky for you though, Gigi spoils you and she bought you new one.

 

You also got to meet one of Mommy's favorite bloggers - Ree Drummond - The Pioneer Woman!  She had a book signing in Houston the Friday before your 5 month birthday for her children's book that she wrote about her dog Charlie .  You, Mommy and Gigi all got to go and it was so much fun! 

You are sleeping much better now and pretty much sleep from 10:00 to 6:30.  Sometimes you'll wake up between 4:30-5:30, but all you need is your pacifier back in your mouth and you go back to sleep.  On the weekends, you eat around 6:30 and then go right back to sleep and usually sleep until around 9:00.  It is very nice for Mommy and Daddy!  During the week though Mommy has to get you up and take you to Ms. Melodee's so Daddy and I can go to work.

Papa has already bought you a real fishing pole.  He sure is ready for you to get bigger so he can take you on your first fishing trip.  Mommy is not ready yet though!

Your first vacation has been booked as well.  On June 30th, you will get to go on an airplane to visit your Great Grandma Johnson in Cape Cod.  Grandma and Papa will be going too.  Everyone is very excited!

You are so much fun and bring so much joy into our lives!  I thank God for you every day and am so proud to be your mom!  I love you so much sweet boy!

Love,

The Pioneer Woman knows my name!!!

This post, totally trumps this post. And if you're my friend on Facebook, you're already very aware of this, but...I just can't help it!  I'm super excited :)

I cannot believe it, but Ree (I can call her that because obviously we're tight - ha!) posted the pictures I sent to her and told her readers that I took them.  She knows my name, liked my pictures and posted them!!  I haven't stopped smiling since I found out about it.

If you don't believe, or even if you do, you should check it out for yourself!  Here is the link, and if you scroll a little down the page you will see the pictures.  Even if you don't read that post, you should AT LEAST check out her cooking section.  She has AWESOME stuff on there :)  I wish I had time to make it all!!!

I promise I am not a crazy person (well according to my husband all women have a little bit of crazy in them...which is probably true, but anyway), and I'm not a stalker, I just think she's a great writer, cook, photographer, mother, etc.  She's a VERY talented lady, and I'm hooked! 

I'm still waiting for that invite to her ranch though...a girl can dream right???

Random!!!

See this picture?

That is The Pioneer Woman.  Isn't she beautiful?  If you don't know who she is, you should get to know her.  I want to be just like her when I grow up!  Oh wait...I'm supposed to already be grown up...well she has mad skills such as cooking, photography, blogging and many other things that I would love to have!  Maybe one day...

Anyway, back to the photograph.  I took that photograph back on December 5th when I went and waited a measly 7 hours with my sweet friend Erica to get to meet her and have her sign my cookbook.  Here's proof:

 

Ok, so I keep getting sidetracked...back to the reason I'm showing you this and telling you all this even though it happened months ago. If you search for The Pioneer Woman on Facebook, you will see that her profile picture is the picture I took of her.  I can't believe it!  I got so excited I think I screamed and scared my husband.  I just remembered I could take a screenshot so for those of you that don't have Facebook, take a look...

I also really want to pick up the phone and call someone, but it's midnight, and I don't think anyone would appreciate a phone call this late about something like that.  Can I just shout for a minute instead????  THE PIONEER WOMAN IS USING A PICTURE I TOOK OF HER ON HER FACEBOOK PROFILE!!  I'M SOOOO EXCITED :)  Thanks, I needed to get that out!

Don't you think I should get an invitation to her ranch for that?  I do!  Ha!  Some of you may think that sounds a little crazy and stalkerish, but I want to participate in her fun cooking parties that she has.  (She is actually doing a giveaway for that right now and I completely forgot, so I may have missed the cutoff for entering, but I never win on her site anyway.)

I just realized you may be wondering how in the world she even got the photograph, but I actually emailed her a couple photographs because 1. I thought they were decent, and 2. she didn't have any of her friends or family with her at the Houston signing like she had at the others, so I know she didn't get as many pictures with her own camera.  I thought she might want some, so I shared.  I also posted them on my Facebook and tagged her in them, so she could have also found it that way.

Anyway, I know it's totally silly, but I'm super excited!  That just made my day, week, month, and practically year (since it's really only been a month)!