Prairie Land Pot Roast

1 boneless beef shoulder pot roast (2 lb.)

1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 bottle Catalina dressing, divided
2 large onions, sliced
2 lb. potatoes, cubed
1 lb. carrots, sliced
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped (I just sprinkle on dry parsley 'till it looks good)

Here are Kraft's instructions:

Season both sides of roast with salt and pepper. Brown meat in large heavy pot or Dutch oven on high heat in 1/4 C. dressing, turning to brown all sides. Add onions; stir to brown.

Add remaining dressing, potatoes, carrots and enough water to come three-fourths of the way up meat (about 1 1/2 - 2 cups). Bring to boil; cover. Reduce heat to low. Simmer 2 hours or until meat and vegetables are tender.

Remove meat from pan; slice meat thinly against the grain. Serve meat and vegetables topped with pan gravy. Sprinkle with chopped parsley just before serving.

This is what I do:

In crock-pot, layer: carrots, potatoes, roast. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and parsley. Pour on dressing and place onions on top. Cook 'till done. (Although, right off the top of my head I don't know how long that is. If it's gonna be a long time before we eat, I throw it on low. If it's five or six hours away, I throw it on high. I also use as many vegetables as I want and what ever size roast I want). Just use your best judgment and make sure it's cooked all the way through! This is super easy and always excellent!

http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/prairie-land-pot-roast-75576.aspx

Our Awesome Family Recipe Blog!

Hey Everybody! A couple years ago, Kristy started doing a family cookbook. She's had it ready to go forever, but I said to her yesterday "Why don't we just have a family recipe blog instead?" I am going to add all the recipes she's been given. In the mean time, feel free to add what you want and label them for easier access in the future. Love you all and hope your holiday was fantastic!

Krystal

Thanksgiving 2008
From Grandpa and Grandma Simmonds

Dear Children,

We just had a wonderful Thanksgiving, Don, Karla, Michelle and Spencer; Jake, Krystal, Mercedes, Christina and Alex; Doug and Melanie, Dan, Kristy and Steven, and Chris, Kim, Jordan, Jake and Kinsley came. We scooted the furniture back and set up extra tables and chairs. I think for the 17 of us, there were probably 20 pies and two pumpkin rolls! Amazing! Kristy had roasted a big turkey, and I cooked a small ham. There were mashed potatoes and funeral potatoes, Stuffing, and all kinds of veggies and relishes, Strawberry Pretzel Salad and plain but wonderful Jello. Kim brought her wonderful homemade noodles a tradition in their family. Rolls and Sweet Potato Souffle I guess there was enough for about 60 people, Hard to break with tradition! And the food was divided at the end of day, so that everyone had lots of leftovers. Well, it was fun, The teen-age boys were in our bedroom playing games, The grown ups (just big kids) were playing games in the Dining room the little ones played outside, and Daddy and I just sat and watched. In the evening, they all went to a movie, and Daddy and I turned on Fox News to catch a last glimpse of the 'Great and the Terrible' and so we came to the end of a perfect day.

There are no words to express the love we have for each of you, we missed you at our little gathering. But we were happy to hear that in Fruita, Bloomfield, Farmington, Salt Lake, Lehi and Salem, our Families had gathered together, and the same love, laughter and joy we experienced was going on in each home. Two of our young Men, are serving and celebrating in the mission field. Miles and conditions might separate us, but the Gospel and our love will always bring us together. Families can be together forever, in heart, in thought, in spirit.

We each have so much to be thankful for, but beyond all the earthly things, is family.

Lovingly yours,

Mama and Daddy

Baby Alex

Here is baby Alex, only a few hours old. He was born super early the morning of Saturday May 16, 2008 , was 20 3/4 in. tall, and weighted 6 lbs. 5 oz..

This is Jake before Alex was born. We were just sitting around having a good ol' time.

Later that day, Jake brought the girls; and, Grandma and Grandpa Simmonds and Aunt Kristy came to see the new baby. It sure was nice of Grandma and Grandpa to come over in the middle of the night to stay with the girls. Then Grandma, Grandpa, and Kristy set out to work tidying the house for our return.

We didn't get a picture of Kristy with the baby because she was the one taking the pictures. Sorry, Kristy!

Alex the Gecko

Today, Alex is six months old (well, not today literally, but in the pictures he is), and getting around really well. He's been able to push and pull himself around on the floor for a while; and now, He's getting so fast it looks like a little gecko waddling around. Alex can rock back and forth on his hands and knees, but hasn't figured out how to go anywhere like that. So...we have the gecko... The Pediatrician laughed and told him he was the "long and lanky one," and besides needing more calories, he's doing GREAT! The other thing he can do is talk. He has a vocabulary of seven words - which I still have a hard time believing - but you say stuff to him and he can answer in a word that actually makes sense. So far, he can say: ma, dada, ya, no, o.k., up, and hi. It's really bazaar to look at him in the morning and hear him exclaim "Hi!" enthusiastically. But he does and we laugh.

Mercedes' NOse!

All right, so one day I was in the family room and noticed Mercedes pickin' her nose. "Mercedes, quit that sick-o!" A little while later she was at it again. "Mercedes, what are you doing?" "I have a gem in my nose." "A germ?" "A gem." " That's a good place for germs." "No, a gem." "A what?" "A GEM!" "You have a gem in your nose?!" It was about a half inch up there but she couldn't blow it out and I couldn't get it, so Jake came home from work and took her to the Pediatrician's office.

After a quick ride to see Dr. Laquinte, the gem was successfully removed and Mercedes has stopped picking her nose. Here's a picture of it on the tip of Jake's pinkie.

**Here's some advice. When your children need stitches, things pulled from their nasal cavities, or other things fixed that they do, don't go to the ER unless it's absolutely necessary. It's a lot faster and cheaper to take them to their own doctor; and, the kids don't seem to freak out as much because it's not some random stranger**

Happy Birthday Jake!

On November 7th, Jake turned 28! For his birthday we bought two pizzas, some crazy bread, drank lemonade, and had a lot of fun!

After Pizza we had chocolate cake. I couldn't find the candles so we used matches instead. Hurrying as fast as we could was still not fast enough; and, before we were done we had burned some frosting and set off a smoke detector.

Mercedes did not like it - not one little bit!

And Alex slept through the whole thing!

Motivational Monday, One Day Late

"To be a righteous woman during the winding-up scenes on this earth, before the Second Coming of our Savior, is an especially noble calling. The righteous woman's strength and influence today can be ten fold what it might be in more tranquil times. She has been placed here to help to enrich, to protect, and to guard the home—which is society's basic and most noble institution. Other institutions in society may falter and even fail, but the righteous woman can help to save the home, which may be the last and only sanctuary some mortals know in the midst of storm and strife." (Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p326)

How true it is! We have been blessed with the opportunity to be here at this particular time in history. I think we've chosen to play at this level, as stated in Being the Mom by Emily Watts. She begins by talking about a game she likes playing called "Lose Your Marbles." "...many things about the games we play could operate to our benefit in our lives, if we would let them. For example, I now play 'lose Your Marbles' at the highest of the three skill levels offered, because otherwise it's too easy; it isn't any fun when I can win handily every time. This makes me think maybe I should stop whining about my life being too hard. Maybe I've chosen to play at this skill level!" (p. 107)

Time's are tough. Life is rough! There's a lot to be done before the Savior comes again. But each of us is here because this is the level we have chosen to play at and our Heavenly Father knows that. He knows each of us and He knows what we are capable of doing. So, fear not, pray for strength, and go forth with faith!

Lucky Number Eight...

Eight Favorite T.V. Shows:

1. I Don't
   
2. Watch T.V.
   
3. So I
   
4. Don't
   
5. Know
   
6. What
   
7. To List
   
8. Here
   

Eight Things I Did Yesterday:

1. Played
2. Giggled
3. Worked Really Hard
4. Walked Like an Egyptian at Arby's
   
5. Enjoyed the Sunshine
   
6. Talked to Cynthia
7. Ate a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich
8. Marveled at My Neighbor's Hanging Laundry

Eight Favorite Restaurants:

1. Arby's
2. Arby's
3. Arby's
4. Ya Gotta
5. Admit,
6. It Pays
7. The
8. Bills

Eight Things on Wish List:

1. Fifteen Month Supply of Food
   
2. Military Tent
3. Five Sleeping Bags
4. Santa Fe Sold
5. A Big Garden, Fruit Trees, Grape Vines, and Other Berries
   
6. No DEBT!!!
7. Be Closer to Family! I Love You ALL!!!
8. Chickens

Eight People to Tag:

1. Ditto
2. On
3. Everyone
4. Melanie
5. Tagged
6. On
7. Her
8. Blog :)

For Sale

2006 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited
Sport Utility

V6 3.5 Liter Engine with Low End Torque
18.2 mpg city/29 mpg highway

$16,600

• Automatic
• All Wheel Drive
• Cruise Control
• Traction Control
• AC
• Power Doors
• Power Locks
• Leather Seats
• Heated Driver and Front Passenger Seat
  
• Privacy Glass
• Multi Compact Disk
• AM/FM Stereo
• Premium Sound
• Sun Roof
• Roof Rack

It has just over 27,000 miles - most of which are free-way because of our trips from Vernal to Salt Lake County. If you know anyone who's interested, pass the word along or send 'em this way. Thanks for looking!

Tag

Tag, I'M IT! Thanks, Laura, that's nice! I'll be out to get four more of you soon! So now that I've been tagged, I'm supposed to tell y'all six quirky things about myself. Hmmm...the list goes on and on and...just kidding...I don't know if they're quirks or obsessions, phobias or just my wonderful talent. Possibly a combination of them all.

#1 I like crocheting. Jake calls it my video game. Some people sit at a computer playing games all day, some play their PSP; give me a hook and some string and I'm happy as a lark!

#2 I can make fudge out of Pinto Beans, and boy is it good! I'm not kidding! Why, just yesterday I had a request for it for our cooking group this month. Mmmm...I'll have to put the recipe on here for anyone who wants to try making it.

#3 I wake up in the middle of the night and wonder if the windows are open. And after yet another check of all the window locks - and door locks since I'm up anyway - I can go back to sleep because they're still shut tight.

#4 I love organization and I don't enjoy messes, but if things are too clean I can't find what I'm looking for. I guess I just need an organized mess. Isn't life wonderful!

#5 I just asked Jake what's quirky about me and he was speechless and a little confused...I don't know if that's good or bad. Hmmm...

#6 I want a goat. I like goats. I don't know why. But, I would like one.

Well that's quirky me. I'll be back to finish this soon and tag four more people so they can tell us six quirky things about themselves.

Halloween is Fun!

We had so much fun on Halloween! Our ward always meets together to eat and have Trunk-or-Treating at the ward building. This year Jake provided the meat and we all had Arby's sandwiches, chips, vegi's and homemade root beer. It was so funny watching people put Horsey Sauce on their sandwiches - thinking it was mayo - and take a bite. We love Arby's, but that stuff if GROSS!!! Along with playing games and winning prizes the kids filled their bags with goodies and we all had a WONDERFUL time with friends! (We just forgot to take the camera with us).

Here is Mercedes grinning from ear to ear! She and Stina dressed-up as princesses for the night.

Alex didn't have any idea why we were all walking around in the dark; but, he sure enjoyed his treat afterward.

Christina's never really been big on sweets. She was happy with the glow necklace I found in the parking lot.

My First Blog

I have no idea how to do this!