Sneaking Gone Awry {Recipes}

I've snuck away to my bedroom, with my computer and a bowl of nachos. I'm three back on the current happenings of Top Chef and even with only this much written, I've realized, my ability to have sound mind for writing, with receptive ears for Grayson's opinion on how gender determines the cleanliness of a shrimp, I have greatly overestimated myself.



I busied myself in the main part of the house, like any given Sunday… I puttered around putting 'this' away, throwing 'that' in the appropriate area of house… and when no one was looking… I b-lined to the bedroom with stealth like maneuvers. Just as I was about to write, how I didn't think this solitary state of bed sitting nacho eating bliss would last, Nate walks in and laughed, "Busted!! And here I thought you were putting away clothes."



I have been busted indeed...Meh. It was worth a try…

Nate and I celebrated our 6th year wedding anniversary yesterday. We got ourselves a babysitter and went out to dinner with our parents, at a new delicious local restaurant, that we are both looking forward to going to again. It wasn't until we got back, drove the babysitter home, PJ'd up the kids, pulled down my bobby pinned hair, tore out my contacts, and rubbed some make-up smears under my eyes, that I realized that we never even took a picture of ourselves together on our anniversary. Which I find more funny than upsetting, seeing as I take photos of everything* {*please note the photograph of the once full bowl of nachos, taken mere minutes ago*}



Admittedly, I'm not one to bring up 'special' things… Naturally, I shy away from any attention getting areas of life celebrations. I don't tend to talk much about the things outside of the every day responsibilities of having a home, raising children, or work, until they are over with, done for, participated it. I don't know why I do this, but I do.

But a couple weeks back, when our friends came to stay at the house, it wasn't until we were well into our conversations, that a rightfully deserved, hard earned, career recognition was made by our friend's employers, was sheepishly mentioned, that it dawned on me, good news isn't shared as often as it should be.



I'm not going to go on a big rant about how bad news is given way too much attention, how watching the morning news bums me out, how I'm continuously countering the Debbie Downers that fill my days, or my opinions of how people are more apt to bring other's down, than feel build them up. I just feel the good things in life, no matter the size, should be outwardly shared and openly supported, that is all.

So, Happy Anniversary to us!



Things have taken a drastic turn, since the starting of this post, I have found myself sitting in Calvin's bed, a little over an hour later, with Wesley doing a puzzle at my feet, and Joey nose diving off her brother's bed. The very two children that drove me from my own bedroom by annoyingly squeaking a balloon, aggressively brushing my hair, while snapping back my elastic headband, with endless chatter about the latest wrestling move by the coolest of wrestling dudes, and some nose diving on the the computer's keyboard.



Carrying on…

Sticking with the theme of good things to share, I have a few recipes that I've been meaning to post.

This is a recipe that I would suggest trying before you dismiss. It's a Berry family favorite and the first meal I ever served to my brother & sister-in-law when Nate and I first started dating. After I heard Kirsten telling their mother I had made the most tender short ribs, in a delightfully savory tomato sauce, I was a bit embarrassed with what I thought would be a confession of a less than elegant recipe, but by offered another round of wine I managed to divert them to a different topic. {Editors note: I'm pretty sure Kirsten has never in her life said "delightfully savory tomato sauce" I may have just used a bit of creative license there} Now that I feel I've secured my self in the family, I'm comfortable to air my recipe trickery. muuuuuhahahah


Short Ribs



--Put your short ribs in a greased casserole dish {I usually buy the short ribs when they are marked down and throw them in the freezer until I have a couple of packets}, add a couple of table spoons of water to the bottom, slice up a whole onion {I say there can never be enough onions, Nate disagrees}, layer it on top of the meat, take a think of ketchup and squirt until you cover the top of the meat and onions {I would say about 1 to 1.5 cups} Cover, and cook for a couple of hours at 300 degrees until the meat pulls apart easily. {I usually turn the meat over half way through}

*I usually take the cover off the last few minutes to thicken sauce… if it's really watery add more ketchup and keep the cover off*

Speaking of ketchup… I made my own this week..

Ketchup



Throw:

-1 Large can of tomato sauce
-3/4 Cup water
-6oz can tomato paste
-3 TBS vinegar
-3 tsp season salt
-1/2 Cup brown sugar
-1/2 TBS garlic powder
-1 TBS worchestire sauce

into a pot, simmer until thick {about 20 minutes}, let cool.

*I saved pre-purchased ketchup bottles and it was enough to fill two*

Now that I'm in my third position of the house, Joey's diaper has been changed, another 30 minutes has passed, and the boys have started fighting at the kitchen table, I'm thinking it's time to close this posting.



Happy Sunday!