Peppered Beef Brisket in Beer

This recipe is from the cookbook Southern Living Easy Weeknight Favorites. I made it as listed, except I reduced the meat in half (I left the liquid the same to ensure it wouldn't dry out) I cooked it for 8.5 hours and it was so tender I had to pull it apaprt rather than cut it. I also used some of the drippings to mix with my flour instead of water. Prep time 10 minutes; Slow Cook 4 to 12 hours 1 large onion, sliced and separated into rings 1 four pound beef brisket; visible fat trimmed 3/4 teaspoon pepper 3/4 cup beer 1/2 cup chili sauce 3 tablespoons brown sugar 2 cloves garlic, crushed 3 tablespoons all purpose flour 3 tablespoons water Place onion rings in a 4-quart slow cooker. Sprinkle brisket with pepper. Place over onion rings in slow cooker, cutting in half if necessary to fit. Combine beer and next 3 ingredients and pour over brisket. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 to 6 hours or LOW for 8 to 12 hours. Remove brisket to a serving platter, reserving juices in slow cooker. Combine water and flour, stirring well and slowly whisk into juices in slow cooker. Cook gravy uncovered on HIGH 5 minutes or until thickened, stirring often. Serve with brisket. Serves 10

Where Does the Time Go?

How is it possible that this sweet child has graduated from college? I remember changing her diapers, carting her around in my red Camaro to the mall and everywhere I went...I am SO proud of her and all of her accomplishments and just seriously can't believe that she is old enough to be a grown up, much less graduating from college!  She is going to be an amazing nurse and I know that all the patients and families that are blessed enough to be around her will be touched by her personality and just the precious young woman that she is!

It's really hard to believe that this weekend is Memorial Day!  I swear it was just Christmas!  I am wrapping up my last couple of weeks watching my niece and will begin the overwhelming task of REALLY getting to the house cleaning out project that I had hoped to be done or at least close to done by now.  The goal is to have the house ready to put on the market by the end of the summer, so I hope that each day will be productive and the more I get done, the more motivated I will be!

I have a pretty important doctor appointment today and I am nervous, anxious and maybe a little bit excited to see what's going on...we have exhausted all the testing as far as blood work can go to see
why we aren't getting pregnant the old fashioned way and today's procedure will be the last step before we have to move on to a specialist (if that's what we decide to do).  I am trusting in God's timing, provision and direction, but I'd be lying if I didn't say I want it to go a certain way and for us to find out it's a simple fix to move the process along.  I know that RC and I will take today's results and be able to make some important decisions about how to proceed from here.  I have enlisted the prayer warriors from my circle of precious friends and I know i'll be lifted up today and pray that my nerves will be calmed by knowing that RC and my friends are praying for me, no matter the outcome.

I am excited about a weekend at the beach coming up and I have missed our camping friends SO much...not going to church in NC mades the times I do get to hang out with them all the more special! I am praying for great weather and a chance to really relax and just enjoy time with RC and my sister and friends.


Speaking of my sister, she just had a "big number" birthday...turning 35...I scanned some oldie goldie pictures for an album for her...here's a collage of some of the favorites! It's hard to remember back to when she was born, but I don't have any memories of my life that she isn't a part of.  She has grown up to be a successful career woman and I am proud of all of her accomplishments!



I am going to end here for today because I've procrastinated long enough about getting ready that I need to hurry...story of my life!  Blessings to all who have come by here! :) S

Catching Up With Life...

I haven't blogged since last August.  That's a long time ago.  And I've missed it.  Sort of.  but also it's been okay to take a break too.  Life has been busy.  Married life has been GREAT.  I truly married the man I always dreamed of.  Seriously.  Not saying that in the fairytale way, but in the I'm so blessed by God to have been given such a wonderful man who treats me better than I ever thought possible kind of way.  Here is a picture of us from Christmas...I'm not sure I have a more recent one and I'll have to fix that...pronto!

In September, I officially stepped down as Nannie. But not really.  I am watching my niece Josie four days a week.  It's not the same, though.  I miss my kids, like a LOT.  I hate that I don't get to see them growing up and learning and changing and developing their personalities.  I am not sure what I thought the other side of being the Nannie, but I really thought I would get to see them more, somehow.  But I don't.  And that has to be okay, but it's just the way things are.  I think what I miss the most are the lazy moments, sitting on the sofa and just having them piled up all around me, hearing them laugh and be silly, even aggravating each other.  I miss the twinkle in their eyes when they figure something out for the first time or when I finally give in and pick up one of the younger ones just because they smiled so sweetly at me in the most rotten of ways.  I even might miss the routine...feeding them breakfast, taking them to preschool, picking them up afterwards and then nap times and the sweetest snuggles when I wake them up to pick up the afterschoolers.  I have new chapters in my life to write, but the one I left in September will forever be a part of me.  I can't imagine my life without knowing each and every one of the kids that I cared for. Here is a picture of part of my sweet group at my going away party....little pieces of my heart in every one of them. 

Life these days is considerably slower paced in many ways.  I am enjoying making our house in our home while moving every so painstakingly slow out of my house in NC.  I am enjoying being a stay at home wife, getting involved at our church down here and slowly making some new friends while doing my best to stay as connected as I can with my lifelong friends in NC.  I miss my sister, my second mom Susan and my dearest friend Lennie and all the times I took for granted that I would see them face to face many times in a week and not realize how different it would feel when that takes a 50 minute or more drive.  Sure they are a phone call away, and often I went days and sometimes longer without seeing them, but knowing they were just a few minutes away was somehow comforting.  Navigating new territory outside of  "my bubble" has been interesting, but I am being blessed by new friends and hugged and loved on by some wonderful sisters in Christ at our church as well as getting to spend time with my new inlaws who have been precious family friends for as long as I can remember.

I am going to slowly begin transitioning my blog, removing and adding tabs and things like that...and I honestly don't know if anyone every happens by here...I've also considered changing to Word Press because I have heard some great things about it.  All in due time...

Blessings to all who have passed by here...make a difference in your area of the world today.