Don't give up, keep tryin!

Dinner served...

       Do you ever think that...."if someone else can cook better, let them?" I've often thought that. We homeschool our 4 children, preschool to 6th grade so far.  Household duties also seem to have demands as well. Being a stay at home mom, it's hard work but I enjoy it. Cooking....I never had much enthusiasm for it. Baking...let me have at it!  When I first started selling in June 2001, I was fresh out of high school, spunky and ready to take on the world. As life happens you get more seasoned. 

 

Speaking of seasoning, I usually don't season enough or too much...tonight it was perfect!! 

 

Never give up! The more you try to do, the more you'll accomplish and succeed. Something happened and it's personal but it's driven me to a challenge!  It's a new year for new things!  I'll be making some of my favorite meals, new things possibly and I will bring you in the loop.  Might have you drooling at the food pictures but that's ok!

Tonight I made Pork Chops, Mashed Potatoes, Milk Gravy from scratch  (I even tried it from a Roo base!), Homemade Biscuits  and heated up French Green Beans in Pampered Chef's large Micro-cooker (something every kitchen should have...cleanup in microwave is like shouting pick up in Isle 10....huge mess!)  I used my 10" stainless steel pan for the pork chops, added a little butter, seared both sides, dropped heat and covered them (super tender and flavor that could put you on cloud 9!) Also, having a clear glass lid makes it easy to see what's going on without lifting lid letting out heat! (Very important!!)  Had my daughter wash up the potatoes while I was doing that. Once I had chops going, I quartered up potatoes and got them started ( Peel the skins if they're not red potatoes...I skipped that detail...purposely but bad idea!)  So, now, biscuits!  I had my oldest help! While I mixed the biscuits, she got the Biscuit cutters, Bakers Roller (big end for rolling out dough, smaller end to fix the dough after placed in pie plate) and stoneware bar pan ready!  (So nice having a helper!)  She added a little flour to the counter as my hands we sticky.  I kept flattening and folding in half, repeatedly and then rolled it out with the Bakers Roller. (Doing that makes the biscuits more fluffy!)  Biscuits placed on the medium stoneware bar pan.   (Kids have fun helping so let them! Great teaching moments! Preparing the future generation!)  Biscuits in the oven or at least the first batch. (I always try to make 2 batches...they don't last long!)  Potatoes are almost done. I put them on low and moved to the back burner.  I tried to make a roo.  I made the mistake of not melting the butter first before adding the flour. I just threw it in the pan and wished it luck!  I added a little milk. (Much better!)  I added more milk and then I wasn't sure it was thickening so added more butter and flour. I used the Nylon whisk. (That is so sturdy...every kitchen would love one for sure!)  Once thickened, I pulled from heat to one of our Pampered chef trivets, awesome invention ever!  I mashed potatoes, threw green beans into the Microwave and began plating.  Biscuits were done so on the plate they went. Kids were in aww, got a few thank you and good jobs.  So it's a success!  Don't ever give up and keep tryin! Hope I encouraged somebody!