The Roast

The Roast is in the crock pot.

Yes, I refer to it now as just The Roast.

I first happened upon this bit of heaven on Pinterest last fall. I pinned it into the Supper category thinking it might be different, but good. The original Pinner called it a Mississippi Roast. I have no idea if it originated in the southern state with way too many double consonants in its name, but I do know one thing....

This is the best roast!

In January 2013, my wife and son and I began a new eating regime (I just hate using the word 'diet' - it has such a negative connotation). D & J are on a structured plan through a local nutritionist and I followed along (but am not participating in the various products they are required to eat). Since I'm a person with Type I Diabetes using an insulin pump, I decided to not do the product, but just eat healthier and really watch my carbs (and it is working!).

When they came home the first day, I asked what all it entailed.....

Low Carbs.
High Protien.
Very Little Dairy.
and lots and lots of vegetables!

I immediately thought of this roast recipe I had pinned last fall. With a few modifications, it works well into our new eating plan and we've made it several times (and have eaten every bit of it!)

I modified the original recipe by cutting down on the butter. With the three tablespoons it has, I can't imagine what it would taste like with an entire stick of butter!!!

Here we go!

The Roast
1 bottom round beef roast (the one in the photos is 2.5 lbs)
1 package of dry ranch dressing mix (can you believe the store brand is only 69 cents and Hidden Valley is $2.00 for the EXACT SAME THING?)
1 package of Au Jus gravy mix
3 tablespoons of REAL butter
5-6 Pepperocini peppers

Put the roast in the crock pot (fat side down). Empty the ranch mix on the roast. Empty the au jus mix on the roast. Put the peppers and the butter on top. Cook on low in the crock pot all day.

That's it. Yes, that's it!

Hope I remember to take a pic of it when it is done this evening before we all go crazy for it!

LUNCHTIME UPDATE

Went home at lunch to check on the beauty and this is how she looks!

SUPPERTIME UPDATE

Came home from work and it was ready!!!!!

Scrabble Inspired Christmas Gift

Ok folks! Would you like to have a personalized wall hanging for Christmas? 

Now taking orders for these SCRABBLE inspired prints with your family information. Final print is 11x14 or 11x17 (depending on how many names you have). $25 for 11x14 (unframed) and $30 for 11x17 (unframed). No guarantees that I can put all names together, but will try my best (and at least have two groupings of names). Additional costs for shipping.

 E-mail me for more details.

27/365 - 10,912

This morning, I was fortunate enough to be the spokesperson for the Fly Hays Marketing Committee at a press conference. I've been a member of the committee for the past 1 1/2 years and we were celebrating 10,912 boardings in 2011. This is a HUGE accomplishment for our small airport. By reaching 10,000 boardings in a year, our airport is eligible for $1,000,000 in federal aviation grants.

It was a fun morning and we had a great time celebrating! As the jingle says, "Fly Out, Fly In, Fly Hays!"

Homemade Bierocks

Homemade Bierocks

Living in northwest Kansas in the Volga-German community of Hays, there are plenty of occasions to eat bierocks throughout the year. My favorites though, are the ones we make in our own kitchen.

Here's the recipe:

Dough:

Any homemade bread dough recipe or frozen bread rolls (we use either Kroger or Rhodes frozen dinner roll dough). This recipe makes about 15-17 bierocks, using two "rolls" of dough for each one, so you want to thaw and rise 30-34 frozen rolls.

Filling:

3 lbs of hamburger

1 medium onion, chopped.

1 medium head of cabbage, chopped.

salt/pepper to taste (I use lots of black pepper in mine)

Velveeta slices (if you like yours with cheese).

Brown hamburger and onions. Salt and pepper the meat/onion mixture liberally. Drain the fat from the meat. Add chopped cabbage and cook until cabbage is wilted and cooked through. Remove from heat.

Grab two rolls worth of bread dough and roll out on a floured surface until it is about 1/4 inch thick. If using cheese, place 1/2 slice of cheese in the middle of the dough. Place a couple of spoonfuls of meat/cabbage mixture in middle of dough. Gather edges up and pinch together. Place seam/pinch side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (how in the world do people bake without parchment paper? I think it is one of science's greatest gifts to cooking).

Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes until browned.

This recipe will get you about 15-17 bierocks. The freeze fantastic!

Ponderings on my 41st year

Well, there's one more day in my 41st year on the planet. I guess it's time to sit and think "out loud" about the past year. We've had good times and not-so-good times in our family these past 364 days. Here's the Readers Digest version....

New Job
Just 10 days before my 41st birthday, I started full time at my current job, which I completely LOVE. It was a very good decision to leave teaching and go back into the advertising/marketing industry full time. I'm glad I taught - it was something I always wanted to do (and I still enjoy facilitating workshops and other trainings), but I really missed the day-to-day "chaos" of putting together marketing/advertising/public relations campaigns and being involved in the community.

New Friendships
I've gotten involved in various committees around town since taking the new job and have made some great friends in the meantime. So glad to have met these people and I look forward to working with them to help our community grow.

Loss of Family
In August of last year, we lost Dana's mom. She had been having some "rough" spots in her health, but her death was completely unexpected and pretty much turned our family upside down. I miss her dearly but I can see on a daily basis how her loving influence on my wife will live forever. Carol's death really shook up Jackson and we had a rough few months in school and at home (and we're still working on things with him), but again, I see how Carol's love for her grandchildren created such lasting memories for all of them.

In late December, Dana's uncle suddenly died. Here we were, back at a family funeral in Dana's hometown just four short months after we buried her mom. Again, I grieved with this family I've known for only 13 years. But we also celebrated the life of Bill and his lasting legacy in his siblings, children, grandchildren and even great-grandchildren.

On my 42nd birthday, I will attend the funeral of a cousin who grew up just a couple blocks from me in our hometown. She was nine years my senior, so we weren't playmates growing up, but as adults had enjoyed many conversations at family gatherings. Our entire family and our small hometown will mourn her death for years to come, but we must also look at the lives she touched with her humor and compassion and make sure it lives on. Crystal, you will be missed!

A New Home
This spring, Dana and I decided it was time that we "spread out" a bit and find a larger home. We had been cramped into a small house for more than five years and had one more child in the house than when we bought it in 2005. We found a perfect home for us where each child has their own room and we can live for many years to come. We moved in over Easter weekend and are really enjoying our new neighborhood.

Expanding Horizons
This spring I've been fortunate enough to be a part of the 2011 Leadership Hays class and I've learned quite a bit about myself, my community, my company and how we all can work together to make our community stronger. I also got to take part in a three-day workshop conducted by the Kansas Leadership Center on building stronger communities. It was a great experience and I'm looking forward to expanding this knowledge in the future.

Dana and I celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary less than a month ago. I can't believe it's been 12 years since we married. We've helped one another through many obstacles and had many victories. And who would have ever thought 12 years ago that I would find the love of my life, she would give me a beautiful son and then convince me (twice) that yes, it was possible for us to bring home a beautiful child from the other side of the world?

These life experiences have shaped me to who I am, now almost 42 years old. I'm thankful for each and every one of those and I'm looking forward to what comes next.

I just wonder if at 42 I have twice the wisdom of a 21 year old???????

Resurrecting the blog

It's been over a year since my last post on here. Yes, I've been busy, and really shouldn't have neglected the blog, but lots of other things always seem to get in the way.

In the past year, I've quit one job and took another job, we've moved into a much bigger home, and there's been lots of things going on with our family.

As I approach my 42nd birthday this week, I'm looking forward to another trip around the sun and hope to be more diligent in writing and sharing ideas!

Gracie and Jack - 4 years ago.....

Trip to China

I can't believe it's been five years since we were in China to pick up our little angel, Gracie!!! Here's the link to our travel journal.


Trip to China

Trying out http://posterous.com

I'm checking out http://posterous.com tonight to see just how it works. Looks pretty simple!!!

Andy Stanton
andystanton69@gmail.com

Posted via email from andystanton's posterous

Wiffiti Example

Thanks.

As we celebrate Thanksgiving tomorrow, many of us try to list the things we are thankful for.

Here’s my attempt (in no particular order).

Friends (both old and new).
My job.
Dana.
Jackson.
Grace.
Gabe.
My dad.
My mom.
My sister and her family.
My brother and his family.
Technology.
Electricity.
Lithium batteries.
Insulin.
Insulin pumps.
Lithium batteries.
Glucometers.
Health insurance.
Apple Inc.
The Food Network.
Medical professionals.
Eyesight.
Eye surgeons.
The people who make artificial lenses for cataract surgery.
Cataract surgery.
Mrs. Coddington, Mrs. States, Mrs. Pfleiger, Mrs. Jackson, Mrs. Berg, Mr. Hamel, Mrs. Atkinson, Mr. Altman, Mr. Hofaker, Mr. Horning, Miss Dobbins, Mrs. Simoneau, Mr. Simoneau, Mrs. Archer, Miss Siefers, Mr. Hanson, Mr. Skinner, Mr. Coddington, Mrs. Bushnell and any other teacher I had at USD 326.
Proper spelling.
My nephew (who is defending my freedom as a U.S. citizen).
Wireless internet connections.
Pharmaceutical companies.
Wound vacs.
My mother-in-law.
Digital cameras.
Knowing how to type.
Knowing how to read.
The farmers who grow the food I eat.
Cookbooks.
Silicone cooking tools.
The Chinese Center for Adoption Affairs.
Children’s Mercy Hospital.

The list goes on and on. These are just some of the things I’m most thankful for this Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Wiffiti.com is so cool!!!!

Just found Ping.fm - wow!!! The Web 2.0 EASY BUTTON!!! http://ping.fm

NFL to Captain Morgan - Hell NO!!!!

"Gotta little Captain in ya?" - the Philadelphia Eagles did for a short while, but now the NFL says no. Pretty sneaky ad campaign. What's next - the winning quarterback from the Super Bowl can't say he's going to Disney World???

League shipwrecks Captain Morgan campaign - NFL - Yahoo! Sports

Dad Update: Houston - We Have an Answer!!!!

After the doctors found blood in dad's stool last week, they discharged him from the hospital on Thursday and scheduled an upper and lower GI scope for today. After doing the upper GI this morning, his doctor came out and told mom that they had found the problem: a bleeding ulcer.

This explains where his blood has been going and his overall tiredness. He hasn't complained of any heartburn or discomfort in his stomach, but we've always known he is a tough old bastard!

He is currently in the Phillips County Hospital and will be there for a few days until his blood levels come back to a normal range and they get his ulcer medications figured out. We are very relieved to know it is something that is so easily treatable.

Thank God!!!

Dad Update - Thursday

After quite a few tests, the doctors have an idea of what is wrong with dad - he has blood in his stool. They think he will probably get to go home on Friday and then he has an appointment for an upper and lower GI scope on Tuesday to "see what they can see."

He is feeling good and had a blood tranfusion on Wednesday so we're hoping his blood levels stay up until they figure out what is causing the blood in his stool.

Thanks again for your thoughts and prayers.

Dad Back In The Hospital

My dad was admitted to the Phillips County hospital this afternoon with a low hemoglobin (blood) count. A normal range for a man his age should be above 13 and his is currently 8.4. He had two pints of blood on Friday night/Saturday morning and was back up to almost 10, but it is back down - and they don't know why.

His doctor said they wanted him in the hospital to do a series of tests (Dad said they drew a ton of blood!) and for a transfusion. So keep him in your prayers.

On the flip side, he had a follow-up appt. with his cardiologist and cardiac surgeon on Tuesday and his heart is doing great!

Now, if we can just figure out what is causing this low blood level. It is anemia? Is he bleeding internally? Is he having kidney issues? It is something worse? I'll be glad when they get test results tomorrow.

Prayers please!!!

Monarch

Monarch3
Originally uploaded by andystanton

A photo taken by my wife, Dana at my parents house on 9/19/09. They have a HUGE butterfly bush that was filled with a wide variety of butterflys and moths.

Garden Spider

Garden Spider
Originally uploaded by andystanton

A cool photo of a cool spider at my parent's house in Logan,Kansas.

Jackson's Year in Pictures

This is the video I put together for Jackson's 9th birthday. Enjoy. We posted it on YouTube