Yummy in My Tummy

My friend Debbie posted this recipe on Facebook and I'm a sucker for a good slow cooker recipe.  I have to admit the ingredients for the sauce seemed a little odd to me, but not only was it super easy (all things I have in my cupboard on hand!) it was YUMMY!  I served it with kidney bean & cucumber salad and mandarin oranges.  Enjoy!

Tangy Slow Cooker Pork Roast
1 large onion, sliced
2 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin roast
1 cup hot water
1/4 cup white sugar
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp ketchup
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 dash hot pepper sauce, or to taste

 

Directions:

Arrange onion slices evenly over the bottom of the slow cooker and then place the roast on top of the onions. In a bowl, mix together remaining ingredients and pour over roast. Cover and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours or on High for 3 to 4 hours

It's a Bird, It's a Plane....

It's a Typhoon!  Headed right toward us, apparently...

After tonight I should be able to add Typhoon to the ridiculously long list of natural disasters I have experienced while being on this island for less than one year!  The list already includes a major earthquake, a tsunami, and a tropical storm, and we are less than 24 hours out from a Typhoon passing directly over Okinawa. Awesome.

My number one concern is that I need actual food from the commissary and now I am going to have to stand in an outrageously long line with a bunch of droids nice people who haven't planned appropriately and have no water, batteries or other typhoon supplies from the list that is repeatedly given to us throughout typhoon season. 

I see a stop at Starbucks in my future beforehand! Maybe I'll send Tommy to the store and I can have his job: figuring out a way to secure our outdoor stuff (grill, potted plants/flowers, lawn furniture) so it doesn't blow away. Hmm... wish us luck!

6 months!

Here are some pictures of the baby girl... just turned 6 months old!  Time sure does fly.

Sitting up like a big girl!

Mmm...fake flowers...yummy!!

Happiest baby on the block :)

My personal favorite!

Best. Coffee Cake. Ever.

I'm a big fan of coffee cake. Especially when paired with a latte. So this past Thursday I hosted a Discovery Toys party here at the house and served coffee cake & made-to-order lattes from my Saeco latte machine (did I mention my husband spoils me rotten?).  They both got rave reviews, so I thought I'd share the recipe with you!

This recipe was passed on to me by my friend Amber, who knows of my love of coffee cake & lattes and was aware of my search for the "perfect" coffee cake recipe.  It's from The Pioneer Woman's blog and I assure you that it is, in fact, perfect.  While it may seem like a lot of work, it's really pretty easy and it is ridiculously yummy.  Probably has something to do with the 3 sticks of butter :)

COFFEE CAKE

CAKE
1 1/2 sticks butter (softened)
2 C sugar
3 C flour
4 t baking powder
1 t salt
1 1/4 C whole milk
3 whole egg whites

TOPPING
1 1/2 sticks butter (softened)
3/4 C flour
1 1/2 C brown sugar
2 T cinnamon
1 1/2 C chopped pecans

Cake: Stir flour, baking powder, and salt together. Beat egg whites until stiff; set aside. Cream butter & sugar together.  Combine with flour mixture and milk.  Fold in eggs. Combine topping ingredients, mix, and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes in at least a 9x13 pan. Bigger if you have it!

Notes:
- I have used 2 percent milk and it tasted fine, but it actually does taste noticeably better with whole milk
- I typically don't use all the topping, but that's just personal preference. I usually use about 2/3 of the mixture.

Enjoy the YUMMINESS!

My Husband Spoils me ROTTEN!

Look what the hubby bought me!!!! :)

I absolutely Love, Love, Love it!  I walked into the Navy Fleet Gift Shop the other day and unbeknownst to me (did I even spell that right?), they were having their Opening from their China shipment.  As soon as I walked in, I saw this piece and I knew I had to have it.  I believe my exact words were, "Oh Meredith, I have got to have this!"

So I called the hubs...and the rest is history! He spoils me rotten.

Reasons I love it:
1. It makes my house look less like crap.
2. It has storage. Lots and lots of storage.
3. It has display area. Lots and lots of display area.
4. It will, of course, need beautiful glassware to be displayed, which means I will have to do further shopping!
5. It has a built-in wine rack (bottom right)
6. It was made in China... I'm pretty sure it was hand made.  I would like to think this is a piece that will be around for awhile and even stay in the family!
7. It will, of course, need a new table & chairs to go with it. :)
8. I got to return the dreadful government-issued buffet table we had previously....and will hopefully get to soon return the equally dreadful government-issued dining table...
9. I got a 15% discount on it because one of the knobs was broken. Pish, posh! Knobs schmobs! I love a good deal!

I could go on.  But you get my point! I. Heart. My New Furniture.

And my husband. :)