It is Sleefreeznotting and it is not feeling like Christmas.

     What a giant flop this day was! There is a virtual skating rink, just outside my door. I know I said that I enjoy ice skating, but not that much Mother Nature!! I was so looking forward to strolling the mall with my sweetheart. Although, I must confess, that shopping with my husband has a beginning, middle and end. There is no deviating from the fore mentioned plan. He goes to the destination, with no browsing involved, then on to the next pre-approved destination. So I feel kinda like Tiny Tim, wishing I had a new crutch, but it is not on the itinerary. Perhaps, it is because I am a girl, and girls have shopping down with no prior experience.

     The carnival thing about malls is that they have a niche for every member of your family. Don't you think the mall government knows that?  In fact, the mall senate gets together with the mall congress over cinnabons and orange Julius's to establish the rules of separating you,  the consumer from your hard earned cash. When I step foot into a mall, I become a crazy person, not knowing in which direction I should go. It is a terrible thing, maybe that is why I have itinerary when I am allowed to go to the mall. Daycare, who cares anyway!!

    Well since I was unable to spend copious amounts of money at the mall. I decided instead to cook a "oven" meal.  My husband, bless his heart, hates any ethnic food that causes heartburn. Too bad for me, because I have missed out on lots of burritos, lasagna, and buffalo wings. My mother gave me a excellent recipe for a shredded beef burrito, guaranteed not to cause heartburn. I was off and running. I had to twist it. Well my mom said "you use stew beef", I went and bought a huge pot roast beast.  She said use "V8 juice", well how much?, I purchased the smallest one, and added some beef stock. She said add a can of green chilies...whoa!!!, I almost bought jalapenos, my husband, the entire time is asking "are those spicy?". Deflect, deflect.. is all I could think. End result, I want a burrito.

     Great dinner is all I can say. When it is snotting outside, all you have to do is turn on the oven, and decide what you are going to cook. The larger the piece of beast, the better. My better half absolutely loves one pot meals, in fact, I believe that I could be schooled in the art of one pot cookery. If I included mashed potatoes, he is "all in", blind ante. That is what, I am attracted to, about him. He is not a food snob. He loves food and appreciates it, however he needs the lifelines. (phone a friend, 50/50/ etc).

    My feet are cold, the rain soaking the dooryard, but I learned another blogger secret. Now you, can find any recipe at any time...wowwweeee. This is big for a knucklehead like myself. You live you learn.

My "not going to the mall" burrito Roast"

1 big pot roast in the 7 or 8 dollar range
1 bottle of V8 juice( I chose the smaller one, on the top shelf)
1 can beef stock
3 tablespoons butter
2 medium onions julienned
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 4oz cans of diced green chiles
salt and pepper to taste

In a stockpot, melt the butter and season the beast.  Sear on all sides. Add the V8 juice, stock and green chiles and cook in a 325F oven until the roast can be pulled apart with a fork. Once that is achieved, get out your cheese, salsa, tortillas and sour cream and enjoy.

Shopping is a woman thing. It's a contact sport like football. Women enjoy the scrimmage, the noisy crowds, the danger of being trampled to death, and the ecstasy of the purchase.~Erma Bombeck