This has been one of those weeks where I don’t feel like I’ve done much. A life roll hit in my family last Sunday, and took up way too much headspace. It’s not really worth discussing further here, other than to say that everyone’s OK.
One thing the life roll affected was my family’s plan for a Father’s Day cookout. My brother was going to host it, but we decided to not worry about it. Things settled down later in the week, and I decided I didn’t want to skip it, but my brother’s going through a life roll of his own and couldn’t pull it together this quickly. So I volunteered. After all, I want to see my dad on Father’s Day, and yesterday was my mom’s birthday. Don’t want to skip that, either. Thanks to Flylady’s system, I didn’t have much cleaning to do other than her weekly “home blessing,” which I do on Saturday anyway. I made a grocery run yesterday, and everything’s set.
One thing I bought and made was beef rollups. These are a great appetizer to share, and go over well at any kind of carry-in function. They also are a family staple, ever since Grandma Powell used to make them every Christmas eve. My husband apologized last night for already breaking into them. I said that’s OK, since they’re for Father’s Day, and he’s a dad. 🙂 Best of all, they’re super easy to make! Here’s how:
The Best Beef Rollups
- 1 8-oz. package of cream cheese
- 3 2-oz. packages of Carl Buddig brand smoked, chipped beef
- 1 bunch of green onions
Soften the cream cheese. I never remember to put mine out early, so I just put it into the mixing bowl and put in the microwave for 30 seconds.
Chop up onion tops, then mix into the cream cheese. Spread in a line across each piece of beef, fold, and roll up the beef. Chill for a couple of hours until the cheese firms up. Makes 25-30 rollups.
Worth noting is that taking a shortcut and using onion or chive flavored cream cheese isn’t as good, nor are they if you use anything besides Buddig’s beef. Now to see how many more my husband has scarfed… 🙂
What I’ve been reading: I’m currently beta-reading a science fiction novella. I’ll discuss it when it’s finished and released.
ROW80 Update: I didn’t do much with my writing this week, but luckily my publisher did. Time’s Dilemma is now available for preorder! It will release on June 28 for a limited-time special price of $0.99. I also still have some ARCs available to anyone willing to give it an honest review. Contact me here, and let me know what format you prefer, if you’d like one! I think this is the last week of ROW80 Round 2, and since my book is finally coming out, my primary goal is met. For next week, I want to dig into my next WIP that’s half-finished, evaluate what’s there, and come up with a rough outline of the rest.
What about you–is there a dish in your family that no one can resist? Have you ever tried anything like the beef rollups I described (I’m sure that recipe is far from unique)? How are you doing on whatever goals you may be working toward, whether writing-related or otherwise? Please share in the comments–I’d love to hear from you!
Jennette Marie Powell writes stories about ordinary people in ordinary places, who do extraordinary things and learn that those ordinary places are anything but. In her Saturn Society novels, unwilling time travelers do what they must to make things right... and change more than they expect. You can find her books at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, Kobo, iTunes, and more.
Hugs on the life rolls.
The beef rollups sound so good. I’ll need to try them sometime. We have a dish we make for holidays called broccoli casserole, which has broccoli and cheese and crackers in it. It is SO good. A bit putzy to make, but soooo worth it.
Doing okay on goals, but wish I could have done better. That’s for next round. 😉
We’re also doing a cookout because my father-in-law did not want us to take him out to eat, which is what we usually do. Should be nice.
Those beef roll ups you make sound like the “cheese ball” recipe I made years ago. It was one big cheese ball and was served with crackers to spread it on. Delicious!
The timing of the release of Time’s Dilemma is perfect for me. I’m ear deep in studies. Need to review Weeks 7 through 12 and take the exam and pass it before June 29, still need to do video interview with a volunteer to complete the last assignment for Week 11 (scheduled to do that tomorrow), will work on first Week 12 assignment today and do the other one with my volunteer tomorrow after we do the video interview, and need to do all of Week 13’s reading assignments before Thursday at 5:00 p.m. I don’ know if I’m coming or going, but I love what I’m learning!
Those life rolls throw us for a loop. I’m glad everyone is okay. Hope you guys have a wonderful Father’s Day BBQ! I’m going to preorder your book now!
Take a crock pot, lay down a layer of onion slices, baby carrots, and a cut up potato. Place a roast on top of this, add another cut up potato, layer of carrots, and onion slices. Fill the crock with cooking wine. Leave it on for about ten hours on low.
Made an awesome third date dinner.
Sorry to hear about the life roll, but it sounds like things are going ok, especially after you made your beef roll-ups! The only rolls or roll-ups in my life right now, luckily are my belly rolls! Have not been working out lately at all.
I can’t say we have any staples which no family get-together can do without. My green bean casserole and the hubby’s coleslaw, but no secret to either one of those.
Congrats on the up-coming release!
My mom has almost made these sticky buns for Christmas. We just can’t have Christmas morning.
Well, all in all, it sounds like you’re just rolling along with whatever life throws at you. Nothing wrong with that. I hope the cook out, birthday and Dad’s day were a success.
Have a wonderful week.
Patricia Rickrode
w/a Jansen Schmidt
Erin, thanks. I’ve had something like that broccoli casserole, and it was good!
Lynn, I’ve made that cheese ball before – yummy! Thanks so much for preordering Time’s Dilemma! I hope you enjoy it, and good luck with your coursework!
TS, I’ve made that pot roast before! It was very good. Glad it worked for you. 🙂
Chris, I have that kind of roll too LOL. And thanks!
Fallon, thanks! And sticky buns… mmmmmm….
Patricia, that’s about all you can do with most life rolls, y’know? And thanks!
Eeek. I missed your post.
I don’t know about any dish my family can’t resist. They’re just shocked when I finally DO cook! Haha!
Hope life rights itself for you this week. I’ve got quiet days ahead of me. Hope I don’t waste them. 🙂