When we read blogs I know I sometimes get a distorted image of someone’s life. Especially in some of the food blogs, or DYI the projects are perfect, the kids are perfectly dressed and the houses are perfectly clean of any clutter. Not here. I am giving you the real. The I actually took my kids through Taco Bell drive through yesterday and when my son asked, “What’s for dinner mom?” I looked at him and said, “You just ate it.” Yup. Truth.
As I sit looking around my house knowing that I have weeks worth of mail, school papers and laundry to fold (I can count 4 laundry baskets from here) I can tell life has gotten out of balance again. I think it will right itself in 3 weeks when Saint Patrick’s Day is over and my daughter isn’t dancing all the time, when Science O Regionals are done and practices aren’t three-four days a week, when orchestra festival is done and there are not 2 concerts in 3 weeks, and some of my son’s issues with school aren’t flowing over into home. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. At least I hope it’s the end…. and not a cliff.
I like our home neat and orderly. Ask my family and they probably say I am a bit over the top but right now my health and my family are coming first. So, my house is messy and I feel overwhelmed and out of control but I am still trying to get simple dinners out and for us to sit down as a family. I have a contractor coming this afternoon to look at a hole that my son put in the floor of the guest room. Yes, a hole, through the hardwood flooring, sub floor and into the ceiling in the basement. I don’t suppose I can just throw sheets over everything and say we are remodeling, huh?
So this is part of the dinner I made the other night and split into 2 posts.
Verdict:
The pretzel nuggets were good. I found these two recipes for dipping sauces at Rudi’s Bakery.com (Click for link to original recipes). My kids happily ate the pretzel nuggets with the homemade Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce. Everyone thought the Honey Mustard Sauce was as good as if not better than buying it in a bottle from the store.
But the Beer Cheese Sauce? Oh my goodness! It was not good with the chicken, but get some pretzels and start dipping because it was amazing! Both kids thought it was weird with the chicken too but then one of them dipped plain pretzels in it and told us all to try it. If we have time on Sunday we are making homemade pretzels and more of this sauce to dip. Seriously, if you like beer and cheese MAKE THIS DIP!
The recipe for the Chicken Nuggets can be found here – at Crispy Baked Potato Chip Nuggets (just substitute crushed pretzels – I used Honey Wheat, for the potato chips). Click for link.
Pretzel Coated Chicken Nuggets with 2 Dipping Sauces
Ingredients:
Beer Cheese Sauce:
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 3 Tablespoons flour
- 1/2 cup fat-free half and half (or regular)
- 1/2 cup red or darker ale beer
- 1/2 Tablespoon yellow mustard
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle flour over the top and stir to make a thick paste. Stir until the flour is fully mixed with the butter.
- Slowly pour milk into the pan and continue to stir until the milk and flour mixture thickens. It will coat the back of the spoon after 3-5 minutes.
- Add the beer to the milk mixture and continue to let it lightly simmer.
- Remove pan from heat and stir in the cheese, mustard, salt and pepper. Continue stirring until cheese has fully melted. Serve hot.
Honey Mustard Sauce:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons yellow mustard
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- splash of lemon juice
Directions:
- Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl until well blended. Taste and adjust to your liking. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
What's for Dinner Moms? 
None of us are perfect, it is good to get a real life view at the life of a blogger! The chicken looks so yummy, but I think I am going to do the cheese sauce-pretzel snack first!!! 🙂
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We LOVED it. If you don’t like a strong beer taste add less and work up to your tastes.
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Yes, life is busy, and often it gets on top of us, and that is when we do just have to take a breather. Hang in there, that light is shining. You, your health and your family are on top of the priority list. 🙂
These nuggets and the sauces sound DIVINE. Definitely something I will put on my list to make. Enjoy the rest of the day and have a good weekend 🙂
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Thank you so very much for you kind words!
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My house is upside down a whole lot of times, especially once the children come back from school.
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Thank you. I am taking it much better than I usually do. I look at it and say family comes first, over and over. 😉
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I’m definitely making the beer and cheese sauce. My husband loves cheese and beer. All our chips are crumbs so maybe the weekend after shopping we’ll have decent chips to dip. And if it makes you feel any better my house is only relatively clean right now because I’m out from work. I may ask hubby to bring home Popeye’s chicken tomorrow, just because! Just wait til when i go back next week! May your life get back to calmer soon. Family comes first.
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Thank you. I hope you like the Beer Cheese dip as much as we did.
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It wasn’t until the kids all went off to college and started lives of their own that we were able to have a house without the clutter. We’d take the kids back at home any day 🙂 Hadn’t thought of crusting chicken with pretzels, we’ll have to give that a try.
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I use up all my leftover chips, crackers and pretzels this way. Cheez-Its are good as are flavored chips.
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Ah Marci – everyone with a family can relate it takes hard, hard work to keep things moving smoothly! Hang in there.
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Wow you are running dear! I think we tend to think everyone has it all together and everything is perfect! We are all allot the same! xxx Lovely sauce
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Thank you. It is true. We think we are the only ones who can’t keep it together.
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yes but we are all just trying to get past! nice post!
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Simply delicious. Love Dijon mustard. P.S. I don’t have kids yet, only one Siamese cat. But that’s enough for the house to be a bit messy)))
Have a nice weekend!
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Lol! Thank you!
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Thank you for sharing your recipes and a peak inside your real life! Moms everywhere Thank You!
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Thank you!
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I don’t even have kids and my house is upside down and all over the place. I loathe cleaning with a passion! The chicken and sauces sound really good.
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Thank you. We LOVE the Beer Cheese sauce with pretzels. Can’t wait to try some homemade pretzels on Sunday with it!
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This post was just what I needed to read today–REAL! I often feel like I must be the only one whose house looks like a tornado blew through it when my kids get home from school. Thanks for the dose of real life!
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Thank you! I thought of taking a picture but just couldn’t do it. I think I have a paper problem. Aren’t we supposed to be going paperless in everything?
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I understand that paper problem completely! I’m about to go attack the kitchen counter, the place where all the stacks of paper pile. I love my kids artwork and school papers, but the amount of paper they bring home is unending. I don’t think the paperless world memo made it to the elementary school! 🙂
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The beer and cheese sauce sounds awesome to me. Hey, life goes sideways and upside down sometimes. Hang in there Marci! It seems we always eventually get back on track.
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Thank you! I see the end…
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