Yummy Crockpot Dinner

I absolutely love this meal.  It is so easy and yet it tastes so yummy.  The only trick is you have to make sure you get a good flank or skirt steak.   If you can find a massive skirt steak that is the best, and if you are ordering some Diamond H beef then even better!

Cuban Braised Beef & Peppers

1 28 oz can of diced tomatoes, drained (although I did no drain, more juice the better)

2 -3 Red, Yellow, or Orange Bell Pepper sliced ½ inch thick

1 onion cut into wedges

2 teaspoons of dried oregano

1 teaspoon of ground cumin

kosher salt and black pepper

1 ½ pounds of really good flank steak or skirt steak, cut crosswise into thirds

1 cup long grain white rice, or brown rice

1 avocado

¼ cup of fresh cilantro

In a 5-6 qt slow cooker, combine the tomatoes, bell peppers, onion, spices, salt and pepper.  Mix Well.   Nestle the steak among the vegetables.  Cook, covered, until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily, on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 7-8 hours.

25 minutes before serving cook the rice according to package instructions

Using two forks, shred the beef and mix it into the cooking liquid ( you can also let it cool and scrape any excess fat off and then heat back up).  Serve with rice and top with avocado and cilantro --- and maybe a little salsa

And then have your self an amazing dinner sitting at a table with someone you love :)

A Blog Mini-Series: Ankle FAIL Part III

*****WARNING*****

THE CANKLE IS TURNING BLUE NOW.  THIS IS BOTH EXCITING AND GROSS ALL AT THE SAME TIME.  If you are grossed out by swelling or bruising, then come back to the blog after I am done having fun showing off my war wound.  That is all.

*****END OF WARNING*****

Alright!  Time for the weekend update.  The bugger has finally started to show its true colors.  I spent most of yesterday watching movies and such.  Been pretty relaxing so far.

Our dear friend, Brad Wilcox, came over last night for dinner.  We (shall I say, Jess) did it up right.  We had back strap and polish sausage (thank you, Fred the Deer), an awesome salad, and both sweet potato and waffle fries.  It was exceptional.

The boys (Rusty, Evan, and Jeremy) were also without a mother, so they came over for dinner too.  It was way fun.  

Jess finished off the evening by making us cinnamon rolls from scratch.

Yea, I nearly had a conniption they were so good.

So who is up for a little ANKLE FAIL?  I know I am.  Let's bring on the bruises.

Now for the inside:

I have now hopefully succeeded in making you hungry and slightly nauseous in about 20 seconds.

Now I will show you pictures of the puppy taking a nap with me yesterday so that you will think she is cute and not want to hurt me.

Gosh, she is ridiculously cute if I may say so myself.

That's all for this edition of Ankle FAIL.    Take 30 seconds and write us a comment.  I can't decide if you all will like/hate this Mini Series.  I would love some feedback.

Mr. Cankle

::: The Winners :::

The winners of their very own Fight Like a Girl book are:
1. Jennifer Tully
2. Kassi Zuerner

Congratulations girls! I will be getting in contact with you so I can send those books your way!

So the top BBQ places in Texas, according to the Top of the Hills blog readers are:

1. Rudy's with 3 votes --- especially the one in Austin
2. Goode Company - my personal favorite, so far!
3. Valley Ranch BBQ - with two votes
4. Cooper's BBQ in Llano - Chris's all-time favorite - way to go Kassi
5. JB's BBG
6. Sleighton's in Colorado Springs (this is not in Texas :) )
7. Bartley's
8. Country Tavern ( Kilgore, TX - one of Texas's top 50 - thanks Travis )
9. Salt Lick (Austin)
10. County Line

I think one day we should all eat BBQ together. That would make me very happy!

One day I will win a BBQ competition and blog about it. It will be awesome.


I think all of you are awesome, and I am looking forward to our next giveaway - whenever that might be!

Big Sibling Weekend, etc, etc...

Opening thought:

Man.  I really, really like who we are.  I really like who we Hills are.  I like our marriage, I like our relationships with Jesus, and I like where we are in life.  I'll tell you what though, I think most of all I like how much we want to change.  I like how hard we are working to make our marriage better, I like how we wake up everyday and ask Jesus to change us, and I like how we know that where we are in life today is not where we are called to.

So there's my opening thought.  It comes as I drink a Coke Zero and watch my wife cook.  Man she is hot. I don't care if you don't think I should say that.  She is, and I love the ever-living daylights out of her.  The way she talks trash to her onions as she sautés the crap out of them, the way she dances and sings out of key to the new Gavin Degraw cd thats playing in the background, and the way that she drinks her little Diet Dr. Pepper in her A&M koozie.

Yes, I hope you understand a little bit better the place of sheer marital bliss where my opening thought bubbled out of.


So now, onto our weekend last weekend.  We went to A&M and hung with our awesome sibs.  They are super cool.  We had lots of good laughs.  We went to the Aggie game and watched them Beat The Hell Outta utah state.  We ate at all of our favorite places in College Station (including Blue Baker and Wings & More - I swear they put a drug in that wing sauce.), and went to this AWESOME NEW CHURCH IN CS called Antioch - no really, you should go there...Hilton, 10am.


The weekend was a huge success.  We really love Luke and Tige.  They are two incredibly wonderful friends we happen to be related to.  Makes things fun.

Honestly, my favorite night was Friday.  Mikala (Luke's super sweet girl friend) and Luke made us a dinner that was easily 5 star Italian.  Parmesan and Pancetta stuffed chicken with Luke's roasted red pepper pasta, fried zucchini, homemade yeast rolls, red-velvet cupcakes and mini cheese cakes.

Needless to say, I didn't even know what to do with myself.  I ate so much I nearly died.  It was so good.  It was so fun to hang out with them!  The most fun part of the night came via the game Catch Phrase.

Most of you know how to play the game...if not check out the wiki link.  I have to say that between my little sister and I we were pretty awesome.  The Hill family bond is pretty tight to say the least, and sadly Jess and I were on opposite teams, so "The Unimind" was not in action.

Easily the funniest part of the night came at my expense, but I am willing to bring it up b/c it was so freaking hilarious.  We were playing Catch Phrase.  I must say, I was surprised to see how many totally random people, places, and things they manage to get into that game.  Ted Kennedy, buzz cut, "without a paddle", back hair...the list was totally random and a lot of fun.  That is about where the funny part kicks in.  I was sitting to Jess's right.  She gets handed the game and begins to laugh uncontrollably, all the while attempting get out some words and being pointing in between my shoulders but slightly down my shirt neck..."Chris (lots of laughing) has (lots more laughing) (I being to turn red and feel the awful truth creeping in as to what she is trying to say) this!!!"

Perplexed looks around the group while Jess continues laughing uncontrollably and pointing furiously at my back.  Most of them don't know me that well.  The timer is speeding up.  She's nearly crying at this point she's laughing so hard.  Luke, Tige, and Mikala begin to catch on.  Someone says it, and as the song says, "we just fell about the place."

Yes, you guessed it, she was pointing at my small, insignificant, awful, little patch of back hair.  "Back Hair" was the catch phrase.

I mean really.  What are you going to do if you are me but laugh?  It's freaking hilarious.  Totally embarrassing, but really, really funny.

I guess its laser for me someday...until then I'm just another prop in Catch Phrase; oh, and the timer just ran out.


Mr. Hill


"Take that, onions."
"A good onion never reveals it's appearance."
"I'm ruthless!"
"Food gives up in her presence and bows as the mention of her name."

God's gift to Chicken Pot Pie :)

I never ever liked Chicken Pot Pie growing up, but then Real Simple magazine had this recipe in their January issue and the picture of it made me want to make it. So I did, with a few alterations to the recipe, and with only like 388 calories a serving it was the best chicken pot pie I have ever had in my life. So here it is:

1 pound of chicken breast --- (I just used an HEB Rotisserie chicken for quickness and extra flavor)
1 – 2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 onion chopped (calls for 2 I used one)
4 carrots - chopped up
(I also added some mushrooms)
3-4 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
½ cup dry white cooking wine – I used about 3/4 cup
2 cups of 1 or 2 % milk
16 oz package of frozen vegetables
1 tablespoon of fresh thyme
Kosher salt and black pepper – I salted and peppered the onions and carrots first
1 9 inch piecrust – I used Pillsbury piecrust
*I also added 3 tablespoons of pecorino Romano


>Heat oven to 400 F. Cook the chicken in the oven or boil in chicken stock or buy a rotisserie chicken (or turkey breast)
and shred

>Meanwhile, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and cook, stir-ring, until they begin to soften, 6 to 8 mintutes (I personally cook the onions until they are completely transparent and soft, and I also like to add the mushrooms at this point). Sprinkle the flour over veggies and cook, stirring for a minute or 2 - letting the mixture turn a dark sandy color.

>Add the wine and cook until evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the milk and simmer until the sauce thickens, 2-4 minutes - stir constantly to make sure the mixture thickens wells, I also like to add the pecorino Romano at this point. Stir in the chicken, frozen veggies, thyme, salt and pepper. Transfer to a shallow 1 ½ - 2 quart baking dish – or whatever you want

➢ Lay the crust on top, pressing to seal. Cut several vents in the crust ( about 4 start at the center - about 2 inches long). Place pot on a baking sheet and bake until bubbling and the crust is golden, or 30 to 35 min

Meat and Potatoes

However, let each man of you [without exception] love his wife as [being in a sense] his very own self; and let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband [^[a]that she notices him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates, and esteems him; and ^[b]that she defers to him, praises him, and loves and admires him exceedingly]. [I Pet. 3:2.] Ephesians 5:33

Last night I went to Beth Moore's bible study which this semester is more of a study that is teaching us how to study the bible. So, anyways I walk in the door and my husband had fixed me a fantastic, incredible, and awesome dinner.

Music was playing and candles were lit and on the table my HOT husband had fixed me steak, asparagus, twice baked potatoes, and had ready a really amazing wine. I have to say this was the best steak dinner I have had that was not in a really expensive restaurant. Chris Hill can make the best twice baked potatoes in the whole entire world. I really cannot describe how good the dinner was or how awesome and loving my husband is, but I just wanted to brag to the world that he loves me so well! He really loves me in a way that I have never been loved before and that makes me want to praise him at the gates and let the whole world know that he is an amazing man and husband!!!

Who knew that twice baked potatoes could express love in such a deep manner? :)