Low Point Italian Food?!!

I found a good looking recipe online yesterday and did a little finessing it.  It came out sooo good.  I am not a big pasta fan so I think I really liked it because the pasta content was minimal. 

Pasta Bake

POINTS® Value: 3

Servings: 8

Ingredients
1 pound(s) Laura's Lean Beef® 96% Lean Ground Round
1/2 medium Vidalia onion(s)
2 cup(s) mushroom(s), sliced
1 item(s) bell pepper(s)
30 oz Del Monte Petite diced tomatoes in brine, seasoned with basil, garlic & oregano, 2 15 oz cans, drained
1 Tbsp canned tomato paste
1 Tbsp McCormick Oregano leaves
1 Tbsp garlic powder
2 tsp black pepper
1 cup(s) Weight Watchers Reduced-Fat Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
4 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
2 serving(s) Dreamfields Rotini

Instructions

Bring a pot of water to boil and add 1 1/2 cups of Dreamfields Rotini. Cook until not quite done, a firmer al dente. This is going to cook in the oven a bit so you don't want pasta mush.

In the meantime, dice onion and bell pepper. In a good sized non-stick skillet (cause you are gonna need some room to work here!), added ground beef, onion, bell pepper and mushrooms and spices. As always, spice to your taste. I list what I like and use, but that does not limit you in anyway. Cook on medium heat until meat is no longer pink and onion is translucent. Drain 2 15 oz cans of petite diced tomato and add to meat mixture. Add 1 tbls of tomato paste. Mix thoroughly.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Drain and add in pasta. Mix and pour mixture into large casserole dish.

Sprinkle top with cheeses and pop into the oven for about 30 to 35 minutes.

I served this with a green side salad. Yummy and Low in Points!!

I didn't get a picture of this, but it was quite attractive as well as tasty.  I don't know if you can find all the name brands I have cited here, but three of them are important toward keeping the points low.  Laura's Lean Beef is carried at our local Fry's Stores (Krogers) as is the WW Mozarella and the Dreamfields Pasta.  The Dreamfields pastas are specially formulated for diabetics. This formulation with a low glycemic index factor makes this ideal for my limited carb consumption.  I am not diabetic, but I don't do carbs well.  1 serving of the Dreamfields pasta, 3/4 cup dry Rotini in this case, is only 3 points.  Gotta love it!!

Weigh In and Hubby

Weigh In was good, -.6, can't complain considering the week contained things like fried shrimp and rattlesnake eggs (jalapenos stuffed with cream cheese, wrapped in bacon and broiled. To Die For!). Sometimes, Ms. Suzi I think our bodies just are so happy we gave them something NOT good for them, they reward us.  Like kids at Halloween!!  You don't need all that crap, but it sure makes ya happy!

I think Hubby has finally figured out that I am serious about this weight loss and not off on one my tangents, not that I do that often, but its not unheard of. 

Last weekend,  I decided to celebrate my 27 lb loss with a steak barbeque.  I made baked potato and black eyed peas to go with.  I bought a T-Bone for me (I only eat the loin side!), and a Porterhouse for Hubby cause that's his favorite.  So, I got my plate prepared, my loin steak, half a baked potato and about a cup of beans and I went to the table.  Hubby came in a few minutes later with HALF of his steak, the other HALF of my baked potato and about a cup of beans.  WOW, I was so impressed.  He's starting to pay attention to what he eats.  I can't get him to weigh himself, or at least tell me what he weighs, but I figure he could stand to lose 30 to 50 lbs, just like me.  So if I am rubbing off on him, this is all the better.

BTW, I was thinking about my weight loss to date earlier today.  I am averaging 1 lb per week.  That's good, right?!  So, to extend that out to one year, I will lose 52 lbs if I stay the course.  Thats only 6 months away!!  I can do that standing on my head!!  Well, maybe not on my head, but you know...

Today I Feel...

You know those refrigerator magnets with the multiple lines of facial expressions?  You know, the Today I Feel magnets.  This is the best I could find with Google:

(I love me some Google.  I should buy stock!) 

Anyway, this one doesn't have alot of options and it certainly doesn't have "Today I Feel Yucky!" 

Which is really how I feel.  So what does yucky feel like?  I don't feel healthy or confident, I feel like I looked like crap all day.  I don't feel feel sick, but I don't feel well.  I don't feel inspired or particularly interested in anything.  I did everything I was supposed to do and there were no awful things happening so what's going on?  Perhaps its just spring fever.  I need to be careful about that.  Some folks would feed you cod liver oil as a cure for that!!  Then I know I would feel yucky for sure!!

My New Love

I would like to introduce you to the new love of my life.  First, I need to thank T.J. of the Test Kitchen for introducing me to this new love.  I didn't know I had been pining so desperately for something like this in my life.  So here is my new love:

Baked Oatmeal:

This is not the same recipe as T.J. makes but she inspired me to go looking for something I thought I would like and would be on program. 

Boy, does this ever fit the bill.  And I am still not even sure I cooked it correctly.  But I swear, this is like oatmeal heaven. 

Ok, so here is the recipe.  Try it and tell me what you think.  I think I am going to buy stock in steel cut oats!!

Baked Oatmeal

POINTS® Value: 5

Servings: 6

Ingredients

3 1/2 cup(s) fat-free skim milk
1 cup(s)  Steel cut oats
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup(s) Ocean Spray Craisins Dried Cranberries
1/2 cup(s) chopped walnuts
1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 cup(s) unsweetened applesauce

Instructions

Heat milk on medium heat until very hot but not boiling. Stir in oats, maple syrup, cinnamon, applesauce and cook for a few minutes until mixture just comes to a boil. Remove from heat and add craisins and nuts.

Prepare 1 1/2 quart casserole by spraying with cooking spray. Pour mixture in, cover and bake for 45 minutes to an hour until no longer liquid and oatmeal appears creamy.  At this point, I let this cool until. I could cut it into individual servings.

These are 6 VERY generous servings, easily a meal unto themselves so I don't have any problems with the 5 Points.
 
A couple of things I didn't do:  I didn't add salt and, frankly, I didn't miss it.  And I forgot to spray the casserole.  DON"T DO THAT!!  Unless you like scrubbing dishes.  Anyone who has any experience with the WW Points system would know that Points could be reduced (probably drastically) by leaving out the craisins and nuts.  Also if you look closely at the picture, the top 1/4 of the serving appears white.  I think I could have cooked this another 15 minutes, but it was fine just like it was too.  Very reminiscent of one of my favorite desserts of all time, rice pudding.

27 Bad Boy Pounds Lost Permanently This Time!!

Weigh in was marvelous today.  I have worked so hard to get to this point.  This is where I was when I quit WW last time.  So I have now lost these pounds TWICE.   This weeks theme was about yo-yoing and what causes it.  In my case, I don't think I was doing it for myself.  I was going with my daughter before and when she quit, I just lost interest.  But now?  Man, I am all over this!!  I am celebrating every excrutiatingly drawn out ounce of weight loss.

When I was a kid, my grandmother had a dog that when she was ready to wean a litter of puppies that she had, she walked them all out into the desert and came home without them.  I am sure she was hoping they would get lost and never return.  Ok, so she wasn't a great mother dog. (They all showed up several hours later!)  But I keep thinking she was damned smart.  

So, in her honor, I have walked my 27 pounds into the desert and I will make sure they will never find their way home.

The Recipe for the Shrimp for Dinner Tonite

Well, I am using this recipe.  But its copyrighted and as I don't know what the protocol is on posting that to my blog, I will post a link instead and you can go find it.  Looks really good.

Spicy Mustard Shrimp

Edit:  Ok, this was incredibly good.  Hubby says:  "This one's a keeper" and then he kissed the cook!!  It is very spicy.  The recipe calls for tabasco and I substituted one of my new loves, sriracha sauce.  Its got a kick, I have to warn you, but damn, its soo good.  I also substituted lemons for limes, which I didn't have any of, and squeazed a quarter lemon over everything on my plate.  Wow, ridiculous.  Dinner is over, I am still savoring it.  Awesome.

And I took a pic!!

Weigh in and Doctor Appointments

Not in any particular order. 

Lets start with Doctor stuff.  Hubby woke up last Thursday and could not see out of his right eye.  Did nothing about it all day.  Told me about it when I got home from work and I freaked out.  What in the hell do you think with, man?  You only have 2 eyes and they are very fragile.  Lets not screw around when one isn't working right, ok.  So off to the emergency room we went.  Hubby has had double cataract surgery and after (cough, cough) careful examination, the on-staff opthamologist said he just need to have his cataract lens lasered and all would be well.  Well, 6 days went by before Hubby could get into see HIS opthamologist, who did do a thorough exam and low and behold, it has nothing to do with the cataract lens, Hubby has a torn retina.  IN THREE PLACES! Sometimes, I just can't stand the ineptitude!!  So, last nite around 5 pm, a very nice Retina Specialist with a decidedly British accent operated on my less than patient patient, Hubby!!  Today, the Retina Specialist took the bandages off and examined his work and, in that very special British way, declared it "quite nice, thank you"!!  Hubby will be fine until I kill him and that could happen sooner rather than later some days.

Weigh in, - 1.2.  .4 lbs away from that elusive 25 lb loss and almost where I was the last time I was on WW and quit.  It ok, its downward movement and I am liking it.  I have averaged a .9 loss weekly since I started so I am within range on this.  If this is the way of things then I accept that.  As our leader says "Slow is faster than never".  

I also bought new undergarments today.  The Girls needed some assistance and my old stuff wasn't fitting right anymore.  I have lost 4 inches in my chest wall size, so just the around me part.  The part of me that enters the room first hasn't budged. 

Shrimp for dinner tonite with rice and asparagus.  I will post when I figure out how I am going to make the shrimp.

Get Me Drunk and I'll Do Anything!

Had a day in court today (civil suit) in which there were no winners.  Parents vs kids, really ugly Judge Judy crap that I would have given my left arm to not have been a participant in, much less a plaintiff.  There are some potential compromises on the horizon.  We shall see. 

After court, all I wanted was a pitcher of Margaritas.  I settled for two!!  I am easy!

Then when we got home, I let hubby take pictures of me before I started staggering.  So, here we go all.  My first before picture.  God help me.  And I have alreadry lost 23 pounds.  Its a good place to start I guess.

03/17/2010 - Edit:  FYI, I shared those 2 pitchers with my husband and my sister.  I am not that foolish!
03/26/2010 - Edit:  Photo moved to side bar.

Weigh In Saturday and the New Skirt

Weigh In was good, down 2.6 today.  We went dancing last nite, maybe the exersize helped.  I know I had a lot of fun.  This morning, I kicked up the Wii for 30 minutes too.  I am sitting here panting for air and sweating.  I must admit, I am not a fan of panting and sweating (at least not this kind), but that leads into The New Skirt.  I did a little shopping on the way home from the meeting this morning and I picked up a cute pencil skirt.  I saw the size but I did not try it on until I got home.  Its too small, not by a lot, but it is too small.  Now, I could take it back and exchange it for the next size up, but instead, I have decided to make fitting into that skirt my next goal.  So I put it on the hanger and I have hung it on a nail on the wall above my desk so I can see it and be reminded that I have this cute little black skirt that I want to wear so bad I can taste it.  Wonder how many points that would be?

Undergarments

Um, girlfriends, can we talk unmentionables here?  Bras in particular.  Do you have a favorite?  A comfortable bra that you wear all day and don't just scream to shed when you walk in the door after a long day at the office. 

I am busty.  And it's the last place I lose weight.  As I get older, the less tolerance I have for gouging wires but at the same time I need good support.  So what's a girl to do?  Any great ideas?

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Well, the weather here turned cruddy again (waves of cruddy!) so I decided I needed soup.  I found and tweeked the following recipe to fit the Plan.  This is an excellent recipe.  Where possible, use the brands I have named as they are the best in their league (ok, my opinion, but they are damned good).

1 1/2 pound(s) uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast (About 3 breasts)
15 oz canned tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel)
10 oz Las Palmas Enchilada sauce - medium
4 oz can diced green chili peppers
2 clove(s) garlic clove(s), minced
1 medium onion(s), chopped
4 cup(s) Swanson's fat-free chicken broth
1 tsp Ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder, or as much as you like
1 Tbsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 bay leaves
12 oz frozen corn kernels
1/4 cup(s) cilantro, chopped
1 tsp table salt, Taste before salting. Tomato and enchilada sauce are salty
1 tsp black pepper

Of course the spice configuration is always to your taste. 

1.Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder,  red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.
Remove and shred chicken breasts with 2 forks and add back to soup.

2.Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

3.Lightly brush or spray both sides of tortillas with oil. Cut tortillas into strips, then spread on a baking sheet.

4.Bake in preheated oven until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes.

To serve, sprinkle tortilla strips over soup and garnish with avocado, sour cream, more cilantro, salsa and/or shredded cheese.

Toppings will add extra points.

This is such good soup.  Makes approximately 8 - 1 cup servings.  3 points per serving

The Price We Pay

Well, as expected, I was up 1.9 pounds today.  Exactly the amount I was DOWN at my last weigh in 2 weeks ago.  That being said, DAMN, I've gotten away with murder for the last 2 weeks.  I have not been tracking, I have been indulging in bad eating habits and thumbing my nose at the whole process.  But I am back on plan and have no intention of throwing in the towel.  Today I am making chicken tortilla soup and its only about 4 points per very generous serving.  I have made a tank load of it so I will be taking it for lunches also.  I don't mind doing that.  I am one of those that can eat the same thing over and over without getting bored!!  Especially if its something I really like and most soups seem to fall in that category.  I have also planned to make some stuffed bell peppers which are 4 points for half a pepper, which is pretty filling.

Today after the meeting, I went next door to do a little shopping (anyone have any ideas of what to do with a humongous Mexican Papaya?) and one of the other women from the meeting approached me.  She was so sweet and said how she enjoyed when I spoke up in meetings, I really had interesting things to say, she was excited about my weight loss, etc.  I thought I was being a major pain in the ass actually 'cause I am one of the participants that get excited about what's going on and jump in.  Anyway, it was nice to have some affirmation and I turned her on to the blog world.  There are so many wonderful, inspirational stories out here in blogland, not to mention tips and recipes.  I would miss you all if I had to give you up!!

Flirting

 The weather is warming up for us and I am able to wear some nicer things that aren't covered in Slankets or huge bulky coats.  God, I hate winter.  I mean, I am heavy enough without adding the 40 pounds a coat packs onto your frame.  And I am looking better all the time and damn proud of it!!  Witness the following:

There is this guy I work with, as in the same company, but totally different parts and we see each other in the morning getting breakfast at the cafeteria.  He is tall, drop dead stinking gorgeous, and I am in love.  And he flirts with me!!!  And he knows what he does to me!!  I melt.  He smiles and I am smitten. 

So today, I go to get breakfast and he's there.  I am in black slacks and a new black and white blouse, kind of form fitting, but not skin tight, pretty top.  I was wandering around wondering what I could have for breakfast that was on plan and nothing was appealing.  He stopped in front of me and I said "What do you have when you don't know what you want?"  He said "I don't know.  What do you do when you know what you want and you can't have it?"  OH, OH, OH.  The double entendre!!!

Now, I love to flirt.  And I am pretty good at it.  But this man is going to kill me.  I just quiver when he's around.  I am a married woman for God's sake!!  But I don't want him to stop, cause I haven't had anyone pay that much attention to me in a gazillion years and it feels so good to have that input.

To make matters "worse", he emailed me before I left work today.  First time that's ever happened and I have known this guy for 10 years.  His comment "I really liked that blouse this morning".  I replied "I will keep that in mind".  He shot back "I thought about it alllll morning".  I made him stop there because I could feel myself blushing, but I am soooo gonna cheat in my sleep tonite!!

Sheeeee's Baacccckkk!!

It's not that ominous, really!!

Had a good time in San Antonio, as I knew I would.  I love my friend and her family as if they were my family.  We have known each other for many, many years.  I have watched her children and grandchildren grow into adults.  They call me Aunt Laura, which is appropriate because I think of their Mom as my sister. 

When I first got there, I was still suffering with a stomach bug of some sort.  I was incredibly hungry, but nothing tasted good and whatever I ate set off waves of nausea.  It was nasty!!  That lasted until late in the day on Tuesday.  My girlfriend picked me up that evening and she had Chicken Tortilla soup waiting at home.  It was so very, very good and soothing.  I think it cured me!!  After that, I ate an incredible assortment of crap, not alot of anything, just not stuff that was good for me or even On Plan!!  The scales tell.  I didn't weigh in this week as my flight was late yesterday and meetings are early.  So I have the opportunity to straighten up and fly right before next Saturday.  I wonder...?

Weigh In and Travel Plans

Woo Hoo.  Down another 1.2 for a total of 22 lbs lost.  I am feeling triumphant and empowered to keep on going.  Did lose a Weekly Point, but I was having a hard time using them all anyway (most of the time!).  Tomorrow morning I fly out to San Antonio for a conference.  It lasts Mon and Tues and then Tuesday afternoon, my best friend, who lives about 40 miles northwest of SA will pick me up from my hotel and I will go and spend a few days with her and her hubby.  Really good people and we get to spend way to little time together.  Since I last saw them, I have quit smoking and lost this weight.  I know I won't be terribly on plan this week, its too hard when I am traveling, but I will have my girlfriend stop at the grocery store on the way to her house so I can buy some WW friendly snacks at least.  They are good eaters, with emphasis on veggies and fruits, I will just have to be cautious and then not guilt my self. I don't want to undo my progress. 

Damn, He's Prettier Than I Am, and Built Better Too!!

Somewhere in the not too distant past, I attended a conference in pre-Katrina New Orleans.  Neither my husband nor myself had ever been there, so, as the company was buying my ticket, we decided we could afford his and a couple of extra nights in a converted stable room very near the French Quarter.   We flew on a Thursday night and had until Sunday to play when my husband was going to fly on to Nashville and go visit his mother.  My conference started the following Monday.  Sweet huh?  Those were a few days that are burned forever in my memory.  One incident in particular will never be forgotten.

We were walking through the French Quarter just soaking it all in like any tourist.  If you've never been there, drinks are sold through street side windows and folks just stroll up and down guzzling whatever (and I was guzzling with the best of them).  We came to one establishment that billed itself as a "Cabaret" with Female Impersonators.  Now, I am thinking Cher, Joan Rivers, Barbra Streisand, right?  So, I pestered the hubby into going, because frankly, he would rather gargle ground glass!!  So we walk in, its a two drink minimum and we are between shows.  We get seated and very shortly, it starts, but WHOA, Nelly!!  This is not Cher, or Barbra, or Joan, or any celeb at all.  These are men in different stages of transgendering and they are drop dead gorgeous! and they are half naked!

I had never been in a "strip" club or any other type of adult club of that nature.  I was a little taken aback but not being easily flustered, I insisted we stay until we drank what we had paid for.  By the time we left, I felt so inadequate as a woman I can't describe it.  These guys were amazing.  Beautiful, toned, figures to knock your eyes out.  I have never looked like that in my entire life as a female!!  And the guys were just starting out. 

Yak, Yak, Yak

I don't know what it is about Sundays but I sure get the urge to type!!  Anyway, Happy Valentines Day to all.  We celebrated at home, me still in my pajamas (my favorite clothing - fleece).  We did eat awesome food, sirloin, shrimp, twice baked potato and asparagus.  This is not my favorite holiday, but I will take any excuse to cook really nummy food.   I am full and content.  That's love.

Ok, No Title!!

It was easier that way!!

I go out wandering the internet never knowing quite what I might find, usually because I don't know what the heck it is I am looking for, other than to kill time.  Anyway, I find some interesting stories and inspirations and my wanderings today took me back in time to the first Thanksgiving I was away from home.  I mean, I was really away, like in a foreign country, across the ocean, without a phone (or a clue!).

Our family tradition was to have a turkey stuffing party the night before Thanksgiving.  We would all get together and mix up the stuffing and drink too much and laugh alot and I seem to remember at least one hair dying incident.  The problem with this set up was that no one knew what anyone else was doing, so I could be chopping onion, but I had no idea about the cornbread, or the eggs or the other ingredients.  But somehow through all the booze and debauchery, we always came up with a great Turkey Day. 

Then I got married to an man in the Air Force and they sent us far away.  To Spain.  So, when Thanksgiving rolled around, I was stumped.  I could only remember individual ingredients and some of them rather hazily.  (Remember the booze!) I could not remember how things went together and in what proportions and I was going to ruin Thanksgiving and my husband was going to divorce me and send me back to the States and wahhhhh!!!

So I did what any rational person would do.  I called home, COLLECT!! About a gazillion dollars a minute to ask for a recipe.  Thank God my parents loved me.  I might still be in Spain otherwise.  My stepmom cut the call short though and said she'd mail it to me and she was as good as her word. 

And my dressing was as almost good as hers was.  I think the booze and debauchery were essential ingredients.

Thoughts and Things

First off, does anyone besides me have such a damn hard time trying to figure out how to title these things?

Second off, I have added the Weight Watchers logo to my gadgets because I am proud to be a part of such a losing team.  They are the best!!  And I also added a cartoon.  This one makes me laugh everytime I see it.  I might change them out occasionally, but I will keep this one for a little while.

Family Favorite Foods

Last nite we had Pork Chops and Hominy.  Very rustic, very peasant foody, very good!!  I used Center Cut Rib Chops, which are very lean and shaped right to fit 4 in a frying pan. (Speaking of frying pans, if you have one, make this in your cast iron skillet.  It tastes better somehow.)  I could probably trim them more, but these are pretty good. First brown them on both sides, just to sear, don't need to cook, yet. 

I use salt, pepper and garlic powder to season.  Once you have seared on both sides, remove to a plate.

I actually had to add 2 tablespoons of canola oil to the pan, because the chops are soo lean.  Scrape any sticky bits and then add 2 tablespoons of flour.  Make a roue and let it brown a bit.  Add 1 cup of 2% milk. If the gravy is really thick add a bit more milk, up to 1/2 cup. Whisk well and allow to thicken a little.  In the meantime, open a 29 oz. can of Hominy.

Hominy is a corn that has been soaked in lye. It puffs up and has a nice texture and flavor. If you have had Corn Nuts, you have eaten fried hominy.  Hominy is good for you. It has 80 calories per 1/2 cup serving, 1 gram of fat and 5 FIBER grams. Hot Damn!

Add your hominy to your "gravy". When was the last time you had gravy while watching your diet?
















Reposition your browned pork chops on top of the hominy and put in the oven at 350 degrees for about one hour. Don't overcook. Pork Chops will dry out.

















Believe it or not, this is an 8 point meal.  Add a salad or some other greenery and you can't beat this.  It's so good and hearty.   Enjoy.

Weigh In and Just Desserts

Ok, so Weigh In today was +.2.  Not bad since my inner Weight Watcher phoned in this week.  I ate guacamole and chips, hamburger and fries and not one, but two pieces of pizza.  What the hell?  I was just hit with a craving for all the things I know aren't good for me at once.  And the worst part, I only really enjoyed the guacamole.  I had my mouth all geared up for something that didn't appear.  Oh well, back on plan and going strong.  TJ, over at TJ's Test Kitchen is out there pioneering the good things to eat and found the Thomas Bagel Slims for us!!  God Bless you girl.  Spread one of these with a Laughing Cow Light French Onion cheese wedge and enjoy.  That kind of nibbles makes it easy to stay on plan.

Mahi Magic

Ok, this is so simple, but soo wonderful.  Costco sells Mahi-Mahi in a bag of frozen fillets.  They are so good.  Take out a couple of filets and grill them.  I seasoned these with Chinese Five Spice, some hot chili powder, salt, pepper and some garlic powder. We didn't put them outside on the grill, fish always suffers out there.  But my little indoor electric grill rocks fish!!  Now, this pic is right after dinner was served and it's dirty, that happens when you cook. 

But this beauty comes all apart and fits in the dishwasher and everything.  I love my grill.  I got this one from QVC and got my sister one from Amazon (same thing without the "celebrity" endorsement.  Well worth the price, regardless.  (Made by West Bend).

So in addition to the Mahi, we had my fav rice and peas tonite.  This is a good dinner for the nite before Weigh In.

and even Trey got a bite.  He had to work for it, but he likes some fish.

Little butt head.  Thinks his big job in life it to be cute.  He's right, but I don't want him to know.

Delete and Resubmitted with Improvements

A couple of days ago, I posted a Banana Nut Muffin recipe that I said was 3 points, and it was.  But I have wanted to repost the improved version of that, because I can actually get it down to 2 points and its soooo good.  Too good not to share.  So here goes.

2 Point Banana Muffins

1/2 cup(s) Egg Beaters
1/3 cup(s) packed brown sugar
1/2 cup(s) light sour cream
1/2 cup(s) fat-free skim milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 large very ripe banana(s)
3/4 cup(s) whole wheat flour
1 cup(s) all-purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp table salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg, or more to your taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin tin with non-stick baking spray.
2. In a large bowl, beat egg beaters and suger until fluffy about 5 minutes. Beat in sour cream, milk and 
    vanilla.
3. Mash bananas and add to mixture.
4. In a separate bowl, sift together dry ingredients. Add to banana mixture, mixing just until blended.
6. Pour batter into prepared muffin tin. I use ice cream scoop to get equal measure and make less mess.
7. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin (check a  
    couple) comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes.
8. Turn out onto a wire rack and let cool.
9. Add 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts for an additional 1 point making these 3 point muffins.

Words do not do these justice.  They are light and moist and very tasty.  And they are large!!  Nice with a cup of joe.  And they remain this pretty!!

A Prayer

Thank you God for Guacamole.  Amen

Dinner Tonite

Well, I decided on Pork Chops, baked sweet potato and steamed asparagus.  About a 9 point dinner and I can't wait.  Yum.  And I did get everything to make my guacamole for tomorrow.  Safeway had avocados on sale 3 for a $1.00 (actually .99).  I just couldn't say no when I am craving it so badly.  Pray for me!!

Post Script:  was delicious.  I couldn't even eat it all.  So less points than predicted, but I will let it ride.  I am done eating for the day anyway. 

Weigh in and Celebrations

Down 1.6 for a total of 21 lbs.  Thats also 10% of my starting body weight.  I am thrilled.  It has taken a long time to get here, over 2 months to lose this last 5 lbs!  I gained a bit over the holidays and that didn't help, but basically I have just lost a little each week.  Today our Leader at the meeting had one of her quotes up that was very appropriate "Slower is Faster than Never".  I guess!! So, new goal, another 10%.  I am sure this is going to be a long drawn out process, but thats ok.  I am post menopausal (had a complete hysterectomy in 2001) and the lack of natural hormones alone is going to make it harder and slower.  But only quitting is going to make it impossible, so will keep marching on.  I know there are alot of things I could be doing that would hasten the process (more activity being the primary one), but I will jump off cross that bridge when I get to it.  Not sure about dinner tonite, but will blog it up later.  Tacos for dinner tomorrow and I promised myself guacamole with chips for Superbowl Snacks.  I may regret that.  We'll see.

Soup!

Oh, I have made the most marvelous soup.  Beef, lean round, cut into bite size pieces, about 1 1/3 lbs.  I salted, peppered and garlic powdered the meat and quickly seared it, just a spray of oil in stew pot, and then covered with 6 cups of fat free, low sodium beef broth.  (Ultimately, I would also add another 3 cups of chicken broth because there was not a big enough ratio of solids to liquids for me!)  Then I started chopping veggies - 3 celery stalks, 3 cups of sliced carrots, half an onion, 2 turnips, C&W frozen corn kernals.  Seasoned with fresh parsley, some rosemary, oregano, bay leaves.  I plan eventually to add some potato, but damn, it does not need it at all.  So very good, I may never buy another can of vegetable beef soup as long as I live.  I swear. 

Dinner, Breakfast and Random Fat Thoughts

Dinner last nite was not so OP, but as I really didn't eat alot of it, it worked out ok.  We grilled a couple of chuck eye steaks (5 pt for 3 oz), baked a couple of potatoes and I steamed some asparagus and sauteed (just sprayed a nonstick pan with some olive oil actually) some mushrooms.  Turns out I at less than 3 oz of the steak, about 1/4 of a potato with some B&B and light sour cream, lots of asparagus and mushrooms.  I think got out of there for about 8 points.  Not bad.  Don't tell anyone, but I think I could swear off beef forever.  Its so heavy.  I eat very little of it when offered.  On the otherhand, I crave some recipes, like my machaca, which is more about the seasonings than the meat. 

Then breakfast this morning I wanted a pancake soooo bad.  So I made some!!  I had 1 whole wheat pancake from scratch with a little B&B and maple syrup and 2 slices of bacon.   8 points and I am totally satisfied.  And whole wheat pancakes aren't half bad. 

I was thinking this morning about the reason I joined Weight Watchers the first time (about 5 years ago).  I was at the airport, getting ready to fly out to DC probably, and this woman and her little girl were there waiting also.  Little Girl was maybe 5 or 6 years old and cute.  I like kids, usually.  So I stand up to gather my computer case and the rest of my paraphenalia and Little Girl is sizing me up.  Head to Toe.   Then she looks at me and in the most innocent way asks "Are you gonna have a baby?"  I just started laughing out loud.  I thought the child's mother was gonna implode and I know she was trying to figure out why she didn't drown this child at birth.  I reassured the mother that I was not nearly as insulted as she was embarrassed and told the little girl that "No, I am just fat!".

When I got home from my trip, I started Weight Watchers.  Outta the mouths of babes...!

Yesterday's Dinner

For the WW out there that may be following, yesterdays dinner was 8 points.  I even impressed myself!

Weigh In and Groceries

Weigh In today.  Down 1.2.  Just short of 20 lbs and almost to my 10%!  Woo Hoo!!  I am losing right around one pound a week, which, while certainly not setting any land speed records, is totally acceptable.

Our WW meeting center is right next to a Sunflower Market, which is the other natural, organics store we have in town.  Tucson has a great healthy eating mentality and we have Whole Foods, Trader Joe's and Sunflower Market.  If one doesn't have what you want, surely the others will.  In addition, our Fry's (Kroger's) has a pretty full WW line of products, not to mention many of the other items I use alot.  So I ran into Sunflower Mkt on my way home from the meeting and managed to wander around for about 30 minutes.  I bought some lentils and some Cotija (Ko tee ha) cheese.  If you don't know about Cotija cheese, its like Mexican parmasan.  Its dry and crumbly and is amazing on refried beans and most any other mexican style dish I can think of.  Its got a very strong flavor, not bitter or pungent, just impressive flavor and is exceedingly salty so a little goes along way.  Its really, really good.

I still need to do some more shopping, but I was so hungry after the meeting, I didn't dare do any more than I did.  Once again, half a bacon breakfast burrito filled the bill and I am good now.  I think I will do a little recipe planning and then head out.  Have great day all.

Dinner was Wondermus!!

Ok, this was wonderful dinner!!  Diver Scallops (get the ones from Costco, they have no chemical additives), rice from heaven, and sweet white corn.  I know, sounds like lots of starch between the corn and the rice, but I need the fiber right now and I love corn!!  Let's see if I can figure out how to put some pics in here.  Start with these ingredients.  They are for the marinade.

Notice the pineapple can is opened.  That's cause I started making the marinade before I started taking pics!!  I will post the recipe at the end of this.  Anyway, you make the marinade out of the pineapple juice, some chili sauce, a little ketchup, honey and a teaspoon of oil.  Also some minced garlic and a little salt.  Now, next time I make this, I will reduce this until it is much thicker and use it to not only marinade, but baste.  This is a little thin. I think the flavors would be soooo much better concentrated down.  It also makes alot of marinade and I was only making 8 diver scallops.  So you will want to play with it.  The flavor combinations can't be beat tho'. 

Oh, here is my minced garlic.  I have learned so much from Food Network and I still have all my fingers. 

So mix all of this together and this is what you wind up with.

Arrange your diver scallops in a shallow dish and pour the marinade over them.  This will marinade a couple of pounds of scallops, seriously, so don't be afraid that you won't have enough!!  Marinade for 15 minutes or so.

In the meantime, get your rice ready.  In a sauce pot, bring 2 cups of water and a couple of teaspoons of salt to a boil.  Add one cup of this wonderful stuff:

This is the best rice!!  It's also stupidly expensive, like somewhere between $6 and $8 for this jar, but so worth it.  And its still 3 points per cup and again, worth ever luscious bite.  When the scallops are practically point free, its an easy trade off.

Anyway, add the rice, reduce the heat and cover.  Cook for approximately 15-20 minutes on low medium until fluffy. 

Lastly, prepare your frozen corn kernels.  I just put them in a bowl, put them in the microwave and push the magic frozen vegetable button.  If you have a bettter or preferred way, have at it.

About 5 minutes before your rice should be done, put your scallops on the grill.  I have an indoor electric grill that is perfect for this, but they can go outside.  If you like, skewer them or put them in a BBQ basket.  3 minutes on each side should have them beautifully done.  If you like, grill some pineapple rings while you're at it.  Yum.

It all kinda looks like this when you are through.   I am so full and it was so good, it was almost criminal.

Ok, so the marinade recipe calls for:

1/2 cup of pineapple juice
1/3 cup of chili sauce (I use sriracha)
1 tbsp ketchup
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp salt

Mix thoroughly.  This is theoretically enough marinade for 1 lb of scallops and 1 lb of shrimp for Kebabs.

And the butter looking stuff on my rice, between the pineapple rings, is some Brummel and Brown, which I love dearly.  Buying stock soon.

TJ's Giveaways

For all my working friends out there, my pal over at TJ's Test Kitchen is giving away an awesome lunch kit.  Everything you need to pack a healthy lunch including the room to add some chill factor.  You know, those frozen things to keep your food cold? Go check it out.  Post a comment.  You know you want this!

What a Week!

Well, tomorrow is Weigh In.  And I have been a particularly good girl.  Really boosted up my veggies and fruits and the scale (home) is showing it.  I am well beyond the TOM period (no pun intended) of my life so I don't have to worry about hormone fluctuations affecting my weight.  On the other hand, that could be a really good excuse if I had no other.  So I am out there, naked with no where to hide!!  On my own, fessing up to my diet crimes. What is one to do?

We are have a great cafeteria at work and a super young general chef manager named Anna.  She is very open to suggestions about making the cafeteria selections a little more healthy and has started putting out some marvelous concotions that I can just munch and drool and then track my little Weight Watchin' heart out.  Case in point, thinly sliced apples mixed with craisins (not a lot, just a hint), cinammon, and some other spices, coated with a balsamic vinegar dressing, and topped with some toasted sliced almonds.  We weigh these at the cafeteria, so I even know how much I am getting ounce wise.  Good deal.  My taste buds are doing the happy dance as is my tracker.  Anna is going to print me out the recipe.  I will pass it on when I get it.

Mentally, it has been a tough week.  DH has quit his job and I am ready to drown him in the pool.  His temper and lack of patience have finally driven him to do something so foolish and self destructive that I cannot even comprehend what he was thinking.  Thankfully, he is eligible to retire in September and we are not in a desperate financial situation, but it worries me to no end.  I know that people get cranky when they get older but they are also supposed to have developed some psychological tools to deal with the annoying little things that life deals out on a daily basis.  We have been talking about doing some international travel in the the near future, some of it to what is considered 3rd world countries.  I have told him that before I consider going anywhere with him at this point, he has to prove to me that he can stand in a service line for however long it takes to get something accomplished without losing his cool.  I have no desire to be hauled off an airliner because my husband was acting the ass when the plane didn't take off on time.

Yum! Cheese

Great Yummy find for all of us dieters.  Laughing Cow Light French Onion cheese.  Holy Moly, is that good!!  I am a cheese connisseur (who am I kidding, I can't even spell it?!).  But I love cheese.   Even when I wasn't watching my weight per se, we often had apples and cheese and Triscuits for dinner.  We are rarely hungry at dinner time and if we want something, its just to munch.  So I try to keep it at a minimum. 

I love cheese.  One of the things about the WW plan is having to reallly watch the cheeses because, lets face it, they are fat in a pretty package.  I have lived in the US and Spain and have spent a great deal of time in Mexico and I have yet to try a cheese that I really didn't like from any of them.  I remember when we lived in Spain, I could not find a Colby or Longhorn to use for my Mexican Food so I used Edam.  It was perfect.  Any cheese port in a storm. I think there is a rat in my genetic background somewhere or maybe a dairy farmer who made his own cheese.  I need to work on that family tree!

Someone Stirred It with a Stick

Is your significant other messy?  I don't mean dirty, I mean prone to leaving things where they last touched them.  Do you have pliers in your bathroom?  I do (or at least I did until I PUT THEM AWAY). Biggest problem with this problem is I am kinda messy too, so that's messy x 2, which might not be so bad if there was clean up x2 without cajoling, brow beating, stomping and generally ass acting to get things put away.  It scares me in light of my "Mother of the 4 Room Cabin" experience.  The only difference between us is square footage.  AHHHHHH!!

Memoir Monday

Ok, so I am figuring some of this stuff out (finally) and BatCrap Crazy has the Memoir Monday thing going on that I kinda like.  Mondays are a day when one needs a chuckle.  Let's see if I can provide: 

The Day I Met My Mother in Law

Hubby and I were married for about 1 1/2 years before I met my in laws.  We were poor, they were poorer and lived half way across the country. My husband had been married before and had 3 kids.  His mom was adamantly opposed to those children having a stepparent (she apparently had one from hell while she was growing up) and totally wanted nothing to do with me.  My husbands Ex was all that she was concerned about.  I have nothing negative to say about DH's ex.  She's cool and we get along just fine.  They were divorced before I entered the picture.

My husband was in the Air Force and we had received orders to go live in Spain for 3 years.  We were going to ship a car, so we drove it across country and stopped to visit the Hubby's family.  MIL worked at a shirt factory (think minimum wage in the early 80's).  They knew we were coming in to visit, on what day and when.  

When we arrived, MIL was still at work.  We walked into the house and I was introduced to my Brother in Law, his wife, their children, my Father in Law.  It was a party!!  The table was set like it was Thanksgiving!!
And it was barely noon!!  In June!!  It all smelled marvelous.  My MIL showed up shortly after we arrived and headed for the kitchen.  She finished up the FEAST and put all the food on the table before she rang the proverbial dinner bell. 

I was raised with impeccable dinner manners.  If you didn't follow the rules, you got sent from the table.  So, with that in mind, I had a little bit of everything (choking down just a couple of things) and was incredibly full.  MIL kept asking if I wanted more and I tried numerous times to reassure her that I was quite satisfied and didn't need any more, but Thank You!!

Finally, she looked me square in the eye and said "Well, I don't know why you are so fat, you eat like a bird!" 

I too dumbstruck to react. 

We eventually worked it all out, but I will never forget that encounter as long as I live.

Control Freak Outta Control

Its so sad when someone you love is hurting and there is nothing you can do about it.  I want to wave a magic wand and make all the bad stuff go away and then everyone will be happy.  Yeah, right!

Just a brief HI!

Monday the first of February we have a pre-trial conference for a civil suit we are involved with.  We are in the unfortunate position of having to sue one of our kids (husband's daughter) over some property.  I have so much preparation to get done yet.  I hate this kind of crap!!

But I am not going to eat the stress or, God Forbid, light a cigarette.  Yesterday marked 9 months since I quit smoking.  I am very proud of that.  It was probably the hardest thing I have ever done, EVER. 

Did you see this?

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I have followers!  How cool is that? --------------------->

Dinner was AWFUL

I am not having a lot of luck with recipes lately.  My poor long suffering husband (who would frankly eat ALPO if I told him it was a new recipe), did not care for it, nor did I. 

Keep trying.

Blogs

Um, I need to fit my LIFE somewhere into reading blogs!!  This has become some kind of addiction!!  Man, there are so many good bloggers and I love to read and you all make me laugh and cry and learn, its amazing to me.  However, I am NOT doing laundry, NOT working out, NOT cleaning out the refrigerator, NOT doing lots of things that really need to get done and won't unless I DO THEM.  No fairies come to visit me and the Shoemaker's elves were one trick ponies. 

Signing out for now.  The refrigerator calls.  Working out?  Later, maybe.

Yummm!!

That is all.

The Wonderful World of Chili!!

Ok, so I am like a chili whore.  I love chili, not just any chili, but my chili, which any purist would tell you is Crap!!  And that's Crap with a capitol C!  Its the same chili my mom made when we were kids and it's basically ground beef and canned stuff but it smells and tastes amazing and is uber fattening if you make it the way she did.   

My problem is the ground beef.  I don't like to use a regular ground beef (too mushy) and I can't find a chili grind that is less than 80/20 fat percentage.  Yuck, fatty!!  I have a wonderful kitchen center thingy that the hubby bought me many moons ago.  This was back when he was still of the mindframe that buying his wife vacuum cleaners for her birthday and assorted small appliances for Christmas was a good thing.   He has since learned.  But I do love it, so its all good.  Anyway, it has a grinder attachment!!  You can even get a sausage maker attachment for the darned thing!! So I bought some nice top sirloin meat the other day and went to drag out my Oster thingy and damned if I could find all the parts.  And this thing is really, really old. 
Shit!!!

EBay to the rescue!!  I order a new grinder attachment and today I triple wrapped the sirloin and placed it in the freezer to await the arrival of said grinder attachment.  Except, the dang thing came in mail today!!  Wow, talk about service!!  So, ground me some sirloin, had enough to freeze half and there is the most amazing smell emanating from my kitchen at the moment.  I can die happy now.

Weigh In and Walking at Walmart

Weigh in was ok this morning, -1 lb.  I am glad this isn't a race!!  Only problem was I also weighed in at home and my home scale is much more generous than WW's.  Buggers!!  Its all good. 

On the way home, I stopped at Walmart.  Now let me reassure you, I don't shop at Walmart often and really didn't plan on shopping a whole lot today.  My meeting is at 7:30 am and once it was over, I just didn't want to go home and get laundry started.  Wally World was the lesser of the two evils. Well, as it turns out, I strolled around for 90 minutes = 4 activity points.  Go Figure.  I could get to like Walmart at that rate and I picked up a few things while I was at it.  Shared a bacon breakfast burrito with hubby when I got home.  Its ok, I earned it!!

And I kinda don't mind doing laundry so much right now!

Wii's Working Out Now!

Hubby finally got off his deathbead and went back to work so I started working out yesterday to my Wii Fit Plus.  Love this little devil!  Anyway, right now, because I haven't broken a sweat in, lets see....40 years, I am starting out with the aerobics side.  I run and I love me some Rhythm Boxing.  How cool is that?  I am lame at any of this, but I know have to build up to it.  So 20 minutes is good for now.  Like losing the weight, I can't expect it to all happen at once. 

Can anyone tell me why I get cramps in my legs when I am running in place on the rug in my living room?  Its not exactly boot camp!

Yuck!

Finally able to get back in here and talk about what is YUCK?  I am trying to find recipes that I like and fit within my point constraints and sometimes I do really good and sometimes they are just YUCK!  Today I baked an applesauce cake that was vaguely reminiscent of baked bricks!!  And I made a phony guacamole with green peas that only resembles guacamole in color and texture. The taste is certainly different if not totally inedible.   I will keep trying.  We are going to have meatloaf tonite with a baked potato and veggies.  It will be just fine and totally normal.  Which I desperately need a shot of right now. 

Phfffffttt!

Weigh In was disappointing.  I was down a little, but would like to see more impressive results.  Having said that, I admittedly could put more effort into it. I am not moving nearly enough.   I had committed to exercising every night for 30 minutes now that hubby is on swing shift for 3 months, but about the time I set that goal, he came down with the galloping crud and I just can't seem to get anything accomplished when he's here, especially if he is unwell. 

This weeks challenge is 10 meals of filling foods.  Hmm, there are so many things to chose from I should be able to pull this off.  I am going to make a pot of chili, which I could eat for every meal, but will need to cool it on that. 

I am realizing that I have been calculating lots of points wrong (not sure how just yet).  I have also been realizing that points and "filling foods" definitions may vary depending on the sources you check, e.g., my books vs the etools.  I guess I need to stick with one or the other because it can really screw me up!

New Foods Old Routines

Doing pretty good so far this week.  Broke down and had Chinese for dinner on Saturday and, of course, leftovers for Sunday.  But on Sunday, I also cooked a Cauliflower Soup and made a yummy salad that I found from Hungry Girl, Sweet and Chunky Chicken Salad (low fat Chicken Waldorf) that's to die for!! 
Tonite, I am thinking about Hungry Girl Chicken Pot Pies.  I think I love this woman. 

Like a sister, OK?!  And I have a lesbian sister, so that's ok, too.

Right now I am so full I can hardly breathe.  I need to stop doing that.  So today, at 10:30 am, I decided I was ready for lunch.  I did eat because I was hungry, and it was good and it filled me up.  But my mouth wasn't satisfied so off to the cafeteria we went to see what was available that wasn't going to ruin the whole week for me.  They had roasted butternut squash with some brown suger.  I got some of that and figure it was worth a few points.  It was sure good and took care of what my mouth wanted.  However, because I was already full, now I am too full.  Not Good!!  Mine points are used up (ok, I saved one for a Tootsie Pop I didn't eat!) and thats good, I didn't go over, but I need to eat to live not live to eat and I can't seem to find the place where that concept really lives in my head.  Probably packed up and moved out when the neighborhood got so crowded with fat cells!!

The (Not Quite So) Little Engine That Could

But we are working on it.  Weigh In this morning - 1.4 for a total of 16.8 lost.  And it was a tough and not altogether "good" week for me.  I didn't eat a single cookie all thru the holidays, so why is it that when someone brings them to work, I can't stay out of them.  They were very good, but I begged my dear sweet boss to stop.  So come he didn't bring any on Weds.  I still managed to consume plenty on Mon. and Tues.
But I also ate well when it came to normal meal stuff, so I probably burned up my weeklys on cookies.  Thank God it only happens once a year!!

First Weigh In of the Year

Way to start the year off!! Down 2.2 lbs.  So, still need to lose 1.3 of what I put on over Christmas, but that's ok.  I am working it and I am happy with the result. 

We had Tacos for dinner last nite and hubby was so happy.  I was too.  Too happy!  I ate 5 of the dang things.  That's 14 points!!  But they are so good and this is one meal I will absolutely eat for my mouth and my stomach will suffer.  I did only make one dozen, so there was not much in the left over department (DH ate 5 also).  I had the other 2 for brunch this morning.  I posted the recipe before but if anyone wants it, just let me know, I will be thrilled to post it again.  The tacos are 3 points apiece, 3 for 8 points (or 5 for 14 pts, geez).

Tonite we will probably splurge.  I have a beef and noodle stoop cooking.  I just found a great looking cauliflower soup recipe that I want to try so maybe will work on that for tomorrow.  Then we can have leftovers for the rest of the week.  

I bought a trampoline before the holidays and I haven't even taken it out of the box yet.  Should do that today, don't you think?

Happy New Year!

I am so glad 2009 is over!  What a horrible miserable excuse for a year! On the other hand, we did send it out on a good note.  Dinner with Carrie and Dave at their house.  I cooked and everyone ate and raved.  The menu was Seared Scallops, Lobster and Mushrooms in Mustard Sauce, Grilled Mahi-Mahi, wild rice and broccoli and cauliflower.  Its weird cooking in someone else's kitchen, but I love doing stuff like that and they DO have the pool table after all. 

Happy New Year everyone.  Please God, let the new one be multiples of better than the old!  Thank you.

Mom's Mess

Mom and I didn't like each other. We tolerated each other because, well, I think we had to for some unwritten reason.

Mom didn't like that I was so close to Dad, who had divorced her when I was in Junior High School. I was always very close to my father. She went so far as to one time state that "That relationship is unnatural!"

In the summer of 2007, my youngest sister Grace, by far, my mother's favorite child (Parents everywhere please admit you have a favorite child, at least to yourselves!) went to see my mom on her way back home from a vacation trip. Grace called me when she got home and said, "We have to go and help her. That house is a wreck and it's too much for her to handle any more." So ok, we planned Labor Day weekend we would light out for the 400 mile round trip visit to go help Mom clean house. We had 4 days and it was a 4 room cabin. How bad could it be?!

Sweet Baby Jesus!! What a mess!

It was beyond clutter. It was truly filth. I have never had to deal with such a state of disarray in my entire life. To make matters worse, she didn't, couldn't, wouldn't see it until her precious special "baby" pretty much rubbed her nose in it. We finally got through to her and started in, but it was a daunting task and we actually only got two of the four rooms cleaned in four days. FOUR DAYS.

Mom wasn't well physically at that point either, although just how seriously ill she really was wouldn't become evident for another couple of months. Her back was giving her no end of grief and we tried like hell to do all the heavy lifting and real grunt work. We told her over and over, "Just sit down there and be the Director".

We both worked our asses off and then slept on the ground in a tent at night. Yeah, there was no room in the cabin for guests at all. We also bought all the groceries while we were there and cooked and cleaned up on a day to day basis.

The last day we were there, Grace had taken off to dump yet another load of garbage (load 15 or something, remember two rooms?) and I was in the kitchen washing more dishes. Mom came into the kitchen and was idly fussing with something.

I sure wish Grace didn't have to leave today.", she said. "She's such a hard worker."

Somehow I didn't scream.

What Have I Been Doing?

Well, I have been off of work since the 18th of December and really been soooo lazy!  And loving every minute of it.  I have kept up with the housework, gone to my WW meetings, researched loads of recipes, found a couple new blogs to entertain myself.  Oh, if you haven't already, you have to check out The Pioneer Woman!  Talk about a great blog.  Enjoying that immensely.  And of course, Ree, the author of said blog, has friends who become your friends, etc, etc. 

I made a Balsamic Vinegar Reduction.  Hot Damn, that is really good. 

I bought 2 bottles of inexpensive Balsamic Vinegar ($10.00 a bottle, but it was BOGO).  There were 2 cups in each bottle and I put them, individually, in a sauce pot and slowly reduced them to about 1 and 1/3 cups total, so its really sweet and syrupy, but its still vinegar and NO POINTS!  Hot Damn!  Great on everything, fish, seafood, pork, beef, STRAWBERRIES!  Try it, you'll like it.

Fatty McFatPants Reporting In

Well, Weigh In yesterday found me up 3.4 lbs.  Ouch.  Of course, I didn't give that much thought when I was drinking my Eggnog and Amaretto!!  Damn that stuff is good!! or eating Roast Beef with Garlic Mashed Potatoes (but no gravy.  I DO have my limits!).  So back on the Program today.  I still have some eggnog in the fridge, I am going to try and ignore.  Its good until March sometime, I think.  Wonder what people would say if I had an Eggnog and Amaretto to celebrate St. Paddy's Day?  Oh, I know, green food coloring!! 

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas all! Well, it has been a quiet day as we planned.  We did not exchange gifts...well, hubby got me a gizmo for my IPod.  Other than that, nope.  But I am going to make us a good dinner with Roast Beast, Roast Garlic Mashed Potatoes and heavy on the veggies.  It sounds really good to me.  Tomorrow is weigh in and I know I am probably blowing that, but what the hell...It's Christmas!!

Thinking of Dad

When I was growing up, my father was a business agent for the Operating Engineers Union.  He was the voice of the man in the copper mines in Arizona and his job took him all over the southern part of the state. 

One year, there was a massive strike going on and it was getting close to Christmas. Dad had to drive to Ajo, about 150 miles away, to distribute Strike Checks to all of the mine workers and, because I was out of school for the either the weekend or holiday break, I got to go with him. 

When we got there, everyone met us at the Union Hall.  I remember it was a sad place, but no one was complaining and the sense of unity was palpalable.  These men knew what they were doing wasn't supposed to be easy in the short term, but was necessary for their long term livelyhoods. Every one shook Dad's hand as he handed them a check for $15.00.  I will never forget the amount of that check. 

One man came in, grabbed his check and lit out like his tail was on fire.  Dad asked a few questions and finished handing out the remaining checks, then looked at me and said "Let's go Sis, we have something to do before we head home!" 

So we left and Dad started driving around this little neighborhood, looking at all the houses, searching for an address until he located the place he was looking for.  "Let's go and see some people", he said.  We went to the door and knocked and the man who had come to the meeting and left in such a hurry answered the door. 

"Hola Jose", that was about the extent of my father's Spanish, and Jose's English wasn't much better.  I spoke some Spanish and Jose's kids spoke English fairly well, so they both pushed us in front of them to translate. "I hear your wife is pretty sick", my Dad commented to Jose.  "Si, Mr. Bill, she lost a baby and has been having a hard time.  The other kids help, but its hard.  I couldn't stay for the meeting, she needs me to be home and help with all of this."  He waved his hand around and as I followed it, I saw more kids.  There were at least eight.  The house was small, was probably company housing, if not then it was at one time.  Jose's wife was bedridden and you could see the kids looked lonely and scared. 

My dad reached in his pocket and pulled out another check.  "Jose, they told me you were having a hard time of it down at the Union Hall.  I want you to have this".  Jose took the check but he didn't look at it, he thanked Daddy and we left.  

When we got home that night, Dad and Mom went back to their bedroom for a discussion.  Its where they always went to talk when they didn't want us kids to know what was going on and, around Christmas time, there was alot of meeting in the bedroom!!

They were only in there for a few minutes and Dad called us all into the living room.  He proceeded to tell my brothers and sisters what we had seen in Ajo and how bad off Jose and his family were.  Then he said, "I got paid before we left for Ajo today, but I didn't have a chance to go to the bank.  After seeing what Jose and his family were dealing with, I signed my paycheck over to him.  Now we are not going to go hungry and our bills are paid and the roof is in good shape.  It may not be the biggest Christmas that we ever had, but it will be the best."

It was.

Day at the Movies and Follow UP on the Follow Up

Hubby stayed home today so we could go to the movies together.  How cute?! Kinda threw me a little, he's not normally one to even suggest such a couple thing, much less take time of to carry it out. 

So I got him up around 8 am, then we went to breakfast and afterward the movie.  Early Bird movie special $15.00.  Not bad.  We saw 3D Avatar.  It was wonderful.  The story line was predictable, but the effects were mesmerizing and I found myself reacting emotionally to some of it.  Wow, thats all I can say.   After the movie, we went and got passport photos taken, then went to the Post Office to drop off our passport applications. 

Now, the downside of all of this.  First off, movie popcorn.  I stuck with a medium, which is huge, but I got it Buttered.  I know, I know.  I will regret that.  But being as this is like the second movie I have been to in 15 years, I am not going to get to wrapped around that particular axle.   And I did stick with a Diet soft drink. 

And the other negative is the Hubs is a pain in the neck!!  He has absolutely no patience, hates lines, bitches about everything... As we were STANDING IN LINE to submit our passport applications, all I could think of is "Where are you going with this grouchy butt head that you need a passport for?  Are you going to pack him in a suitcase and send him in the cargo bay?" "Go by yourself and he can follow later". 

I mean really!!

Now that soup... Like most soups and stews, it was better tonite than last nite. I mean really better, like I ate 2 bowls.  I am going to hate myself in the morning!!

Follow up on Soup

Ok, so I made the soup and, frankly, I was unimpressed.  It was hardy, tasted ok, just didn't wow me.  Son in Law liked it, granddaughter not so much.  Hubby said needed more heat, but he says that about everything!! 

Next up, stuffed collard greens.  Hey, I will try anything once.

Oh, and about the snake pic.  That was a little (about 1 ft) snake we found in the yard.  I actually like snakes (I pretty much like all animals).  When you live in the "Wild West" you learn to appreciate all the critters.  If we didn't have snakes we would have bigger rodent problem than we do and thats already bad.

I have had a number of "pet" snakes over the years including a Reticulated Python that reached 17 ft before we donated her to a zoo!!  However, I don't want to freak anyone out or keep them from reading so if even pics of the beasties frighten you, let me know.

Hurray for Today!!

I am happy to be here today.  Not necessarily blogging, but just breathing in general. 

I love early mornings.  I have been up since 4:30 am.  OK, ok, even for me that's a little early, but I have gotten so much done.  I put my last load of laundry in the washer before 6:30 am!!  How productive is that?!

In the mornings in Arizona, the birds are singing.  We don't have the really cold weather alot of the nation does so the birds don't leave for warmer climates, most of them anyway. So the doves still coo and the wrens and sparrows sing their songs for anyone up early enough to catch the morning serenade.  I don't feed them, it attracts unwanted visitors here, like coyotes and bobcats.  If you bring in the prey, the hunters will follow!!  Not a particularly good idea.  And then there is the javelina, that while herbivorous, are tremendously destructive. I love our wildlife, but I don't want them in my yard.  I am not afraid of snakes.

I don't know what I am going to do with myself today!  I have all day to do it in!!  Just have to figure out what it is. 

Maybe I will just take a long walk.  I have mapped out a path around the neighborhood that I think I can handle without killing myself.  Its quite a distance, but its only partially uphill as opposed to the other direction that is uphill all the way and I am not quite ready for that yet.  Kills my poor old knees.

Weigh In and What's on the Menu

Weigh In went okey dokey.  I was down .4 which is tolerable.  I was talking to hubby earlier and realized I haven't gained, or even stayed the same since I started with Weight Watchers.  It's been a steady gradual decline in my weight and I am grateful for that, especially because I am not always the best at eating what is good for me.  My next goal is my 10% and that is looming.  I would like to speed it up, but with the holidays, I kinda doubt thats gonna happen. 

So what's on the menu...?  Tonite, I am going to do Jumbo Prawns with Lobster Stuffed Portobellos and Wild Rice.  Asparagus on the side.

Tomorrow, I am making Lentil Soup with Sausage and Greens.  This sounds so stinking good.

Ingredients

For 10 servings

1 pound Italian-style turkey sausage
1 tbls Olive Oil
1 medium Onion - chopped
1 clove Garlic - minced
1 large Carrot - finely chopped
1 cup Lentils - Brown lentils
15 ounces chicken broth - one can
4 cups Water
15 ounces stewed tomatoes;
1/2 teaspoon Thyme - crushed, dried
2 teaspoons Rosemary - finely minced fresh
2 cups Red potato - one large, 1/2 inch cubes
4 cups Kale or collards - rough chopped
1 pinch kosher salt - to taste
1 pinch Red pepper - to taste

Instructions

1. Put the sausages in a soup pan with the olive oil; brown on all sides over medium heat. Cover the pan and cook, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes, or until cooked through. Pierce the sausages and let them drain a bit in the pan, then remove and set aside. When cool enough to handle, cut into thin slices. 2. Put the onion, garlic and carrot into the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook 10 minutes, stirring often. Add the lentils, broth, water, tomatoes, thyme and rosemary. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes. 3. Add the potatoes and continue cooking the soup, covered, at least 20 minutes. Stir occasionally. 4. Stir in the sausage. Cook, uncovered, 10 minutes. Add 3 cups of greens and cook and additional 5 minutes. 5. Adjust seasoning with salt and red pepper flakes to taste. Serve garnished with a garnish of greens on top. I made sourdough garlic bread with this and it was delicious.

Adapted from recipe by CeCe Sullivan of The Seattle Times. Each (1 1/2 cup) serving contains an estimated: Cals: 213, FatCals: 54, TotFat: 5g SatFat: 2g, PolyFat: 1g, MonoFat: 2g Chol: 24mg, Na: 627mg, K: 690mg TotCarbs: 26g, Fiber: 9g, Sugars: 4g NetCarbs: 17g, Protein: 15g Analysis does not include the garlic bread

Not my recipe (obviously) nor my picture.  I found both on BigOven.com.   I am going to do a little tweaking, like I can probably do without the olive oil,  but I don't think much will be necessary.  This is a good diabetic recipe and that usually means its a good food. 

Later this week, I am going to do Dirty Rice Stuffed Collard Greens.  I will take pics of those.  Got that recipe from Food Network (the Neeleys). 

And Christmas dinner is going to be a rotisseried roast with garlic mashed potatoes and a yet to be determined vegetable. 

Doesn't sound half bad!!

Pre Holiday Happenings

Well, you know its been too long since you posted when Blogger make you sign in again!!  Jeez!

This is such a crazy time of year.  We are so busy at work.  We close down for the week beginning Christmas eve and don't come back until Jan 04 this year.  And of course, everyone wants everything done before close down and they all waited til the last minute! I leave the job just exhausted. I need to make sure I am taking my vitamin.  I am so forgetful about pills.

Then there is FOOD.  Guy brought in homemade Baclava today.  Cripes!!  Then we all went to lunch and had Mexican food.  I didn't do too badly, had a shredded beef burrito (about 3/4 of a huge one), but it was just the burrito, not a combo plate, so no rice and beans.  Lots of chips and smoking hot salsa.  I wish the heat from that sauce would crank off a calorie or two! That shit was so hot, it would have been a negative calorie intake.  Good stuff.

I did lose last weigh in and am down a total of 16.2 lbs.  I don't know how I am doing it, except not eating dinner.  Damn, by the time I get home I am usually still full from whatever we are noshing at work or too tired to think about eating.  I can't keep this up, but tomorrow is my last day of work until the 4th of Jan (yeah, I take some vacation days in conjunction with the shut down.  It's a nice break) so the temptation will be gone after tomorrow.  I will survive!

I HATE PICTURES

I just took a pic of myself in the mirror and DAMN I look like hell!!  How did I get in this bad of shape?  I have been so hard on my body, its not even funny.  People have been commenting that I am losing weight and everyone says I am doing so well.  Well, if I am looking good now, what the hell did I look like before?  Just wow!!

Thinking too much

I have heard a number of people say "I don't want to think about this so much.  I have food on my mind all the time! I want to live normally!".  The only thing I can think to say is 220 lbs is not normal!!  Or at least its not the normal I want.

When I quit smoking, quitting smoking was the only thing on my mind.  Every minute of every day for the first 3 months I had to recommit to not smoking. I have to make the same commitment to the weight loss.  And frankly, I don't spend all that much time thinking about it.  I plan for my week and then I stick to my plan, good little robot that I am.  If you are planning meal to meal, or daily, it might be harder.  If I plan weekly, I really only think about it when I am planning.  I can actually log my points a week in advance and know what I am in for for the week.  I just have to COMMIT.

Yesterday was the first "real" Weigh In for me since Mom died.  I was down .2, better than I was expecting. Between Thanksgiving and catered wakes, I figured I had gained some.

Then I got soooo sick.  I went out to breakfast and had an omelet and it did not sit well at all.  When I finally did toss it, it was a welcome relief.  I hate to retch like that, it makes my entire body ache, but I was glad to be rid of whatever was causing my stomach that much misery.  So points yesterday were 0!  Nothing stayed down long enough to count.

This morning I feel much better.  I just ate an egg and a couple slice of bacon with an Orowheat Sandwich Round.  Good Stuff.  Happy tummy.

Reading and Cooking

I am so loving everyone's posts. TJ's Test Kitchen and Jack Sh*t, Gettin' Fit keep me coming back for different reasons. I love TJ's simple joy at accomplishment and Jack's humor. And that's just 2 of the multiple blogs I read regularly. I will follow the cookie crumbs in their blogs to others on occasion, just because I can. It's fun!!

I have gained a few pounds over the last few days, no doubt. This is a bad time of year for me because I love to cook and I get all caught up in the potlucks and cookie clatches. And it's hard to cook and not taste!! And a taste is rarely enough. Case in point: Stuffing Frittata. Just the name is fattening! But, man, was it good!

There is a good recipe site that has numerous Weight Watchers™ recipes. It's not just WW™ recipes, but all kinds. Find it at bigoven.com. If you love to cook, I think you will love it. I am not being paid to endorse this, I just really like it.

Where do the days go to?

Today I celebrate 31 years of marriage.  I can't believe it.  A minute ago, I was walking down the aisle and then I blinked.  Wow! 31 years were gone!  I love you, Honey!! Well, most of the time, at least.

How's Chili Cheese Dogs with onions sound for an anniversary dinner?  That's what we had tonite! 

Sara Lee Whole Wheat White Hot Dog Bun - 2 pts.
Hebrew National 98% Fat Free Hot Dog   - 1 pt.
Boca Chili 2 tablespoons                             - .5 pts
1/4 cup 2 % Mexican Cheese Mix                - 2 pts
Onion (big Zero pts) 

For 5.5 pts for one dog, it was really good!!