Make Up Your Mind!

That's what I tell myself when I am waffling about what I am doing.  It doesn't matter what it is, I just hate indecision and half hearted attempts.  That's not to say I haven't indulged in both, but I hate it!  It smacks of lack of backbone (I am just talking about me here, folks, don't be hatin').  I am my father's daughter in the "Make Up Your Damned Mind Already!" category and I have to have that conversation with myself alot!

On the other hand, I am also my fathers daughter in that when I make up my mind to do something, do not, for the sake of your own safety, get in my way! I am tough on others around me (right, Susan?) and have expectations that others should have the same amount of determination that I have.  Sometimes that's not fair, sometimes its life changing. 

And I am my Mom's daughter (particularly my Stepmom) in that I have even higher expectation of my "sisters" blood and otherwise.  I am not a libber, but I love to prove to the world that we are the stronger sex, not the weaker.  And having strong convictions is just one aspect of that. I don't put up with asshats and I would expect anyone that was dealing with me to call me on it if I was acting like one.

Just sayin.

Have I Mentioned I Love Chinese Food?

Only like a million times, right? So last nite we had Chinese because I was too lazy to mess with dinner.  Or, at least, that was the convenient excuse I used.  We ordered our usual and I ate plenty, but I didn't eat too much, didn't go back for seconds, made myself be satisfied with a human size portion!  So there!

And this morning, I got to have Chinese food left overs for breakfast.  How smart am I, huh?!

Weigh In and ZUMBA!!!

Well, my dears, skinny jeans be damned, I was up .2 today.  And thank you all for your sweet, sweet comments.  You really did, honest and truly, make me cry.  That's not a bad thing!

Today was my first Zumba class.  What a riot!!  I have the coordination of a pregnant elephant on roller skates so I am sure I looked ridiculous, but I didn't care.  It was so much fun.  I had to take frequent breaks cause, let me tell you ladies, this is no cakewalk.  I was sweating and gasping for air like I just ran a marathon and loving every minute of it.  I don't know about the rest of that Zumba outfit (its kinda cute, tho') but I definately need one of those too cool headbands. 

Me in Skinny Jeans

I just wish me and the camera had a better relationship, but whatever.  I promised a picture and I always keep my promises.   Look at those skinny legs.  I tell eveyone "I look like Mrs. Potato Head on toothpicks".  Its a joke (sorta).

Skinny Jeans!

Yesterday, my sister called me and said she had a pair of jeans for me "These are brand new, $90 jeans, and they fit me ok around the waist, but your legs are so much skinnier than mine, they will fit you better.  Come get them."  Oh, my god, they are divine.  I will get a picture of my "skinny legs" in them, I promise.  I feel like a teenager!

Big Goal for the Week

This week, if I play my cards right, I should post a 40 lb (total) loss.  I am soo excited!

Dinner was Beautiful!

I didn't care for the sauce I made for the pasta, going to have to work on that, but otherwise, it was gorgeous and tasty. Taking the left overs for lunch tomorrow.  Almost too pretty to eat!!

Scallops for Dinner (Again!)

Man, you would think I really like scallops or something, which I do!!  I call scallops "Sea Candy", they are so good and sweet.  Today I am going to pan sear them with some mushrooms, add them to a creamy white sauce (yet to be invented!) and served over angel hair pasta.  Salad on the side for good measure.  

I am also cooking a Mexican Shredded Beef dish that I like.  I cook it and keep it in the fridge.  It lasts a long time and is good in burros or added to a salad.  This is my cooking for a week theory in practice.

Welcome New Follower Unseelie!

I just looked up and danged if someone didn't sneak in and pull up chair.  Welcome!

Wow, Good Dinner!

Well, we haven't had meatloaf in awhile and we both love it.  It goes a long way during the week for sandwiches and we just really like it alot.  I make a simple loaf with bread crumbs, eggs and Pace Picante Sauce.  Don't have to chop alot of stuff to get the same flavors.  See, told you I was lazy!

So tonight I made meatloaf, obviously, with 96% lean ground beef, so skinny meat loaf.  And squash. 

And Potatoes Anna.  My God, what an amazing dish!  Now, I just happened upon this in some of my internet travels and was interested but not about to invest in any food dish that called for a stick of butter!  However, I found Cooking Light's version and I was sunk.  Just to die for.   Plan ahead to burn a few POINTs, but this is totally worth it.    

Isn't that beautiful?!

Weigh In and Weigh to Go!

Down 1.8!  Yeah!  That's down .4 more than the gain I posted last week, so I am solidly moving in the right direction.

I continue to post my losses, but don't know if I have posted my actual weight.  Its 173.4 as of today.  I started at 216.  I ought to put a chart over to the side but then I have to maintain it and I am lazy.  That's part of how I got so porky!

If I am going hit the high side of my goal weights, I need to lose 23 lbs.  I am having a very hard time imagining being that small.  The low side of the range is 137!  Impossible?!  Maybe not, but it sure seems so right now.  They tell us to visualize meeting our goals, but that is one illusive vision, I tell you what! 

Really Hungry Today!

Ravenous and no idea why.  I had a good breakfast, eggbeaters with about 3 tablespoons chopped bacon and green chile and a biscuit because it sang to me!  That biscuit sang a country love song and I was smitten.  Anyway, I added about a cup of watermelon to this and was over 10 POINTs  for breakfast.  Not unusual for me, so ok.  This was at 7 am.  By 9 am, my stomach was raising hell with me, screaming "FEED ME".  So I ate my lunch! at 9 am.  It was a 4 POINT lunch.  Ok, I still had plenty of room for MORE lunch, when lunch time rolled around, so I went to the cafeteria and had a couple of crispy tacos as lean as I could get them.  I was finally satisfied until about 2 pm when I wanted something else.  I am telling you, I felt like a bottomless pit!

I am ok now.  Hope this was a passing thing.  Believe it or not, I still didn't break my POINTs for the day (21). 

Dinner Last Night

Well, I was supposed to post about dinner but was too busy making it, then too busy eating, then just digesting it.  It was damned good.  The Peach Bourbon Glazed Pork Loin was delicious.  With that I made some Baby Yukon Potatos and Baby Green and Yellow Scallop squash.  It was a really good dinner and well within POINTS.   I will make it again and maybe, just maybe, I will get some pictures.

Ah, Pancakes

How I love thee!  Had whole wheat pancakes for breakfast, 1 for me, 2 for hubby.  They were delicious.  With bacon, of course, but just a couple pieces. 

Will post about dinner tonite because it should be special with yummy special, Weight Watcher friendly ingredients!

Weigh In and Weighed Down

Well, as expected, I gained a little.  1.4 to be exact and I am ok with that.  In all honesty (cause if I am lying to you, I am lying to me!!) it could have and probably should have been much worse.  And I was wearing more clothing than usual.  Its cooler at 7 am and I have a problem trotting around in shorts when the temps chill off.  So I put on something a little more substantial.  This is an outfit that I like so much that I have 2 of them in different colors and I actually weighed the clothes.  1 lb 8 oz.  Not inconsequential when we are being weighed in tenths of pounds at our meetings.  So I will take it and move on.  Next week will be better.

Today we talked about Motivation and how to maintain it.  What got us on the weight loss train and what keeps us from jumping off at every convenient stop to grab a snack?! 

My motivation may seem selfish, but it comes down to taking care of ME!  I have spent so many years of my life taking care of everyone else and even more so in the last couple years with being primary care giver for my mother.  I came out of last year with a totally different perspective on who was important in my life and I was on the top of that list for a change.  And its what motivates me every day.  

I don't want to sign off without giving a bit of respect to the gravity of the day.  Like most of us, 9/11 is forever linked in my psyche and our communal psyche as well, undoubtly.  I remember where I was (home from work, sick) and watched the second plane hit the second tower.  I sat mesmerized as the morning unfolded, the towers fell and we all cried.  And I was angry and hurt.  I loaded my guns (really!) because I could only imagine that we were under attack and it wasn't going to end there.  I am not a violent person, but I truly believe I could have hurt someone that day! My kids took their kids out of school and came home to be with Mom, not because they felt bad for me, but because Mom was supposed to take care of them.  Hell, I was falling apart!!  I weep as I type this, the emotion is still so raw.  I will never forget.  I can only pray that those that perpertrated this horrible act truly get their just rewards and those that remain behind to grieve the loss of their loved ones will be comforted someday.

Tomorrow is Weigh In

...and I am optomistic.   A couple of weeks ago, our leader indicated that your total weeks POINTs were what really counted, so in retrospect, while I ate alot of really decadent stuff, I also made some really good decisions, so maybe it won't be so bad.  I don't expect a loss, but a MINOR gain would be nice! 

See you in the a.m.

Dr. Visit and other stuff

Well, I promised to report what the Dr. said and he said "Way to go, girl!" or something along those lines.  He's impressed with the weight loss and very pleased that I have not returned to smoking, like that would ever happen!   He reduced my blood pressure medication dosage by HALF!  Is that cool or what?!  I am very happy in general with the way it went, but their scales sure needed calibration.  I refuse to believe what their scales say I weighed.  I have been weighing in on the same set of scales for almost a year (can you believe it?) and I trust them.  I told the Doc too.  He also said he want to see me when I reach 160, which is 10 lbs short of what WW says should be the high end of my goal.  He thinks it may be too much.  We will discuss it then.

On the eating side of things, today was Hubby's birthday day and I took him out for a steak dinner.  I didn't do toooooo bad!  I had half a filet mignon (4 oz?), a baked sweet potato with a tbls of butter, salad with raspberry vinegrette.  I also pulled some off the Tumbleweed onion (yes, it is what you think it is) and had a biscuit that was similar to cheesy garlic toast.

This has been one crazy week food wise and I hope it ends pretty damned soon (I think its over!).  Oh, God, maybe his scales were right?

Wednesday Woes

Ok, so its Tuesday, but who's counting. I have had a tough week this week and its only half over!  It hasn't been tough in the "Woe is me" sense, but tough in the "I can't believe I really ate all that crap!" sense it has really sucked.  Here's a bit of a rundown:

Sat morning (after weigh in): 1/2 Bacon Breakfast Burrito
Sat evening                        :    2 slice combo pizza with extra cheese
Extra Sat bites                   :    Bacon Samples for Chocolate Covered Bacon recipe

Sunday morning                :   Slice Cold Pizza/Numerous taste of Chocolate Covered Bacon preps
Sunday afternoon              :   Crudite w/Ranch Dressing
                                             Chips and Salsa (not alot, but still...)
                                             Texas Chile with Beans
                                             Coleslaw
                                              Corn on the cob

Monday morning              :  Left over Chile (good stuff Wayne!)
Monday evening               :  Shrimp Scampi, Pan Seared Scallops, Mermaid Salad and Corn on Cob.

We will not discuss the amount of beer this was all washed down with!

Now, for those of you who are not counting POINTs, this may look like I eat like royalty, and I guess I do!  But I am not supposed to.  I am supposed to be a little more cognizant about what I am putting in my mouth.  Well, the truth is that the mouth has been in charge all week and the mind has taken a mini-vacation.  It came home today.   And we are back on track.  (I hope!)

Chocolate Covered Bacon

I have a co-worker that we call the Baconator.  Wayne will go to the cafeteria and make a BLT that is a mountain of B and very little L or T.  (The cafeteria lets you pile on your own stuff!) 

We were invited to a BBQ at his house today and the invitees were asked to bring the beverage of their choice and a dessert.  So what did I make?  Right!! Chocolate Covered Bacon!

You know what?  Its amazingly good!  I certainly wouldn't want a steady diet of it, but it was definately interesting and made a great gag gift, especially for this particular person. 

There is none of it left in this house.  We took it all to the party and brought none of it back.  Except for that little bit that might have crept in along my waistline. Not only am I the cook, I am also quality control.  I have to taste it before I can serve it to someone else.  That's my story and I am sticking to it! 

Zumba Shoes

Ok, so I am going to start doing Zumba!  And I am going to Zumba my kazoo off because I invested $80 in a pair of shoes that will make "dancing athletically" easier.  I have officially lost my mind!

Weigh In and Getting Closer

Yippee, down 1.8 lbs today!  I am really psyched about this weight loss and pray I can maintain this level of enthusiasm until I hit my goal.  Then I will pray to maintain it.  I see lots of prayers in my future!  I did pretty good this week with what I ate, both in portion and POINTS.  Except for the taco salads (without tortilla shell, thank you very much!) in which I ate incredible amounts of lettuce to the point of feeling over stuffed!  But everything else on the salad was either low fat (cheese), small portion (ground beef) or no points at all (salsa).  And the scale rewarded me.  I love that scale today!!

When I typed "Getting Closer" I realized it had a couple of meanings to me this week.  Yesterday I was contacted by my fathers only sibling, an aunt I have been estranged from for some time.  She wants to kiss and make up (get closer!).  I am not so sure that I'm ready to make nice.  She is high maintenance and I do not have the time nor patience anymore for that kind of nonsense.  I will meet her halfway.  See what comes of it.  I can always back away if things get hard to swallow again.  Geez, family!!

And then this morning, when I stopped to get coffee at Circle K, the man standing next to me at the coffee machine said "YOU SMELL INCREDIBLE! WHAT ARE YOU WEARING?!" (emphasis his!).  I was floored.  I told him what my perfume was and he asked me a bunch of questions about it e.g., is it expensive, who makes it.  I was flattered and a wee bit embarrassed.  Maybe that was a little too much Getting Closer!

Bone Weary

I am getting to old for this work crap!  I am so tired today, I can barely think. 

I am going to work from home tomorrow, which I love mostly 'cause I get to work in my pajamas.  But not tomorrow.  I am going in to have some blood drawn early in the a.m. because I have a Dr.'s appointment on the 8th.  Its been over a year since I last saw him and I think he will be pleasantly surprised that I have lost 40 lbs since the last time he saw me.  That means I have to put a bra on (and other clothes too!) Damn!

But I get the relative freedom of sitting at my own desk in my own office doing my job.  I don't screw off!  I have a good job and I would not jeopardize it for anything.  And my employer can tell that I am on line and working, so its not like I can hide what I am doing, even if I wanted to.

I will let you know what the Dr. says.  Should be interesting!

On the Mayo Front...

As previously posted, I like mayonnaise and am somewhat of a mayonnaise snob.  And damned proud of it, I might add. 

Now, mind you, I am not one of those people who glops mayo on things.  That is the grossest, biggest turn off in the world to me.  If I go somewhere to eat where I know the meal contains mayonnaise, I generally ask for it on the side, because I am very judicious in its use.

Per my post, a few posts ago, I have been debating about trying the Olive Oil mayos.  I, in addition to being a mayo snob, am a brand snob (or at least very loyal). I am a Best Foods/Hellmans user exclusively.   Or at least I was until yesterday. 

At our WW meeting yesterday, I was talking to a couple of other members and someone piped up and said the Kraft Olive Oil Mayo was good.  So when I was shopping, I grabbed a small bottle to try.   We had asparagus for dinner last nite and one of my mayo "things" is mayo (fake hollandaise) on my asparagus.  It was a really raw taste test and IT PASSED!!  Really good stuff. 

So, I will try it on/in future things, see if it holds up as a salad dressing, will I like it on sandwiches, etc.  For half the Point count, I can figure out all kinds of things to do with it as long as it tastes good.  And it does!!

Stuff and Nonsense

Sunday is my laundry day.  With just me and hubby, there is generally about 4, maybe 5, loads to do and as I am such an early riser, its normally done by 10 or 11 in the morning. I get it started early out of habit because before I got "rich" and got a dryer, I hung my clothes on a clothes line in the backyard.  Trust me, you do not want to be hanging clothes outside in Arizona at noon in the summertime.  Heat Stroke is a distinct possiblity! Unfortunately, as I get greener in my life, I think about using an outdoor line more and more.  We have the best dryer ever, the sun, and when the humidity is down, the air is so dry, clothes actually dry faster than in a machine!  Its pretty awesome.

Kittens!  I should have known better than to foster kittens because now I can't part with them.  So we are now the proud parents of 4 kittens, 2 males, 2 females.  The males will be neutered this Tuesday and the females spayed shortly afterward.  They are good kitties and they love the dogs so we are going to have this crazy little furry family.  I have had as many as 6 cats at a time.  Cats are easy to care for - feed, water, provide a place to go potty! The more aloof they are, the better I like it.  I prefer it if they don't want to share my pillow or sleep on my bladder at night.   We bought them a kittie condo, a veritable Pussy Palace, if you would!

Pretty cool, huh?
















I am going to start posting about things other than my weight loss.  While that will remain my primary focus, I am so much more than my scale numbers and measurements and I fear I have become quite boring!!

I am a reasonable interesting person.  And I do have things to talk about besides food and Weight Watchers.  So be prepared!  Changes are afoot!

Weigh In and Holding Steady

Down 1 lb even.  I thought it was going to be more!  I need to stop weighing myself on the home scale.  Its just too unreliable and either gives me a crazy high number and scares me death or a low one and then I am disappointed when I get to the meeting.   Again, as long as those numbers continue in a downward vein, I will be satisfied if not ecstatic. 

Tonite, we are going to grill a bit of steak, have some corn on the cob and asparagus.  Tomorrow, I am going to bake some stuffed pork chops and sweet potatos.  My long suffering hubby is making noise about eating too much chicken and fish, so I need to placate His Highness, The Red Meat Eater, or I will be hard pressed to get him to play Weight Watchers with me.  He's playing, I am playing for keeps.  There is a big difference.

Mermaid Salad

Yum!  I love this salad on a hot day.  Lettuce, tomato, scallion, celery, surimi (fake crab), salt and pepper.  And mayo!  And there, my dear friends, is my problem.

I love mayo.  And I have a hard time using light mayo in some of the salads that I use it in.  Lite Mayo doesn't quite stay together like the real thing and in breaking down has a tendency to look old and really puts me off!

So, I have a question for you.  Has anyone tried the Olive Oil Mayonnaise(s).  I am a true blue Hellmans user, but I would try the Kraft if it had better flavor.  I could buy both and try them, I suppose, but thought maybe, just maybe, one of you has already pulled that stunt and could give me some guidance.  Whattya think?

As Expected...

I was down close to 2 lbs this morning.  Let's hope that bodes well for the rest of the week.  I don't have any dinners out planned, no margaritas on the horizon, chips and salsa are just a figment of my imagination.  Should be a good week!

Weigh In and Water Retention and Food from the Sea

I woke up this morning all swollen up like a poisoned pup!  My fingers were so swollen they hurt.  Where did that come from?  And why do I have to stand on a scale today?  So, yes, I was up today, 1.2 to be exact.  I will probably be down 2 tomorrow, because I know its all water weight.  What I don't know is why.

I found these beautiful shrimp.  Look at these things!  Shrimp is an inappropriate name for them.

They are fresh water shrimp and 6 of them came to almost a pound!  They were a little pricey ($15.99 a lb) but thats ok for a now and then thing and still cheaper than eating out and when we eat out, I don't get to control the calories.

So, I found this amazing recipe for Crab Stuffed Shrimp at My Wooden Spoons.  I basically followed her recipe, I just made my own bread crumbs and added some lemon zest to the stuffing.   For me, this recipe was a lot of work!!  But it was really good.  I can honestly say, I only ate 1 stuffed shrimp!! Using the Weight Watchers Recipe Builder they came out to 4 pts per shrimp.  I plated up 2 thinking 1 would not be enough, but it really, really was.  And it made for a very pretty plate.

And A Good Time Was Had By All

I had so much fun last nite.  I enjoy my friend so much and we see each other so rarely (our faults!) that we can't really help but have a great time.  We are both Weight Watchers but she's made goal and looks like a million dollars.  I have a little bit to go yet and look like a half million or so!!  But we had fun!  There was beer, and margaritas, and fish tacos and man bashing and eye lash drug discussions and perfume admiration.  You name it, we managed to cram it into a very short 3.5 hours. And I love my friend and we need to do this more than once a year!!!  She said she would be a guest blogger, so I need set that up and I will let you all know when we are ready to do that.  Did I tell you I really love my friend?

A New Follower!

Hi, CCMervin!!  Welcome!!  Why you have decided to follow right now, when I in lame-O land, have had nothing of interest to write, I will never understand, but Hell, we love the company!!  So, in my fine upstanding tradition, I welcome you!

Still have nothing to really blog about.  Haven't cooked since Sunday and don't plan on it until Saturday and I am still waiting for my muse to inspire me sometime between now and then so I know what to shop for.  Work has kept me really busy.

Tomorrow, I am having drinks after work with an old friend.  We haven't seen each other in months and she has not seen me since I really started to show the weight loss.  Should be fun!!  Maybe I can get her to post something to the blog to tell you her reaction.  That would be fun!!

Weigh In and Quietitude

I didn't get excited about blogging today because there is not much going on.  I was down .2 which is ok but certainly nothing to have a party about.  And my life is quiet and peaceful and for that I am grateful.

Today, I have marinaded chicken breast strips for fajitas for dinner tonite, made a Sweet and Chunky Chicken Salad  and a Kidney Bean Salad for the week.  A tip on that Kidney Bean Salad, if you do make it be warned it has a bite!  I use the regular Rotel but noticed there is a hot and mild also.  I can't imagine what kind of 3 alarm fire that hot stuff could cause!  The regular is very, very spicy.   If you are not into hot, try the mild, but you really need to use it. 

I got a catalog in the mail today and it had a dress in it that I want soooo bad.  Its incredibly beautiful and is just my style.  And expensive!  I showed it to Hubby and he said "Order it".  So I did.  And if it doesn't fit when it gets here, it will be a goal to get into it.  I love a good challenge.

Bestest Friends!!

Do you have a really good friend, not including your significant other?  You know a sister in crime?  A cohort that just gets you?  Understands and sympathizes and is willing to kick anyone's butt including your own when necessary? 

That's my cousin Valerie.  She is my mother's brother's daughter, but my father and stepmother raised her from about 12 years old on.  I will tell you Valerie's whole story in another post.  Its a good one.

We call each other Sister.  She's about 5 years younger than I and is my nail tech.  We can talk about anything, from kids to bowel movements.  We laugh and joke and the people at the salon where she works get the biggest kick out of the two of us, because "You are always having so much fun!".  And, generally,  we are!  We can also be very critical of each other and BLUNT!  No holds barred between us! 

Val is also very good friends with my daughter.  The two of them started Weight Watchers last year together and their dramatic body changes were inspiring to me.  I knew when I was quitting smoking that I was going to gain weight and watching them lose was somewhat disheartening, but I also knew that once my "quit" was solid, that I would be returning to WW and "getting with the Program", too.   And I did.  In the meantime, they both fell by the wayside.

I have now exceeded Val's weight loss and she has decided that "Laura cannot beat me at this!".  So the competition is on.  It will be good for both of us and, ultimately, we will wind up raiding each others closets.  Just like any good sister would do.  I am sooo gonna beat her at this! 

Pigging Out!!

What a phrase!  But today, I did.  The only good thing was I pigged out on good food.  This morning I had an Eggbeaters Omelette with bacon, green chili and salsa.  No toast, no nothing to go with, I even forgot my milk!!  For lunch I had a big cup of garden veggie soup and a salad with all kinds of good stuff on it, including shrimp I rescued from my failed Shrimp and Fruit Salad and repurposed for just this salad.  I had grapes and watermelon for snacks.  It was perfect.  I plan to pig out like this lots more!!

To Recipe or Not to Recipe?

Yesterday, I made a Shrimp and Fruit Salad.  It looked great on paper.  It took a long time to make, with multiple steps, which I don't normally mind.  And when it was complete, it was gorgeous.  It photographed well, but guess what?  I didn't really like it! 

So, my question is, do I post it anyway and let you try it for yourself or trust my own judgement and just not post this one?  My instinct is to let it go, but we don't all have the same taste buds so it could be something you would really like. 

Such a dilemma!!

Weigh In and Weigh To Go!!

Great Weigh In today -2.8 for a total loss of 36.2 lbs.  This morning started out crazy, overslept, was running around trying to get ready for my meeting.  Threw on some black shorts and a shirt I bought before we went to Cabo San Lucas.  It was WAYYY to small to take on vacation but I grabbed it this morning and, whattya know, it fit!!  I knew it was gonna be a great day!! 

Lot to do today.  Already got my shopping done, need to finish laundry (just a couple loads, thank God!).  I am making the Kidney Bean Salad and a Shrimp and Fruit Salad along with some scallops, corn on the cob, and rice.  Now those are not all one meal, just elements of my weekend cooking adventures.  As I don't like to cook during the week, I like to make loads of good things on the week ends that will carry through.  Like last weekends frittata.  That made 8 breakfasts!!   The Kidney Bean Salad recipe says 6 servings, but I would say that might be the case if you were eating it as a meal.  Its really filling so a little goes a long way.  I can dump a 1/2 cup on a bed of lettuce and add some home made chicken tenders for a yummy lunch and I would be very satisfied.  You really should try the Kidney Bean Salad.  If you don't like it, it didn't cost a fortune to make and you can always toss it out!!  I will post pics and recipes (if I remember! I am not just losing weight, I am losing my memory too!)

Really Enjoying Cooking This Weekend

Well, I made the frittata yesterday for breakfast this morning.  It was excellent and will cover me for breakfast for the week.  Today, because the weather was awesomely cool and I could turn on my oven and I just bought these beautiful plums, I decided to make some plum tarts.  These are not that high in Points, about 5 points a serving, higher than I normally like any "treat" to be.  But they are yummy and beautiful and I take a great deal of pleasure in just making them.  Cooking is my creative outlet in many, many ways.  I won't post a recipe unless someone requests it specifically, but here's a picture to drool on.  And I promise, it tastes every bit as good as it looks.  My co-workers love me.

Weigh In and Washington DC

Well, as I figured, I was up 1.6 lbs for this week, but you know what, I didn't (don't) care.  I really enjoyed myself, I ate good food and not junk and I will take it off, I am sure.  One cannot go and eat at the finest restaurants where the wine and butter flow freely and hope to even maintain, much less lose, weight.  Even knowing I was up, I went to my meeting and will continue to go.  I learn so much and even when I am not being the best Weight Watcher, I am still a Weight Watcher and meetings keep me from falling off the wagon completely.

I made a frittata last night for breakfast this morning.  Recipe looks like this:

Breakfast Frittata

POINTS® Value: 8
Servings: 8

Ingredients
1 lb. Jmmie Dean Breakfast Sausage
2 tblsp Olive Oil
1 bag Simply Potatoes Southwest Hashbrowns
6 item(s) egg
6 item(s) egg white(s)
4 oz Kraft 2% Milk Natural Cheese Mexican four cheese shreds

Preheat Oven to 350.

I break up and brown the sausage then remove from the pan and drain on a paper towel.  I add about a tablespoon of olive oil to the same pan, get it hot and add the potatos and cook until they are golden brown.  You want lots of brownness, so turn them a couple times adding a bit more oil if necessary to assist in the browning.  Once nicely browned, add the sausage into the potatoes and mix well.  Scramble eggs and egg whites together and pour over the potatoes and sausage. Gently move the potato/sausage mix around and let the egg settle in.   Cook slowly on the stovetop for a few more minutes until eggs start to set up. 

Place into a 350 oven for 10 to 15 minutes, watching it.  When it appears to be almost completely set, sprinkle some cheddar or Mexican cheese blend (use the 2% stuff) over the top.  Turn on the broiler and put it back into the oven until cheese melts and gets beautiful.

Its very dense and rich and while traditionally this might make 8 servings at 8 Points, I cut it much thinner for a smaller portion. Its really good, tho', especially with a good salsa on it.  It keeps well and I can take a half serving with me to work for breakfast and, along with some fruit, start my day off just right.  And it can be eaten hot or cold.  Very versatile.


Hubby said "You've GOT to get a picture of that!"  I must admit its really quite lovely. 

I recommend cooking this in a really good non stick pan.  It will slide right out on a plate whole if you do.

Meet Romeo and Juliet

These guys serenaded each other all night long last night from the comfort of our swimming pool. When I got up this morning, I rescued them from drowning (toads only swim so well) and took them out to a nearby wash and turned them loose where they could hobnob with their own kind and let me get some damned SLEEP! Cheeky little bastards!!

Actually, they are kind of cool.  They spend the majority of their lives underground, like 10 months out of every year, only coming out during our torrential monsoon rains to breed. Their call is amazing!!  Very loud and when they are out and about its generally in great numbers so it can be quite the cacophony.  Oh, and they can get to the size of a dinner plate, really really big.  And they are toxic to other animals. 

When I was a child we played with them all the time.  One time, my mom had called us in to dinner and we had one with us when we came in.  It was the size of a saucer, big ol' portly thing.  My mom said "Put in the bathtub for now and wash up for dinner.  You can turn it loose later".  Well, after dinner we went to check on it and it had laid about 75,000 eggs in the bathtub.  Yes, that number is fairly accurate and I am not exaggerating.  My mother (yes the same one I had a love/hater relationship with) was all about us kids learning things so when we begged and pleaded to keep the eggs in the tub, she acquiesced.  So for the next few weeks, we watched the miracle of eggs turn to polliwogs, turn to tadpoles and the joy of releasing little baby toads in the wild.  It was very cool.  

This was the best kept batch of toad eggs that ever existed, I can assure you.  Because they are cannibalistic when food sources get scarce, which is beyond icky!, we fed them and they had their water refreshed regularly.  It was kind of like being born at the amphibian Ritz.

I like critters and the toads are no exception, except when they keep me up at night.  Little boogers.

These two are pretty small.  That's a mascara wand for perspective.

Shrimp for Dinner

I am a seafoodaholic.  If that's not a word, it should be!!  I really like seafood on Friday night before Saturday Weigh In.  Even if I have a gain (which I probably will tomorrow) it won't be because of what I ate on Friday nite!!  I wanted a Shrimp Salad for dinner tonight and found this one and another.  This one really caught my eye and medium shrimp were $3.99 a pound.  Must have been an omen.  So here was whats for dinner tonight, with Weigh In looming over my head for tomorrow.  I will be brave!

Margarita Shrimp Salad

POINTS® Value: 7
Servings: 4

Ingredients
1 pound(s) shrimp, medium shrimp, 50-60 count, peeled and deveined
2 oz tequila
2 tsp orange zest
1 tsp lime zest
1 tsp table salt
1/4 cup(s) red onion(s), thinly slivered
4 serving(s) Creamy Lime-Chili Dressing (recipe follows)
4 cup(s) romaine lettuce
1 large head(s) endive (I used 3 small ones)
1 1/2 cup(s) orange sections (2 oranges?)
1 medium avocado (I forgot this and missed it!)
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium lime(s), wedges

Instructions

1. Toss shrimp, tequila, orange zest, lime zest and salt in a medium bowl. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Slice and place onion in a small bowl, cover with cold water and some ice; let stand for 10 minutes, or until ready to use.

2. Meanwhile, make Creamy Lime-Chile Dressing.

3. Toss romaine, endive, orange segments and the drained onion in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Divide among 4 plates. Toss avocados with lime juice and divide among the salads.

4. Drain the shrimp, reserving the marinade. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and saut until pink and firm, 2 to 3 minutes. Divide among the salads. Add the reserved marinade to the pan and bring to a boil, stirring; spoon over shrimp. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing.

As usual, I didn't really follow the directions so well.  But, it came out soooo good.  My advice is to follow the recipe unless you are confident in the kitchen, then let it all hang out and do it your way.  I will say, Don't forget the avocado!  My mouth really missed it when I realized I had forgotten it.  And try endive if you haven't ever (like me!).  Its good.  A little pricey at 3.99 @ lb, but hell, I don't eat it every nite, so once it a while I can throw a couple bucks away to try some (insert something new here).

Here's a picture of my plate.  I am proud of this one and Hubby thinks I am a  rock star (and I am so full!).  All is right with the world!

Edit:  I just realized I didn't post the Creamy Lime-Chili Dressing that goes on the lettuce mixture.  Here it is.

Creamy Lime Chile Dressing


POINTS® Value: 0
Servings: 8

Ingredients

6 Tbsp light sour cream
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tsp jalapeno pepper(s), minced
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp table salt

Instructions

Whisk all ingredients in a small bowl.  Add to lettuce/orange/avocado mix before adding shrimp.  I found this kind of bland on its own, but it worked well with the salad.  I bet with some work, I could jazz it up really good.

Hot Damn!!

Well, a dress I order a couple weeks ago showed up today.  I have to send it back cause IT'S TWO SIZES TOO BIG!! What a problem to have! I love it though and will definately reorder it in the correct size.  I might even be convinced to get a picture in it.  We'll see!!

Spanish Delight

Well, so far so good.  Last night we went to a Spanish restaurant called Bodega's.  I lived in Spain for 3 years and I miss the food which is so good.  This restaurant satisfied my cravings for Spanish food and wine in the best of ways and I was able to introduce several of my co-workers to some unique and tasty treats.  A good time was had by all and, other than the the Sangria, it wasn't too bad points wise. 

Tonite, assuming we decide we need anything else to eat (doubtful!), we will go for seafood.  One thing I love about major metropolitan areas like DC is the variety of restaurants and ethnic choices.  You just don't find it at home. 

Weigh in and Squeeking By

Ok, despite the food orgy on Thursday, I managed to not gain (or lose) an ounce.  I am thrilled!!  I should have posted a gain and somehow managed to miss it.  It seems to work that way sometimes.  I will not look this particular gift horse in the mouth, but have learned a valuable lesson.  I will pack lunches to these things.  People can think what they will. 

I am getting ready to leave tomorrow for DC for a few days.  I am looking forward to the trip.  All of it except the eating challenges.  I will probably eat alot of fish stuff and, once again, I will be subject to what the people who set up the conference consider food.  I will probably eat in the dining room because I doubt there will be any protein offered for breakfast and I absolutely will not eat sweet rolls to start the day.   Lunch will probably at least offer a salad, we will see.  Evening meals will be taken in some restaurant or another.  I am looking a menus for places close to the hotel (we will be on foot or using the metro).  If I can maintain next weigh in also I will consider it a victory.

For the flight and for in room snacking, I am taking jerky, pistachios and Quacker True Delight Snacks.  I love these True Delight treats.  They are 2 points per serving and are actually healthy and delicious.  A winning combination in my book.  If you haven't already, give these a try.  I think you will really like them. Note: only the granola bars I have shown here are 2 points, the others are higher I believe. 

All Day Meetings!

I hate all day meetings where you are a captive audience, sorta forced to eat what's catered in.  I am weak in these situations and they never  provide really good options when you are watching your weight.

Case in point, today!!  The breakfast offering was fruit (GREAT!) and sweet rolls (you're kidding, right?).  None of us need sweet rolls for breakfast.  It lame and inexcusable.  Order some protein folks!!  Even if its bacon its better than sweet rolls.  But eating half a watermelon wasn't an option either, so I did eat a sweet roll.  And a large one of course, because I have no self control!!

Then there was lunch!  There was salad; green (good) potato (not so good), two high fat dressings (bad) cold cuts, cheese, bread, and mayo and mustard.  A huge bowl of potato chips (my weakness!).  So I had a turkey and swiss sandwich on whole wheat with little bit of mayo, some green salad with a little Italian dressing,  and enough potato chips to choke a horse!! Again, the lack of self discipline.

And the 2:30 snack, cookies and cream cheese stuffed things that were rich and gooey and I ate 2 of them. 

And I wonder why I am having so many problems getting off this plateau?  Yeah, right!! 

Weigh in and Yippee (Sorta)

Today's weigh in saw me officially achieve a 35 lb weight loss!  Wow, should have been ecstatic about that but I wasn't.  I barely squeaked into it by -.4 and kinda of feel like a fraud.  I have been struggling so hard with this the last few weeks and it was just sorta anticlimatic I guess.  I have been super emotional all morning, including weepy sniffles in the meeting, God Forbid.

Weepy sniffles is my classic reaction to anger, frustration, disappointment, any number of different emotions that most people react totally different to.  I cry.  I think I missed a life lesson somewhere along the way (I was probably in the buffet line!) that taught you how to properly deal with emotions other than stuffing them or stuffing me.  Either option is detrimental to me.  One makes me emotionally fragile, the other expands my waistline.

Today's meeting topic was Plateaus and could not have been more relevant to where I am and what has been going on in my life.  I learned to not be so hard on myself (I think) and to not let the scale be my sole metric on this journey.  So I came home and measured myself.  I have lost a total of 18.5 inches over the span of my membership with WW.  That is not a bad thing at all.  And I am justifiably proud. 

The Night Before Weigh In

I always try to eat light the day before Weigh In.  I don't like to get on the scale with a hamburger hang over and I know that beef takes so long to digest that a spot of roast beef will show up on the scale tomorrow.  So I generally go with fish or seafood with some side(s) and that gets me through.

Tonite it was tilapia and my only decision was how to cook it.  So, I did a Potato Crusted Tilapia using instant potatoes and eggbeater.  Man, it was soo good.  I haven't had fried fish in a long time.  Hell I haven't even SAID fried in a long time.  Here's a recipe and a picture of the results. 

Potato Crusted Tilapia
POINTS® Value: 5
Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 1/2 pound(s) raw tilapia (6 fillets)
1 cup(s) dry potato flakes
1 cup(s) Egg Beaters Egg Beaters
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon pepper

Instructions

Mix Potato Flakes with Lemon pepper in shallow dish large enough to hold at least one fillet.
Pour Egg Beaters into different shallow dish.
Heat frying pan over medium heat and add 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp oil.
Put one 1 fillet into the Eggbeaters then dredge through potato flakes.
Add to hot frying pan. Fry about 3 minutes each side or until golden brown.
Add additional butter and oil, if needed when you flip fillets 3 and 4.  That should be plenty to finish all the fish.

Together with a cup of mixed veggies, this was a 6 point meal.  You don't get much better than that. 

Junkie Thinking

Today I posted a comment on  Debbies' Site about junkie thinking.  I didn't coin this phrase.  It is used commonly on a Quit Smoking message board I frequent and relates to the constant mental assault of our desire, and yes, I will say it, addictive minds to do what we know is incredibly bad for our bodies to satisfy that craving whether it is for cigarettes or potato chips. 

I smoked cigarettes for 37 years and was smoking almost 3 packs a day when I decided it was time to quit.  As I proceeded in my journey, the barrage of thoughts telling me it would be "Ok to just smoke one!" or "You're never gonna do this, just quitting kidding yourself and light up!" were constant and I will tell you now, quitting smoking was undoubtedly the most difficult thing I have ever done in my whole life and my own "junkie thinking" was probably my worst enemy!  We can be, and usually are, the only reason for our failures. You can stick a bowl of ice cream in front of me but unless you tie me, prop my jaw open and force feed it to me, you can not be held responsible for what I choose to do with that ice cream.  I am responsible for what I do with that ice cream, and ultimately, what that ice cream is going to do to me.

When you are feeling derailed, stop for a minute and think about the voices in your head. No you are not demented, you are probably like most overweight folks myself included, a food addict. Maybe not by medical definition, but by carefully analyzing your situation, I would bet you a donut that you experience that "junkie thinking" too, the voice that tells you tomorrow is soon enough to start and "What the hell, you can't win."  Quit listening to that voice.  If you ignore it long enough, it does go away eventually.

Fruits and Veggies

In accordance with the topic of our meeting last Saturday, I have been cramming fruits and veggies and what I have discovered is they leave me starving at the end of the day.  Not that I don't like them or want them, but their bulk does not leave room for other things (lean meats and whole wheat stuff) and then, when that bulk has dissipated, I am so hungry I could gnaw my own arm.  I need to find a happy balance here. 

Champagne Pear Vinaigrette

Like many of you, I follow TJ and am unbelievable grateful for her ability to find and turn us all on to the best food that will fit into our plans, especially those of us that count Points.  She seems to haunt all the best grocery stores and is able to ferret out cool things like Thomas's bagel thins and Trader Joe's Asian Style Spicy Peanut Sauce. 

But it appears she has missed something at Trader Joe's.  It could be when she saw the creamy texture of this dressing and the word "Gorgonzola" on the label, she figured there was no way that this was fitting into a low cal life style.  But, Girlfriend, do I have news for you!!  This is only 1 point for 2 tbls serving and it is divine!!  You could take a bath in this and not go over points (and you would be mighty tasty!)  You will find this along with the Spicy Peanut Sauce with the refrigerated dressings (look over the salad fixin's) at Trader Joe's.  If you like an occasional sweet dressing with a good balance of flavors, look no further.

Weigh In and Blech!

Well, nothing to report really.  I was up .2. Not exactly a disaster, but not moving in the right direction, dammit!!  I am struggling right now.  Craving stupid stuff like candy and eating even when I am not hungry.  Its weird and I can't seem to get it under control.  I wish I knew what was causing it.  Why now when I wasn't struggling before? I am going to have to do a little introspection and see if I can't figure out what's eating me that's making me eat everything else!

Sister Suzi Gave Me a Sugar Doll Award

How sweet is this?!  When I call her "Sister" its because we decided we were related sometime back due to our unerring affinity for adult beverages, particularly BEER!  The theory being only people closely related can think so much alike.  DNA testing is just around the corner. 

So in order to fulfill my requirements for this award I have to do the following:

•Thank the recipient...I AM EVER SO GRATEFUL! (Mostly cause I have you as a friend!)

•Link back to the giver...Done :)

•Reveal 10 things about me...Wow, I am pretty boring, so lets see what I can come up with.

1. I sucked my thumb until I was 16 years old.  (Thankfully, I didn't screw up my teeth!)

2. I love to sing and am decent at it. 

3. I speak almost fluent Spanish.

4. I have 12 grandchildren!

5. I love to horseback ride.  I haven't been in ages and doing so right now would probably kill me but when I was younger, I was the most horse crazy kid you ever met.

6.I would eat pretty much anything at least once.  I was raised to have a very adventurous pallet and have tried some strange things (baby eel anyone?)  The only thing I can ever remember even refusing to try was hogs ears that were served in some bars in Spain as tapas!

7. I am seriously afraid of heights!

8. When I was a kid, I had severe allergies.  In my teens I was tested to see what all I was allergic to.  I was allergic to 138 things out of 150 in the test. None of them were food.  Go Figure!

9. I have a tendency to be very bossy!  That's what happens when you are the big sister in charge of everyone else.  And it becomes pervasive in everything you do!

10.I love to camp, preferring remote locations with primitive facilities.   

And now, I have to gift this to others and once again, I am at a bit of a loss.  Give me a day or two and let me think on who I think is such a Sugar Doll.

Ladies and Gentleman, Introducing...

My first beer butt chicken.  I don't know if you recall from my vacation post, I got to taste my first ever beer butt chicken in Mexico.  I know, I lead a sheltered life (also known as living under a rock!).
But I liked it and vowed to do it at home given the opportunity and that happened tonite.  Now, mind you, this is not exactly a Weight Watchers recommended protein.  Too much skin, fat, bones, etc.  But once in a blue moon isn't gonna kill anyone.

Now, I am not going to regal you with my Beer Butt Chicken prowess because, honestly, how the hell can you screw this up? However, what you can't see (or taste) is the most divine Peach Bourbon Glaze on that baby.  I am telling you that chicken got off that pedastal and dove into this glaze.  Its that good.   Not only that, but its so good, I am trying to figure out what's gonna get Peach Bourbon Glazed next!! 

And then the circus came to town!!

We are doomed.

Happy 4th of July

We proudly fly our flag and have done so for many years.  We have used the standard house mount bracket that everyone uses to put their flagstaff in and that's ok.  A couple of years ago, I found a flag pole that you just stuck in the ground in your yard.  Nothing fancy, no concrete footings.  And it spins with the wind so your flag is never wrapped around the pole, just looking silly.  And I love it.  

Hubby put the flag out today and I have been out and about several times and each time I come home, I am struck by how wonderful that flag looks flying in my yard!!  I told him how much I like it.  We might just put it out all the time.

This is the flag flying in my yard.

If you are interested in this flagpole you can find it on QVC product number M17012 or follow this link:

http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.2/app.detail/params.item.M17012.desc.1212-Wind-Dancer-Flagpole-w-FlyRight-Technology

How to NOT Screw Up the Plan

Ok, so we went out to eat tonight to a burger/steak/rib joint up the street.  Usually pretty good and good for lots of stuff  I have no business putting in my face under any circumstances.  

So we get there and order, him a burger and me the chicken fajitas.  And, as they were listed as an appetizer, an order of onion rings.  After bringing us our drinks, our waitress show up with this huge platter of onion rings.  They were a meal in themselves.  WTF? I was thinking 6 rings, not 26!!

Dinner took forever, was not warm when we got it, my fajitas were accompanied by a bowl that looked like the refried bean fairie had taken a serious dump in it.  Needless to say, I was less than impressed by our meal.

However, I didn't eat much of anything (except the uber marvelous onion rings {go figure}).  Probably still under points for the day.

Skinny Cow...let's talk.

Weigh In and Whoopee!!

Well, I got that stupid pound off again (actually 1.4 lbs) and I intend to keep it off now!!  I am within .4 lbs of having officially lost 35 lbs and only need to lose 1.8 to reach 175 a new low for me.  I haven't seen that over 15 years, just briefly, and prior to that it was 30+ years.  And I want it bad!!  Onward Soldiers!!

New Babies in the House

Starting tomorrow I will be fostering 5 kittens! I don't know if I have spoken of it before, but I love animals of all shapes and sizes and there are so many kittens that need homes and only so many pairs of hands to care for them, get their medical care, get them spayed and neuter, etc.  Sooo, I decided to take in a few of the little varmints.

This will be just hunky dory with my male pug who thinks cats were invented for him to play with.  My female will be a bitch, literally and figuratively, but she won't hurt them. 

The intent is to care for them until the sponsoring organization finds a home for them.  They will also cover medical costs.  I can afford to feed them and probably a dozen more so that's not a problem.  I also intend to keep two of them. 

My long suffering hubby, with deep sighs and crazy eye rolls, said I could.  After all these years, he knows its fruitless to say no.  And he knows I just make a pretense of asking him so he knows I love him even if I don't really need his permission.  I will post pics of the babies when I can.

Welcome New Follower Blync!!

Everyone, I would like you to meet Blync.  If I am not mistaken she is an Arizona girl lost somewhere in the wild wild northwest where they don't sell her favorite tortillas!!  Yes, I offered to send her some.  Haven't heard back yet.  I want to see if I can keep this up.  Introducing followers as they join.  Unless I get a convention going all at once, I think this is doable.

4.5 Hour Meetings w/Lunch

Ok, so we had a 4.5 hour meeting today, including lunch, which was the closest thing one could have to an indoor BBQ.  Hamburgers, hotdogs, chile for the hot dogs, boneless skinless chicken breast!!  There was BBQ beans,  potato salad, and coleslaw, bakers fries, peach and apple cobbler and ice cream.  Tea and lemonade. 

So how I do?  Well, I started out ok.  I had a chicken breast, a couple slices of tomato, some coleslaw, a little beans. And I had a little peach cobbler (I was really very, very good!!) and NO ice cream. Not bad huh?!  But then...

I went back thru the kitchen.  Damn!!  I had a little bowl of that chile with some more coleslaw on it.  Not once, but twice.  You'd think I was starving to death. 

I should have just ate the damned ice cream.  

Thank you, Grandma Rubye!

My grandmother could grow anything and did!!  One of "our" personal favorites was squash, any kind, any time, anywhere.  Tonight, cause I really just wanted to put something in my mouth, I ate about 3 cups of steamed baby yellow squash.  It was sooo good.   Hubby doesn't like squash, so I get his share too.  I am so happy. Oh, and .5 Points!  How awful is that?

Wounded!!

This, my friends, is the kitchen tool from hell!! 

It was purchased in a weak moment while strolling thru the State Fair Exhibits some 15 years ago and has been hidden from my sight until recently when I rediscovered it.  Notice those blades!!  They are sinister.  Unfortunately, they are not sharp enough to cut through, oh lets say, a sweet potato or a carrot.  Hard root veggies are this things down fall!!

Laura's palm, on the other hand, or actually this hand, was a piece of cake.  Cut through it like a hot knife through butter.  3 times!

As with all things, blaming the tool is kind of senseless.  I wasn't using it properly and was actually anticipating something like this happening.  Just trying to avoid it.  Not such a good job.  Well, I got no sympathy from hubby, but he's gonna wash the dishes.  And I am gonna trash this thing and get me a good mandolin.  I think my $20 spent at the State Fair 15 years ago has long out lived its value.

Tropical Fruit

You just know that the Good Lord was really happy the day he created mangoes and pineapple.  And kiwi and starfruit and strawberries.  And don't forget bananas!!

This Weight Loss Gig is Crazy!

This morning I get up and weigh myself and I am down 1.2 lbs!!  I know I shouldn't do that, but I do and it makes me want to pull my hair out!!  Sometimes there is no rhyme or reason to this.  Let's just hope it foretells a good week. 

I posted earlier this week about a love of peaches and I actually made a 3 point Peach Cobbler this morning.  Now, if I only posted my successes, I would find that rather dishonest, because, frankly, cooking is all about trial and error. But, in this case, it was kind of a mixed bag.  It needs work, but all is not lost and, after all, its peaches!!

So lets dissect this thing a little bit.

Here's the ingredients.  Nothing fancy or out of the norm.  So why did my cobbler not quite cut it?  Well, I think I didn't use enough peaches or sweetner.  I used Stevia to sweeten it and according to the conversion charts, 12 little packs of Stevia is the sweetness equivalent to 24 teaspoons (1/2 cup) of sugar.  That just seemed awfully sweet to me so I only used 8 packs.  Should have stuck with 12!! And one cannot EVER have too many peaches!!  I also forgot to add any sweetner to the biscuit topping and when I do it over again, I will roll out the biscuit topping and cut it, instead of doing the "drop biscuit" style.  The breading won't be so thick that way and will probably accomodate "more peaches!"  Go figure. 

It wasn't bad, a little bitter, but I am not a big "syrupy sweet" fan so I ate it anyway.  I would just like to tweek it a little.  Its really nice to look at tho'!

I will post a recipe for this in a while after I have had time to play with it.  In the meantime, I will tease you. 

Weigh In and Unhappy Gypsie!

I have this damned pound that sticks to me like gum on my shoe and is every bit as irritating!  Weigh in today I was up .8.  Now, mind you, that's not much, but it just won't go away and I really have no one to blame but me.  (If I could blame YOU, I would feel so much better.)  Part of the problem is that its summertime.  In the wintertime, I can pop open a can of soup and be happy and satisfied and not be packing on the pounds.   In the summer, its more difficult for me because everything seems to take so much effort (even making salads is a chore if I have to make them every stinking night!). So, my leader challenged me to find a "go to" food that I can turn to in the summer like I do soup in the winter.  I am working on some things, new recipes that I can, hopefully, make on the weekends that will last me through the week for my lunches, at least.    I have also made a couple of purchases that I will fill you in on as I try them.

Today, in the recipe search process, I found this salad that is really, really good and pretty easy.  It would have been a cake walk actually except I had to cut some corn off a cob to use for the "corn" part of the ingredients.  I had other corn, but I didn't want to throw this cooked ear away and had no other particular use for it.  Still no big deal.   But look at this:

And it tastes every bit as bright as it looks.  Its still chilling in the fridge cause you want it to get good and cold, but it will go so well with dinner tonite.  It will go on my permanent rotation. 

Kidney Bean Salad

POINTS® Value: 3
Servings: 6

Ingredients

3 1/2 cup(s) canned kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
1 large corn on the cob (1 cup corn kernals.  I assume this would be frozen, cooked in advance or canned, drained)
1 cup(s) scallion(s)
2 cup(s) canned tomatoes with green chilies (Ro-Tel)
1/4 cup(s) fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp sugar
1 cup(s) cooked brown rice  (I used a cup of my Royal Rice Blend here, cause I am a rice snob)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (this was not in the original recipe, but I found the salad need "something" and it was the "something" I had on hand.  If you don't like cilantro, you might try parsley or another green herb that you really like)

Instructions

In a large bowl combine beans, corn, rice, green onions, cilantro and Ro-Tel; set aside. In a 1-cup measure combine remaining ingredients; pour over bean mixture. Toss to coat. Chill 3 to 4 hours before serving. Serves 6. (Depending how big a portion you are looking at here, I think this will serve more than 6!)

Found My Flatouts!!

There is a God and he likes to see me get my fiber!!  I had one more store to check out and whattya know?! They carried my Flatouts flatbread.  I really like these.  I can use them in so many ways, very versatile bread. 

This morning I went to my normal nail appointment, then to Kohl's for a little shopping and on to this store, Albertson's, to look for (and find) the Flatouts.  I didn't eat any breakfast and was starving by the time I got home around 10:30 am.  So I made myself a sammie.  Now this was one HELL of a sandwich and I can only forgive myself because its breakfast and lunch combined.  It was a Flatout spread with one tablespoon of Best Foods Light Mayo, 3 oz. Deli sliced Turkey, 2 oz Lacey Swiss Cheese and half an avocado schmeered all over.  Rolled that puppy and scarfed it down before I came in here and added it to my Point Tracker.  Um, can we say 12.5 Points!!?  Wow, but guess that's not too bad for two meals literally rolled into one.  I am full!!

Sweet and Chunky Chicken Salad

I love this salad.  I came home from work today and whipped some of this up, not for today, but for my lunch tomorrow.  I originally got this recipe from Hungry Girl but I have doubled it here and probably added some points in the process.  Play with it with your Recipe Builder (I bet TJ could rock this!).  Speaking of whom, I need to send an email. 

Sweet & Chunky Chicken Salad

POINTS® Value: 5

Servings: 4

Ingredients

2 cup(s) cooked chicken breast

1 cup(s) kirby cucumber

1 cup(s) grapes, Red Seedless, sliced in half

1 medium apple(s), Red Delicious, chopped into bite size pieces

3 medium stalk(s) celery, Thinly Sliced

4 oz plain fat-free yogurt

4 Tbsp Best Foods Light Mayonnaise

1 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp lemon pepper

Instructions

Mix together yogurt, mayo, sugar, and lemon pepper.  
Chop all other ingredients and mix together. Coat with dressing. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Makes 4 good size servings.

Source: Hungry Girl

Frustrated!!

I am a little (ok, alot) demanding sometimes and I want what I want, when I want it.  Its frustrating as all get out to go to the store looking to buy something you know and like, only to find IT'S NOT THERE.  Nor is it at any other store you have been to recently. 

Case in Point:  Flatouts Flat Bread.  This stuff is so good and I have only found it once at Frys (which is Kroger).  It didn't sell apparently, so they haven't ordered it since.  Did they make an effort to market it?  Uh, NO!  Anyway.

So I have this brilliant idea.  I will procure and send to anyone that wants something that we have here in trade for someone doing the same for me.  Example is the Arizona Brand Corn Tortillas for Tacos and Tostadas.  These are exquisitely thin and make the best tacos.  I will send several dozen to whoever is willing to buy some Flatouts and send them to me.  Of course, because these things are perishable, we can't send them by mule train so I will have to look into costs on this, but I am willing to investigate if there is anyone that thinks this is a worthwhile trade off.   I damned tired of chasing something I can't find when I know good and well one of you has a stash of it somewhere!!

Edit:  Yes, I know I can buy them from the manufacturer, but I don't need 7 pkgs and the shipping cost for those 7 pkgs is equal to or more than the cost of the goods. That's crazy to me.  I work in the shipping industry, I know we can do better than that!

Sick!!

Yesterday took Hubby and myself to Urgent Care because we have both been coughing and hacking and carrying something awful.  Well, poor man has DOUBLE PNEUMONIA!  and I am on the verge of it myself!  Where do you pick up pneumonia in June and how come we don't feel sicker?  I mean, I feel sick but I thought pneumonia made you feel a whole lot sicker than this.  Father's Day was a bust.  I did cook, but neither of us really wanted to eat much.  Had a ear of corn and some black eyed peas and about an ounce of country style pork rib.  Hey, if I have to get sick to stay on plan, so be it!

Weigh In and I Did It!!

Yessiree, I knocked that bad boy 1.7 lbs to the curb!!  So, now I am back to where I was at Weigh in on May 22nd.  Its so much easier to put it on than take it off!!  But I did it and can start the "going forward" again. 

Today's meeting was about tracking.  I am a sporadic tracker if I don't plan at least a day, preferably a week, in advance for what I am going to be eating.  I just don't think about tracking so doing it ahead of time lets me do that - Not think about it!

But whatever I am doing, its working, so I am ok with that.

I Love Peaches!

Ok, so I am like Peach crazy.  I can't think of anything peach flavored or peach scented (I have candles, for God Sake!) that I don't just love.  So Fresca has this 0 calorie Peach/Citrus Soda and its so damned good!!  Well, I know how to make it better.  Mix a shot of Peach Schnapps with one can of the soda and enjoy.  Its a nice hot summer day drink.  And only 2 Points, I might add!!  I rarely drink soda.  For this I make an exception.