* Restarted the house search in hopes of being in a new home this year. Probably going to end up building. Seems though that we are going to work hard to unload our house. The whole thing stresses me out. The sooner we get it figured out the better.
* We were really worried about doing our taxes this year as some stock sales pushed us up to another tax bracket. However that stock was taxed at nearly 39% and it looks like maybe we worried for nothing. I'm just glad we are not paying in. Sometimes as weird as it sounds, being a tax preparer would be such a great job. Weird, I know.
* Since taxes aren't going to kill us, we will definitely be going on vacation this year. However since we are trying to by a house, Hawaii is not in our future especially since plane tickets are 1000-1500 right now. Orgon coast, here we come!
* So freaking tired. Why can't I ever feel rested. I thought maybe eating this increased calorie intake might improve that but so far no such luck. If it is my thyroid, I at least have an appointment with the endocronologist the first part of March.
* I do feel really tired on the days that I work out for an hour+. But today was not one of those days.
* Avalon and I have cabin fever bad! All this snow and now the cold is wearing on us and I can't wait until spring to play outside and go to the park.
* Jeff is going to Vancouver, BC for a class related to work. If we'd planned it a little better, we mighta got us all a passport and we could've all gone up there together. But the class was on and then off and then on again. Jeff's parents are gonna be in New Orleans about the same time so Avalon and I are really on our own.
*So Avalon and I will just have to do some fun things we wouldn't normally do. So far she has talked me into Build-a-Bear and playing at the playcenter at the mall.
* Avalon has really begun throwing major hissy fits. Thankfully it doesn't happen in public but at home its all out screaming crying throwing herself down on the floor and otherwise pouting. I blame it on the age and the fact that we have been in the house forever!
*Made some lemon curd to use up the meyer lemons i got. It's the easiest recipe ever and its made in the microwave no less. So good.
*Trying not to fret about the food I eat but it just seems like so much most days. I don't know how I'm going to increase it another 400 calories. I've also upped the workouts. On Tuesday and Thursdays I try to get in 90 minutes so I don't have so much to squeeze in the rest of the week. I can't wait until this spring summer when I can put Avalon in the jogging stroller and just go outside. The treadmill gets old after a while. But watching Glee does make it go by faster. I still don't know if I'm sold on the plot. Hoping it picks up a little bit but the music is good. I wish there was wifi at the Y so I could use netflix. So far, filling out their suggestion cards hasn't done any good. Still no wifi.
*Looking forward to dinner this weekend at Enzo's for a work dinner. Enzo's is one of Billings higher end restaurants(as higher end as Billings gets) with Mediterranean fare. However, I found out that a couple of Jeff's coworkers are bringing their infants with them. I know that I should probably be more compassionate(having a kid and all) but get a damn babysitter. So much for peaceful quiet child free dinner.
* Not everything is glum. I've been very thankful that the last two snows have been broomable. It means that instead of over an hour I can get it done in in 20 or 30 minutes. Really deep snow can take upwards of two hours.
*
Monday, January 31, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
Heather Friendly Chili
In other words, this chili is very Jeff unfriendly. Jeff is quite a picky eater and has many foods on his "do not eat list." One of his biggest omissions is onions. I can get away with using dehydrated onions and onion powder but he stears clear from onions in the fresh variety even if they are cooked. I, on the other hand, LOVE onions! So when I saw this chili recipe in a Biggest Loser book I new it was right up my alley. So I made it on a week day, portioned it out into individual baggies so that I would have some healthy lunch options and froze it. Not only is it 150 calories per cup, but it is REALLY delicious.
In additon to this, you'll need a package of ground turkey.(You can easily use ground beef but your calorie count will be off) You will also need 3 small onions(roughly 3 cups) and fresh garlic.
Start by heating a large pan with a few sprays of cooking spray and add the onions and cook over medium high heat until they are soft. Add your ground turkey and cook until no longer pink.
Then add a 15 oz can of black beans, 15 oz can of pinto beans and 28 oz of diced tomatoes and I cup of chicken broth. (Jeff also will not eat food with whole tomatoes in it whether they are cooked or not)
Then add your spices. From the top left: 2 tablespoons chopped garlic, 2 tablespoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground mustard, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1 teaspoon dried oregano.
I tried this chili the day I made it and thought it was awesome but I have sat on the recipe for a while deciding whether or not to blog about or not. But yesterday for lunch I defrosted a bag of it , put it over some small Yukon gold potatoes with cheese, sour cream and Franks Red Hot. It was so tasty(and healthy) that if you like chili, you have to make it! Unfortunately, its hard to photograph chili and make it look pretty. Looks aside, it truly is an awesome recipe made and spiced as is.
In additon to this, you'll need a package of ground turkey.(You can easily use ground beef but your calorie count will be off) You will also need 3 small onions(roughly 3 cups) and fresh garlic.
Start by heating a large pan with a few sprays of cooking spray and add the onions and cook over medium high heat until they are soft. Add your ground turkey and cook until no longer pink.
Then add a 15 oz can of black beans, 15 oz can of pinto beans and 28 oz of diced tomatoes and I cup of chicken broth. (Jeff also will not eat food with whole tomatoes in it whether they are cooked or not)
Then add your spices. From the top left: 2 tablespoons chopped garlic, 2 tablespoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground mustard, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1 teaspoon dried oregano.I almost always season things to my own liking but I started out with the recipes measurements and found it to be very pleasing. Not the same as my typical chili recipe but more reminiscent of chili at Wendy's.
I typically hesitate to make low-fat, low-cal recipes as usually the substitutions just make things taste funky. I'd rather eat full calories recipes and eat less of them if need be. But since this turned our so well, I'll be making some of the other recipes I dog-eared in the "Biggest Loser: 30-Day Jump Start." I suggest you make it too!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
And on the eighth day, he gave us internet
Sadly, I have become that person totally dependent on her technology. We lost our internet Monday night, called Bresnan, they said they could schedule a call for Thursday. Unless we wanted to be on call for 24 hours and home whenever they called to come check out. Um yeah, I need my access and I'm a stay at home mom so Avalon and I did something we never do. We stayed home. ALL. day.
They guy came yesterday pittered around my house checking all the connections, gave me a hard time for having a "radio shack" splitter in our cable box(which was not of our doing), claimed he fixed the problem with a new modem(that we "rent" each month in order to have internet access). I got on and 20 minutes later, it wasn't working again. Call the 800 number, punch 0 twice to bypass all the automated crap and got to a customer service agent who realized that it wasn't something he could fix with me over the phone. Told me someone should be able to come back out that same afternoon. Wait around all afternoon for the call that never comes. Call bresnan back, punch 0 twice and a different guy tells me that there will definitely not be somebody out that afternoon and I'd have to wait till Wednesday(today).
So Avalon and I wait around all morning. I rearranged the living room, CLEANED my house and waited. Around 1130 we went to Holiday to get a soda and a newspaper(that hadn't been delivered to my house. I can't call the Gazette to bitch because I don't pay for the paper to be delivered during the week, only the weekend but they still deliver every day anyway). We head home and Avalon says, "Where we going?"
"Home." I reply.
"We can't go home! We have lots of things to go do!" Poor girl is tired of sitting around the house too.
Two o'clock rolls around and nobody has showed up and its been 24 hours. I call Bresnan to check up on my appt because at this point I'm so irritated with them I don't care that I'm irritating them. Gal tells me, there are 3 Southside appts in front of me plus the one that the tech is already on. But I am on the must do list for the day so they will definitely be there.
Hang up, 10 minutes later, the tech calls to see if he can come over. Comes over, putters around for over an hour and comes up and says it's working.
"For good?" I ask.
"I can't guarantee that. The company that bought us has provided these half rate modems and I had to try three today before I could get one to work. Their equipment is failing 50% of the time."
I rolled my eyes and showed him out. Get on the internet and go about my business and 25 minutes later its out, again. I call bresnan and nearly fly off the handle but the customer service rep and I were able to fix it over the phone. THANK god! Yes I need internet. It's my phonebook, my encyclopedia, how I pay my bills, keep track of my bank account, and connect with people over the age of 3.
Combine that with being overly hormonal and couped up, Bresnan is lucky I didn't rip them a new one.
Also, my diet(or rather what I need to be eating) is stressing me out. Who knew eating more would be so freaking hard. The dietician wants me to work towards a 2000 calorie minimum but for the first two weeks I can build up to it but need to hit at least 1600 calories.
I haven't hit 1200 calories in months. Sadly I'm not losing yet, but its early and thankfully I'm not gaining. But I haven't hit 1600 calories since i started. I think today was my highest and I'm at 1450. How in the world will i ever get to 2000. Eating is stressing me out. I can't phyysically eat more food. I'm more than full all the time. I need to find higher calorie food that is still good for me. But when I'm required to eat 2 cups of veggies and 1.5 cups of fruit which are low calorie, I'm full for anything else.
But I am desperate to start losing again so I'm trying and supplementing with carnation instant breakfast. It doesn't taste too bad and 1 cup of it gives me 220 calories.
Needless to say, I can't wait to get to the gym and get in a long workout to release some of this stress and take Avalon anywhere but home because apparently "We have lots of things to do."
They guy came yesterday pittered around my house checking all the connections, gave me a hard time for having a "radio shack" splitter in our cable box(which was not of our doing), claimed he fixed the problem with a new modem(that we "rent" each month in order to have internet access). I got on and 20 minutes later, it wasn't working again. Call the 800 number, punch 0 twice to bypass all the automated crap and got to a customer service agent who realized that it wasn't something he could fix with me over the phone. Told me someone should be able to come back out that same afternoon. Wait around all afternoon for the call that never comes. Call bresnan back, punch 0 twice and a different guy tells me that there will definitely not be somebody out that afternoon and I'd have to wait till Wednesday(today).
So Avalon and I wait around all morning. I rearranged the living room, CLEANED my house and waited. Around 1130 we went to Holiday to get a soda and a newspaper(that hadn't been delivered to my house. I can't call the Gazette to bitch because I don't pay for the paper to be delivered during the week, only the weekend but they still deliver every day anyway). We head home and Avalon says, "Where we going?"
"Home." I reply.
"We can't go home! We have lots of things to go do!" Poor girl is tired of sitting around the house too.
Two o'clock rolls around and nobody has showed up and its been 24 hours. I call Bresnan to check up on my appt because at this point I'm so irritated with them I don't care that I'm irritating them. Gal tells me, there are 3 Southside appts in front of me plus the one that the tech is already on. But I am on the must do list for the day so they will definitely be there.
Hang up, 10 minutes later, the tech calls to see if he can come over. Comes over, putters around for over an hour and comes up and says it's working.
"For good?" I ask.
"I can't guarantee that. The company that bought us has provided these half rate modems and I had to try three today before I could get one to work. Their equipment is failing 50% of the time."
I rolled my eyes and showed him out. Get on the internet and go about my business and 25 minutes later its out, again. I call bresnan and nearly fly off the handle but the customer service rep and I were able to fix it over the phone. THANK god! Yes I need internet. It's my phonebook, my encyclopedia, how I pay my bills, keep track of my bank account, and connect with people over the age of 3.
Combine that with being overly hormonal and couped up, Bresnan is lucky I didn't rip them a new one.
Also, my diet(or rather what I need to be eating) is stressing me out. Who knew eating more would be so freaking hard. The dietician wants me to work towards a 2000 calorie minimum but for the first two weeks I can build up to it but need to hit at least 1600 calories.
I haven't hit 1200 calories in months. Sadly I'm not losing yet, but its early and thankfully I'm not gaining. But I haven't hit 1600 calories since i started. I think today was my highest and I'm at 1450. How in the world will i ever get to 2000. Eating is stressing me out. I can't phyysically eat more food. I'm more than full all the time. I need to find higher calorie food that is still good for me. But when I'm required to eat 2 cups of veggies and 1.5 cups of fruit which are low calorie, I'm full for anything else.
But I am desperate to start losing again so I'm trying and supplementing with carnation instant breakfast. It doesn't taste too bad and 1 cup of it gives me 220 calories.
Needless to say, I can't wait to get to the gym and get in a long workout to release some of this stress and take Avalon anywhere but home because apparently "We have lots of things to do."
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Notes
* Trying to eat more as directed by the dietician. I am just not that hungry. Instead I just feel bloated and gross. Not appealing at all.
* About ready to get a shock collar for Murph. He has been an exceptionally naughty dog. CONSTANTLY in the garbage, nipped at Avalon and barking at everything. You hurt my kid, I hurt you, capiche?
* If the hubs microwaves any more motorcyle parts in my microwave, I may just have to get a shock collar for him.
* Trying to increase my exercise to at least 210 minutes a week and a goal of 250. Exercising that much isn't hard but finding the time is. Got to 205 minutes this week. 90 minutes Tuesday, 55 Minutes Wednesday, 60 minutes Thursday.
* Started watching season 1 of Glee on my iPod. So far I don't care for the plot too much but the music is so freaking good! And its easy to exercise when I'm watching TV.
* Got a gift card to get new running shoes for Christmas. I'm cheap and hate spending money on shoes I only wear at the gym but didn't feel to bad when I got a gift card to do so. Consequently I got some really comfy supportive shoes. My feet haven't hurt nearly as much.
* Knock on wood, but i have been sleeping like a champ. I'm tired, fall asleep fast, stay asleep and if I wake up, I can fall back asleep. Wish I knew what I was doing so I can keep this up. I'm coming off about 5 weeks of sleeping hell. Doesn't hurt that Jeff got Avalon back to sleeping by herself while I was in Vegas.
* Avalon has been knocking our socks off with what she can remember and sing. The other day a Sugarland song came on and Avalon says, "This is the 'stuck like glue' lady."(referencing one of Sugarland's other songs) The other day in Target she starts singing, "98.5 The Wolf." Holy Moly.
* Speaking of Target, we've reached the phase of wanting everything in the toy aisles and wanting it now. When she used to say she wanted something, I'd say, "Maybe next time," "How about for your birthday," etc. That is not working anymore and ashamed to say we've had a couple of tantrums in store. Although I'm slowly getting a handle on it. Avalon seems to respond to loss of priveleges better than time out so if she is giving fits, I tell her she's going to lose whatever it is she is liking at the moment. A couple weeks ago it was her sparkly red shoes, this last week its her poufy princess dress. Gets her to calm down and think it through. I guess we've waited till she was 3.5 to get to this stage and probably wishful thinking to think we could just skip it. No such luck
* But she is such a perfect almost all the rest of the time. And she completes our perfect little family.
* Speaking of perfect little family, I have had two strangers this week ask if we were going to give Avalon a sibling. Sorry, I don't know you. Therefore you don't get to know the status on our reproduction. And no, Avalon will be perfectly fine if she doesn't have a sibling. No she won't be spoiled or lacking socially. It's none of your damn business.
* Also, I must attract the crazies. For example, at the Billings Airport, Jean and I were sitting waiting and this lady sits down and just starts talking to me about criminals, the death penalty and menopause. Then when we were at the buffett in our hotel in Vegas, this older lady comes straight up to me and tells me not to get a chocolate dessert because the plates are hot and will melt your chocolate. Then tonight we were at Dillards getting Jeff new jeans. Jeff's changed sizes so I had him try a couple of different sizes and the sales lady comes up and asks if we need help and I tell her we're fine. Jeff goes back in to change back into his clothes and she says, "Those jeans fit him really well in ALL the right places. Looked good in the rear and in the leg and not too tight you know where." Whoa lady, quit checking out my hubby in front of me. Jeff might've been flattered had I told him and if she wasn't 65. What about my face says, "Crazy old lady, talk to ME!"
* When it comes right down to it, I got it pretty good.
* About ready to get a shock collar for Murph. He has been an exceptionally naughty dog. CONSTANTLY in the garbage, nipped at Avalon and barking at everything. You hurt my kid, I hurt you, capiche?
* If the hubs microwaves any more motorcyle parts in my microwave, I may just have to get a shock collar for him.
* Trying to increase my exercise to at least 210 minutes a week and a goal of 250. Exercising that much isn't hard but finding the time is. Got to 205 minutes this week. 90 minutes Tuesday, 55 Minutes Wednesday, 60 minutes Thursday.
* Started watching season 1 of Glee on my iPod. So far I don't care for the plot too much but the music is so freaking good! And its easy to exercise when I'm watching TV.
* Got a gift card to get new running shoes for Christmas. I'm cheap and hate spending money on shoes I only wear at the gym but didn't feel to bad when I got a gift card to do so. Consequently I got some really comfy supportive shoes. My feet haven't hurt nearly as much.
* Knock on wood, but i have been sleeping like a champ. I'm tired, fall asleep fast, stay asleep and if I wake up, I can fall back asleep. Wish I knew what I was doing so I can keep this up. I'm coming off about 5 weeks of sleeping hell. Doesn't hurt that Jeff got Avalon back to sleeping by herself while I was in Vegas.
* Avalon has been knocking our socks off with what she can remember and sing. The other day a Sugarland song came on and Avalon says, "This is the 'stuck like glue' lady."(referencing one of Sugarland's other songs) The other day in Target she starts singing, "98.5 The Wolf." Holy Moly.
* Speaking of Target, we've reached the phase of wanting everything in the toy aisles and wanting it now. When she used to say she wanted something, I'd say, "Maybe next time," "How about for your birthday," etc. That is not working anymore and ashamed to say we've had a couple of tantrums in store. Although I'm slowly getting a handle on it. Avalon seems to respond to loss of priveleges better than time out so if she is giving fits, I tell her she's going to lose whatever it is she is liking at the moment. A couple weeks ago it was her sparkly red shoes, this last week its her poufy princess dress. Gets her to calm down and think it through. I guess we've waited till she was 3.5 to get to this stage and probably wishful thinking to think we could just skip it. No such luck
* But she is such a perfect almost all the rest of the time. And she completes our perfect little family.
* Speaking of perfect little family, I have had two strangers this week ask if we were going to give Avalon a sibling. Sorry, I don't know you. Therefore you don't get to know the status on our reproduction. And no, Avalon will be perfectly fine if she doesn't have a sibling. No she won't be spoiled or lacking socially. It's none of your damn business.
* Also, I must attract the crazies. For example, at the Billings Airport, Jean and I were sitting waiting and this lady sits down and just starts talking to me about criminals, the death penalty and menopause. Then when we were at the buffett in our hotel in Vegas, this older lady comes straight up to me and tells me not to get a chocolate dessert because the plates are hot and will melt your chocolate. Then tonight we were at Dillards getting Jeff new jeans. Jeff's changed sizes so I had him try a couple of different sizes and the sales lady comes up and asks if we need help and I tell her we're fine. Jeff goes back in to change back into his clothes and she says, "Those jeans fit him really well in ALL the right places. Looked good in the rear and in the leg and not too tight you know where." Whoa lady, quit checking out my hubby in front of me. Jeff might've been flattered had I told him and if she wasn't 65. What about my face says, "Crazy old lady, talk to ME!"
* When it comes right down to it, I got it pretty good.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Good News Bad News
Went back to the dietician today for the basal metabolic test. Basically it is the most accurate way to test what your base caloric needs are for everday functions at the weight your currently in. For ten minutes, you breathe into a machine(nose plugged and is tests your CO2 levels) to see how effective or ineffective your metabolism is.
The good news? I have a faster metabolism than most women
The bad news? I've been starving myself for about 16 months or more. Also because I've been dieting on and off for years, my metabolism tries to conserve every last ounce of what I put into it. Also because I haven't eaten breakfast in years(probably since I left home) it never really gets started for the day.
According to this test(which she said is the 'gold standard' in the medical field) I need about 3700 calories a day to maintain. So i said, "I don't think I ever ate this amount of calories period so why is it so easy to gain wait?" The long and short of it, is a lack of breakfast, meals planned at the same time every day(so my body knows its getting fed), lack of calcium/vitamin d and thyroid issues.
Still, it seems counterintuitive to be eating even more food. Her suggestion, in addition to the 210-250 minutes of exercise,(I'm at 195 this week, woohoO!) is to eat 2000 calories a day. I haven't eaten over 1500 calories a day in nearly a year and a half! And have been way lower than that for some time. That is a lot of stinking food. I know, I should be happy I get to eat more, but really it just stresses me out.
It has taken me so long to lose the weight I have lost with so much hard work that I am paranoid to gain it back and eating more seems so opposite of what I should be doing.(if that wasn't the longest run-on sentence ever)
i have food issues but I guess I need to trust the expert but damn I wish I didn't have such a huge struggle with this.
The good news? I have a faster metabolism than most women
The bad news? I've been starving myself for about 16 months or more. Also because I've been dieting on and off for years, my metabolism tries to conserve every last ounce of what I put into it. Also because I haven't eaten breakfast in years(probably since I left home) it never really gets started for the day.
According to this test(which she said is the 'gold standard' in the medical field) I need about 3700 calories a day to maintain. So i said, "I don't think I ever ate this amount of calories period so why is it so easy to gain wait?" The long and short of it, is a lack of breakfast, meals planned at the same time every day(so my body knows its getting fed), lack of calcium/vitamin d and thyroid issues.
Still, it seems counterintuitive to be eating even more food. Her suggestion, in addition to the 210-250 minutes of exercise,(I'm at 195 this week, woohoO!) is to eat 2000 calories a day. I haven't eaten over 1500 calories a day in nearly a year and a half! And have been way lower than that for some time. That is a lot of stinking food. I know, I should be happy I get to eat more, but really it just stresses me out.
It has taken me so long to lose the weight I have lost with so much hard work that I am paranoid to gain it back and eating more seems so opposite of what I should be doing.(if that wasn't the longest run-on sentence ever)
i have food issues but I guess I need to trust the expert but damn I wish I didn't have such a huge struggle with this.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Update
I have been doing some major baking lately but in what can only be explained by what I like to call "blonde moments" I have taken nary a picture of anything I've made.
It's a shame because I've made some really deliscious recipes. So in lieu of a foodie post, I'll give you some links and if so desired, you can make them yourself. Thankfully I was able to give almost all of it away to a friend in Portland OR who went shopping at IKEA for me. SO as thanks to him, I sent him some goodies.
I made him the sugar cookies I previously posted but added vanilla and chocolate frosting and sprinkles. As the comedian Ralphie May would say, 'Frosting is seriously the most underrated food ever." These cookies were good to start with but frosting took them over the top. And who can hate on sprinkles. So if you're so inclined,
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/giant-sugar-cookies?xsc=eml_cod_2011_01_05.
Next I made a caramel espresso bars that I had seen a long long time ago on a show hosted by Giada de Laurentiis. SHe made a graham cracker crust, topped that with a caramel layer and them a chocolate ganache as the top layer. I had made them before so i knew they were tasty but this time the carmel got a little harder than i wanted but still edible and tasty nonetheless.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/espresso-caramel-bars-recipe/index.html.
Because I peruse a number a food blogs, I have been aware of Fat Witch Brownies for some time. They are a small bakery in NYC who've earned recognition far and wide. They've even been named one of Oprah's Favorite things. So when I saw the cookbook at the library I snatched it up and bookmarked about 12 of the recipes. (All of the recipes are bar recipes) And while Fat Witch is known for its brownies, I haven't actually made the brownies. BUt I did make some Butterscotch Bars and Lemon Bars. Both were top notch and if you come by this cook book, take a look. All of the recipes are easy with no hard to find ingredients and I'm willing to bet that if I make more of her recipes, they will be good too.
Aso this week, I was in desperate need to get rid of some pretzels. Sam's club was selling these huge 3 lb containers of pretzels in Christmas shapes thinking they would be great for covered pretzels during the holidays. And they were, just not 3 lbs of them. So I took a bunch of pretzels, one bag of popped corn, one king size box of Reeses pieces, a regular bag of M&M's, probably 3/4cup of dried cranberries and poored melted almond bark over it, and spread the mixture onto wax paper. Thankfully this too went to my friend in Portland, because the combination of salty and sweet is almost too much to resist.
So, my apologies on the lack of pics. Maybe I'll get with it this next week but don't expect any miracles. My brain has not been functioning at full capacity for a couple weeks now.
It's a shame because I've made some really deliscious recipes. So in lieu of a foodie post, I'll give you some links and if so desired, you can make them yourself. Thankfully I was able to give almost all of it away to a friend in Portland OR who went shopping at IKEA for me. SO as thanks to him, I sent him some goodies.
I made him the sugar cookies I previously posted but added vanilla and chocolate frosting and sprinkles. As the comedian Ralphie May would say, 'Frosting is seriously the most underrated food ever." These cookies were good to start with but frosting took them over the top. And who can hate on sprinkles. So if you're so inclined,
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/giant-sugar-cookies?xsc=eml_cod_2011_01_05.
Next I made a caramel espresso bars that I had seen a long long time ago on a show hosted by Giada de Laurentiis. SHe made a graham cracker crust, topped that with a caramel layer and them a chocolate ganache as the top layer. I had made them before so i knew they were tasty but this time the carmel got a little harder than i wanted but still edible and tasty nonetheless.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/espresso-caramel-bars-recipe/index.html.
Because I peruse a number a food blogs, I have been aware of Fat Witch Brownies for some time. They are a small bakery in NYC who've earned recognition far and wide. They've even been named one of Oprah's Favorite things. So when I saw the cookbook at the library I snatched it up and bookmarked about 12 of the recipes. (All of the recipes are bar recipes) And while Fat Witch is known for its brownies, I haven't actually made the brownies. BUt I did make some Butterscotch Bars and Lemon Bars. Both were top notch and if you come by this cook book, take a look. All of the recipes are easy with no hard to find ingredients and I'm willing to bet that if I make more of her recipes, they will be good too.
Aso this week, I was in desperate need to get rid of some pretzels. Sam's club was selling these huge 3 lb containers of pretzels in Christmas shapes thinking they would be great for covered pretzels during the holidays. And they were, just not 3 lbs of them. So I took a bunch of pretzels, one bag of popped corn, one king size box of Reeses pieces, a regular bag of M&M's, probably 3/4cup of dried cranberries and poored melted almond bark over it, and spread the mixture onto wax paper. Thankfully this too went to my friend in Portland, because the combination of salty and sweet is almost too much to resist.
So, my apologies on the lack of pics. Maybe I'll get with it this next week but don't expect any miracles. My brain has not been functioning at full capacity for a couple weeks now.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
What Happens in Vegas Ends Up on My Blog
Amazingly, our flight was on time and made it into Vegas and our hotel rather early.(When does that ever happen?) We headed on the monorail down to MGM to get across the street to the Luxor because I wanted to see the exhibit on Titanic. The exhibit was cool to see because of all the artifacts that have been found but I really learned nothing new and like everything else in Vegas, it was vastly overpriced.
Jean,(jeff's mom) and I ended up walking all the way back down to the strip to our hotel with stopping at a few places. Three blocks in Vegas is actually more like 3 miles. We ended up eating at a burger joint in our hotel(Harrahs).
Friday was full of shopping. We started at Caesars and spent some quality time in H&M. I wish we had one here. We had lunch at a Cheesecake Factory for lunch and aside from some of the best ranch dressing I've ever had, it was pretty lackluster. I stopped at a Coach store but was promptly run out by overzealous sales people who were hungry for commission. Went to Tiffany's there but nobody was really willing to help me. I guess when you go into Tiffany's in capris and flipflops they don't see "sale." So I left disappointed that I hadn't got anything.
We made up for it that afternoon when we visited the Tiffany's at the Bellagio and ended up making a necklace by choosing the chain and the charm I liked. I've been getting Tiffany catalogs since before Avalon was born and finally got something!
We hopscotched our way back to our hotel. We would stop to gamble every now and then but other than the very first evening when I came out about 20 dollars ahead, I lost. I quit when I was about 50 dollars down which is probably pennies compared to what most people gamble. I just like getting something for my money. Apparently I'm bad luck cause Jean didn't have much luck either.
After dinner at our hotel's buffett, I went down to the Paris bymyself and went up the "Eiffel Tower" and got to watch the Bellagio's fountain show from up there.
Saturday we spent the morning at the Venetian/Palazzo shopping. You'd catch me getting on a gondola in the canals just about at soon as you'd catch me at a singing restaurant on my birthday: never. I did manage to get a new Dooney at the Venetian. And sadly, or fortunately, depending upon how you look at it, getting a new handbag totally made my day. And it was 50% off, how could things get any better?
We headed over to the Fashion Mall and just hit a few stores because believe it or not, I was just about shopped out. But I hit up Janie and Jack(http://www.janieandjack.com/index.jsp) and The Children's Place for Avalon. If you've never been to or heard of Janie and Jack, you must go. Granted it's a little spendy but the clothes are so stinkin' cute!
That afternoon we went to the Price is Right. Neither of us got up on stage but was entertaining all the same.
I had a great time but other than maybe taking Jeff there to see some shows or getting a quick shopping fix, I probably don't need to go to Vegas again. In Vegas, I was really too busy to be missing Jeff and Avalon although one night, she asked me to come over to see her new dress that she and Jeff had gotten. Kind of broke my heart. But once I saw them at the airport, I realized how much I missed them. Also, it was different to be on vacation without them.
Vegas is bigger than life in every respect right down to our amorous neighbors who kept me up all night. I'm glad I got to go but am so glad to be home!
Jean,(jeff's mom) and I ended up walking all the way back down to the strip to our hotel with stopping at a few places. Three blocks in Vegas is actually more like 3 miles. We ended up eating at a burger joint in our hotel(Harrahs).
Friday was full of shopping. We started at Caesars and spent some quality time in H&M. I wish we had one here. We had lunch at a Cheesecake Factory for lunch and aside from some of the best ranch dressing I've ever had, it was pretty lackluster. I stopped at a Coach store but was promptly run out by overzealous sales people who were hungry for commission. Went to Tiffany's there but nobody was really willing to help me. I guess when you go into Tiffany's in capris and flipflops they don't see "sale." So I left disappointed that I hadn't got anything.
We made up for it that afternoon when we visited the Tiffany's at the Bellagio and ended up making a necklace by choosing the chain and the charm I liked. I've been getting Tiffany catalogs since before Avalon was born and finally got something!
We hopscotched our way back to our hotel. We would stop to gamble every now and then but other than the very first evening when I came out about 20 dollars ahead, I lost. I quit when I was about 50 dollars down which is probably pennies compared to what most people gamble. I just like getting something for my money. Apparently I'm bad luck cause Jean didn't have much luck either.
After dinner at our hotel's buffett, I went down to the Paris bymyself and went up the "Eiffel Tower" and got to watch the Bellagio's fountain show from up there.
Saturday we spent the morning at the Venetian/Palazzo shopping. You'd catch me getting on a gondola in the canals just about at soon as you'd catch me at a singing restaurant on my birthday: never. I did manage to get a new Dooney at the Venetian. And sadly, or fortunately, depending upon how you look at it, getting a new handbag totally made my day. And it was 50% off, how could things get any better?
We headed over to the Fashion Mall and just hit a few stores because believe it or not, I was just about shopped out. But I hit up Janie and Jack(http://www.janieandjack.com/index.jsp) and The Children's Place for Avalon. If you've never been to or heard of Janie and Jack, you must go. Granted it's a little spendy but the clothes are so stinkin' cute!
That afternoon we went to the Price is Right. Neither of us got up on stage but was entertaining all the same.
I had a great time but other than maybe taking Jeff there to see some shows or getting a quick shopping fix, I probably don't need to go to Vegas again. In Vegas, I was really too busy to be missing Jeff and Avalon although one night, she asked me to come over to see her new dress that she and Jeff had gotten. Kind of broke my heart. But once I saw them at the airport, I realized how much I missed them. Also, it was different to be on vacation without them.
Vegas is bigger than life in every respect right down to our amorous neighbors who kept me up all night. I'm glad I got to go but am so glad to be home!
Sunday, January 16, 2011
I'm Back!
Made it home from Vegas, and am so tired so I will wait until another day to post. But did have some good luck shopping. (Think handbag and Tiffany blue!) Not so good luck gambling. Of course I quit after I'd lost $50. Might have had more luck if I'd invested a bit more. But I don't gamble so that was my limit.
SO GLAD to see my family!
Off to bed to recover from having a blasty blast.
SO GLAD to see my family!
Off to bed to recover from having a blasty blast.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Fat Guy in a Little Coat
Name that movie! Wasn't Chris Farley the best? Apart from the cocaine addiction and sudden death at a young age, he was great. Okay maybe not the best example. Still he was funny as hell.
Funnyness (is that even a word. Call me Sarah Palin, I'm making up words now. Wait don't. She's not my favorite. No "refudiating" that) aside. I've been heavy most my life. If you grew up with me and know me now. You know that to be true. I remember being in kindergarten and telling my teacher I couldn't have a cupcake someone brought because "it wasn't good for my diet." Yikes! Kindergartners on diets? Crazy but it's true. I've dieted most of my life.
Yes I'm genetically presdisposed to being large. My family is crazy tall and "big boned"(I don't care who you are, big boned is not an excuse.) but I am not predisposed to being a chub. Poor eating and exercising habits get you there. Unfortunately those started when I was young and my efforts to change them were always short lived. That is, until now.
Growing up, my dad usually dishedup my plate and then I had to clean my plate. Really it was from the era they grew up in but never a good way to teach eating habits. I struggled, yoyo'd and gained and lost while growing up. I've done it the healthy way and some not so healthy ways.
However, after having Avalon, it has been incredibly hard to lose any weight. I wish I could blame it on baby weight but Avalon is three and not so much a baby any more.
I've do have some thyroid issues that unknowingly caused me to gain about 60 pounds my first two years of college. However, any of my weight issues in the last few years(while complicated by thyroid,) are all mine. There is no blaming it on anybody. I didn't eat right or exercise enough. Plain and simple.
Then about 15 months ago, I reached the highest I've ever been(not counting being pregnant) and freaked out. Yes, I want to be thin, fit into cute clothes, and look good, but more importantly I want to be healthy, not have aches and pain at 28 years old and set an example for Avalon. I absolutely DO NOT want Avalon to ever have these habits or struggles.
So I joined the Y, tried to exercise 3-4 times a week, and cut and counted my calories to 14-1500 every day. That first 20 pounds game off rather quick. The next five were harder but then I stalled for months. Finally through the summer I lost another five. But by this fall I was stalled again so I went to my doctor and basically said, I'm at wit's end. So i tried cutting calories some more and exercising some more and it took of a few more pounds. We changed a medication that totally destroyed any appetite and I lost a few more until I was at a 32 pound weight loss. That is an average of 2.3 pounds a month. Is it too much too ask for 1-2 pounds a week?
The last few months I've been eating 7-800 calorie a day, not because I was starving myself but becausee the medication I'm on makes it so I never feel hungry. However, this really hasn't helped me lose any more weight. And I'm frustrated as hell! I work way too hard to not have any results.
I weigh and measure everything I eat and count all my calories and try for an average of 150 minutes of week of exercise. So my primary doctor referred me to a endocrinologist. We did some tests but didn't really discover anything major. We changed a couple of medications in an effort to amplify my efforts although as of yet, I haven't seen much change. He also referred me to a dietician who I saw today.
I have to go back to her for basal metabolic test to establish my baseline caloric needs in exact but in the meantime, used simple weight loss equations for where I should be at until this test is done. And using the governments, new "MyPyramid" set up my basic needs. While I'm not expecting miracles, I am looking for help to make this a little easier that it has been. I know what foods are healthy and which ones are not. BUt I don't know how many calories I need or exactly where I should be getting them front. As it stands, at 800 calories a day, my diet consisted of veggies, pasta once a day and a serving of meat. Not healthy or plentiful but I truly am not that hungry.
However, her suggestions until the follow up test are as follows(This is only a guideline for me)
Goal: 12-1300 calories a day
Breakfast is a requirement. At least 150 calories but preferably closer to 300. Breakfast is hard. I'm not hungry in the least in the morning. It seems counterintuitive to eat when you're not hungry. But as we all know, it's what gets your metabolism going. She said what also is important is to try and feed yourself the same times each day for breakfast lunch and dinner. Once your body knows that it is always going to be fed, it won't be inclined to hold onto fat in fear that is not going to bed fed. She said for me who is not feeling hunger, it will teach me hunger cues. I've spent years trying to ignore my hunger and now that the medication I'm on eliminates that, I've got to relearn feeling hungry. Strange I know.
Grains: 4 oz ( basically 2 servings a day)
Vegetables: 1.5 cups a day (probably 3 servings a day but since when I cook a steamfresh bag of broccoli and eat the whole thing for lunch, that easily could be my total for the day)
Fruits: 1 cup (I love veggies. Fruit on the other is rather gross or at least most of the fruit we get up here. This will be a struggle)
Milk: 2 cups (Basically 2 servings so maybe a cup a milk and a yogurt and I'm good for a day).
Meat and Beans: 3-6 oz (Thankfully this a small amount as I don't love traditional meat sources. But greek yogurt and cottage cheese count so that's helpful. But if you have greek yogurt, you have to count is as a dairy or as a meat but can't qualify as both. In short I need 50 grams of protein a day.
Basically these guidelines leaves me roughly 150-170 calories a day to use as I please, say for oils, dressings, snacks or treats. Nothing is outlawed which is nice because there are times of the month when I might need a chocolate or two. (Ladies, I know you can relate)
So I started today and it really is going to be harder than cutting back on food.
Here is my journal for today thus far:
Breakfast: V8(30cal) Greek Yogurt(120cal), 1 veg, 1 dairy
Lunch and snacks: Frozen Noodle Meal (290 cal) Broccoli(40 cal), pineapple (60 cal) 1 veg, 1 fruit, 1 grain, 1 protein.
That's a grand total of 540 calories for two meals. That means by after dinner I will have needed to eat at least 660 more calories. That is a lot of stinking food! But at this point I am willing to do it. Yes I may seem obsessed but I am trying to do it healthily and for the right reasons. But if I don't make it a focus, then I get lazy and cheat and cheating didn't help me lose 32 pounds.
In addition to the 150 minutes I try to workout(although I've fallen short since the start of the new year) she wants me to add another 60 minutes. Exercising that much isn't hard. Finding the TIME to exercise that much is since Avalon hates to go to the Y daycare now. Wii Biggest Loser here i come.
I'm hoping this and the test in a couple weeks will help me get on the right track. I've already invested 14 months in my efforts and I'm not throwing that away. I just wish it were a bit easier and I don't think losing 1-2 pounds a week is unreasonable. I just work WAY too hard to only lose 2 pounds a month. And if worse comes to worse, it takes me a year to lose 30 pounds and 3 years to get to my goal. At least I'm losing.
Funnyness (is that even a word. Call me Sarah Palin, I'm making up words now. Wait don't. She's not my favorite. No "refudiating" that) aside. I've been heavy most my life. If you grew up with me and know me now. You know that to be true. I remember being in kindergarten and telling my teacher I couldn't have a cupcake someone brought because "it wasn't good for my diet." Yikes! Kindergartners on diets? Crazy but it's true. I've dieted most of my life.
Yes I'm genetically presdisposed to being large. My family is crazy tall and "big boned"(I don't care who you are, big boned is not an excuse.) but I am not predisposed to being a chub. Poor eating and exercising habits get you there. Unfortunately those started when I was young and my efforts to change them were always short lived. That is, until now.
Growing up, my dad usually dishedup my plate and then I had to clean my plate. Really it was from the era they grew up in but never a good way to teach eating habits. I struggled, yoyo'd and gained and lost while growing up. I've done it the healthy way and some not so healthy ways.
However, after having Avalon, it has been incredibly hard to lose any weight. I wish I could blame it on baby weight but Avalon is three and not so much a baby any more.
I've do have some thyroid issues that unknowingly caused me to gain about 60 pounds my first two years of college. However, any of my weight issues in the last few years(while complicated by thyroid,) are all mine. There is no blaming it on anybody. I didn't eat right or exercise enough. Plain and simple.
Then about 15 months ago, I reached the highest I've ever been(not counting being pregnant) and freaked out. Yes, I want to be thin, fit into cute clothes, and look good, but more importantly I want to be healthy, not have aches and pain at 28 years old and set an example for Avalon. I absolutely DO NOT want Avalon to ever have these habits or struggles.
So I joined the Y, tried to exercise 3-4 times a week, and cut and counted my calories to 14-1500 every day. That first 20 pounds game off rather quick. The next five were harder but then I stalled for months. Finally through the summer I lost another five. But by this fall I was stalled again so I went to my doctor and basically said, I'm at wit's end. So i tried cutting calories some more and exercising some more and it took of a few more pounds. We changed a medication that totally destroyed any appetite and I lost a few more until I was at a 32 pound weight loss. That is an average of 2.3 pounds a month. Is it too much too ask for 1-2 pounds a week?
The last few months I've been eating 7-800 calorie a day, not because I was starving myself but becausee the medication I'm on makes it so I never feel hungry. However, this really hasn't helped me lose any more weight. And I'm frustrated as hell! I work way too hard to not have any results.
I weigh and measure everything I eat and count all my calories and try for an average of 150 minutes of week of exercise. So my primary doctor referred me to a endocrinologist. We did some tests but didn't really discover anything major. We changed a couple of medications in an effort to amplify my efforts although as of yet, I haven't seen much change. He also referred me to a dietician who I saw today.
I have to go back to her for basal metabolic test to establish my baseline caloric needs in exact but in the meantime, used simple weight loss equations for where I should be at until this test is done. And using the governments, new "MyPyramid" set up my basic needs. While I'm not expecting miracles, I am looking for help to make this a little easier that it has been. I know what foods are healthy and which ones are not. BUt I don't know how many calories I need or exactly where I should be getting them front. As it stands, at 800 calories a day, my diet consisted of veggies, pasta once a day and a serving of meat. Not healthy or plentiful but I truly am not that hungry.
However, her suggestions until the follow up test are as follows(This is only a guideline for me)
Goal: 12-1300 calories a day
Breakfast is a requirement. At least 150 calories but preferably closer to 300. Breakfast is hard. I'm not hungry in the least in the morning. It seems counterintuitive to eat when you're not hungry. But as we all know, it's what gets your metabolism going. She said what also is important is to try and feed yourself the same times each day for breakfast lunch and dinner. Once your body knows that it is always going to be fed, it won't be inclined to hold onto fat in fear that is not going to bed fed. She said for me who is not feeling hunger, it will teach me hunger cues. I've spent years trying to ignore my hunger and now that the medication I'm on eliminates that, I've got to relearn feeling hungry. Strange I know.
Grains: 4 oz ( basically 2 servings a day)
Vegetables: 1.5 cups a day (probably 3 servings a day but since when I cook a steamfresh bag of broccoli and eat the whole thing for lunch, that easily could be my total for the day)
Fruits: 1 cup (I love veggies. Fruit on the other is rather gross or at least most of the fruit we get up here. This will be a struggle)
Milk: 2 cups (Basically 2 servings so maybe a cup a milk and a yogurt and I'm good for a day).
Meat and Beans: 3-6 oz (Thankfully this a small amount as I don't love traditional meat sources. But greek yogurt and cottage cheese count so that's helpful. But if you have greek yogurt, you have to count is as a dairy or as a meat but can't qualify as both. In short I need 50 grams of protein a day.
Basically these guidelines leaves me roughly 150-170 calories a day to use as I please, say for oils, dressings, snacks or treats. Nothing is outlawed which is nice because there are times of the month when I might need a chocolate or two. (Ladies, I know you can relate)
So I started today and it really is going to be harder than cutting back on food.
Here is my journal for today thus far:
Breakfast: V8(30cal) Greek Yogurt(120cal), 1 veg, 1 dairy
Lunch and snacks: Frozen Noodle Meal (290 cal) Broccoli(40 cal), pineapple (60 cal) 1 veg, 1 fruit, 1 grain, 1 protein.
That's a grand total of 540 calories for two meals. That means by after dinner I will have needed to eat at least 660 more calories. That is a lot of stinking food! But at this point I am willing to do it. Yes I may seem obsessed but I am trying to do it healthily and for the right reasons. But if I don't make it a focus, then I get lazy and cheat and cheating didn't help me lose 32 pounds.
In addition to the 150 minutes I try to workout(although I've fallen short since the start of the new year) she wants me to add another 60 minutes. Exercising that much isn't hard. Finding the TIME to exercise that much is since Avalon hates to go to the Y daycare now. Wii Biggest Loser here i come.
I'm hoping this and the test in a couple weeks will help me get on the right track. I've already invested 14 months in my efforts and I'm not throwing that away. I just wish it were a bit easier and I don't think losing 1-2 pounds a week is unreasonable. I just work WAY too hard to only lose 2 pounds a month. And if worse comes to worse, it takes me a year to lose 30 pounds and 3 years to get to my goal. At least I'm losing.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Things I've Learned Since Becoming a Parent
In no certain order "Things I've learned since becomming a parent":
Dialogue to just about every kids movie out there. I mention this especially because we have been watching Enchanted every day this week at least once and twice on several occasions. Last week, it was Toy Story 3. Before that, Tinkerbell and the Great Fairy Rescue, and prior to that The Wizard of Oz. And before I knew it, I was "singing of my true love's kiss," pledging "faith, trust, and pixie dust," and suffering at the hands of a wicked witch who kept telling me, "I'll get you my pretty and you're little dog too." This coming from a gal who rarely watched any movie twice.
Other people's kids will drive you even more nuts once to have your own. Especially if they are kids you don't know and said kids teach your child some nasty habit.
You will become your mother, and those spit baths your promised never to give to your own kid, you give on a more frequent basis than you'd care to admit.
You may never shower or pee alone again. In fact I get more privacy showering at the Y.
Sleep is for sissies! And man am I the biggest sissy of all. I dreamed of the day when Avalon would be a three or four years old and out of the baby sleeping habits. Boy was I wrong. The girl has yet to sleep through the night, unless you count getting up to come down to our bed to sleep.
That pet, you thought was your baby and would always be treated the same regardless of how many children came along? Yeah I thought so too and at first that was true but then Murph began to bark at everything. First I thought it was cute. He was protecting Avalon. Then he started stealing her food, and now he tries to steal just about everything. He is no longer my baby but my adolescent teenager with an attitude. Yes I still love him but he can make day to day a pain.
Shopping gets way more fun once you have a kid. Yeah, post pregancy , those clothes you have don't fit and buying for yourself is not so much fun but buying for the bambino? A total blast! Clothes? Too cute! Toys? Even better.
You suddenly become less invincible and realize your getting old. (Unless your Jeff and it takes a sledding accident to remind him he's not as young as he once was) Most of the toys we bought Avalon this year, we had when we were kids. For example, the Baby Alive we bought, I had when I was seven. Yeah so? Yeah, that was 21 years ago folks. Holy crap, if that doesn't make ya feel old. And if nothing else, a will and life insurance definitely will remind you that won't be here forever.
On the flip side, you get to do kid things again. Don't let Jeff fool ya for one second, he relishes in playing slotcars with Avalon. Feeding ducks is way more fun when you have kids. And as silly as it might seem, I love helping Avalon play with her babies. Chutes and Ladders is probably one of the funnest board games I've played in ages! Not even kidding.
I would never want to raise a child alone. This is some serious business and hard work. I don't know how single moms do it. Especially on the days you need a break!
And as much as some moms try, parenthood is not a competition. We are raising little humans, not racing cars. Each child has their own pace at which they learn.
Everything you say will show up in their vocabulary some day. Case in point, I don't cuss a lot but am known to say dammit when things really aren't going my way. So one day I caught her saying it and we had a discussion about dammit is Mommy word and darn it is a kid word. I forgot all about it until Jeff came home and she says, "Daddy, dammit is a Mommy word and darn it is a kid word." Consider yourself warned.
Once a roomful of doctors and nurses have looked at your nether regions, it takes a whole to be embarrassed. So when your kid says she had "diahree" as Avalon calls diahrhea to her entire preschool class, its not quite as embarrassing as you would've been prechild.
Last, it is all totally worth it. The sleepless nights, horrible colic/acid reflux, postpartum depression, stomach ailments and doctors visits don't even pack a punch to all the fun and love I've experienced in only three years. It doesn't hurt that I have the most awesome kid ever and great hubby to help raise her.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Breathe in Breathe out
Don't get me wrong I really am anticipating going to Vegas next week/weekend. When I think of all the awesome shopping, eating, and activities, I get really excited. I am super stoked to get some quality sleep with me and only me in the bed. I am way excited to go on a small vacay as we really haven't been anywhere since Avalon was born(although we are going to fix that this summer)
But I've never really left Avalon. She has only stayed at Grandma and Papa's overnight twice. (Although I think I was the most nervous that first time) But they only live three blocks away so if disaster struck, we were pretty close by.
Also don't misunderstand me. Jeff is completely capable of taking care of Avalon although her hair may be a little messy for a couple days. (I am teaching him how to put a pony in but still not a natural think for him to do. I had to teach him how to put tights on her last week. Kinda glad he doesn't know how to do that though. If Jeff was wearing hose, I'd be a bit concerned)
I guess I'm most worried about me but if their is any inkling of hesitation on Avalon's part, it'll kill me. We've been talking about me going and bringing back "prizes." But every time we talk about the fun things she and Daddy are gonna do, like sleep in a tent, go on lunch dates etc. SHe asks, "Mom's coming too?" So i hope they have so much fun they forget all about me.
I also am missing her pajama party at school which I realize i'm not going to shool with her but I love picking her up on those days and hearing all about how much fun she had. Small price to pay to go on vacation I suppose.
Lastly it's not natural to go places without Avalon. Going places without Jeff happens a lot because he works all the time. But I almost always have Avalon in tow and when Jeff is home on the weekends, we almost always go do things together. Its just odd to not have her with me/us. Don't get me wrong, we definitely appreciate the times when we get dinner together alone(usually at a restaurant we can't take Avalon) but we always comment how strange it is not to have her there. Also, we didn't have a child to pawn her off on grandparents to watch all the time(although I don't think they'd mind) We just love having her with us. It's so natural for it to be that way.
Okay, now that I got that out, I can go to Vegas and totally enjoy myself. And come back and never leave Avalon again. (Just kidding) (I think.)
Call Me Martha
Giant Sugar Cookies
I have been making cookies for 22 years. I'll wait while you do the math. Yes I made my first batch of cookies by myself when I was six years old. And when I say by myself, I literally did it by myself. My mom got down the measuring cups and spoons and baking soda but I literally did the rest myself, with the occasional trip down to the living room to make sure I was doing it right.
Now that I think about it, my mom must have thought I had more ability than most kids. Also, I would never let a child that young cook by themselves let alone put cookies in a hot oven. But I did and those chocolate chip cookies turned out perfectly round deliscious! I've been baking ever since.
Truth be told, these days, cookies are probably about the last thing on my list to get made. I've been making them so long. So it has to be a great recipe, or picture I see or something I'm craving in order to make them. I've perfected my chocolate chip cookie recipe(add pudding). I make snickerdoodles for Jeff as they're his favorite, and I like to try something new i'v never done before.
I have been searching for the perfectly soft an chewy sugar cookie for the past several years. I always though sugar cookies were for decorating. Then I had a kid. (Kids change everything don't they?) We discovered the most incredible soft deliscious frosted sugar cookies when ordering a kids meal for Avalon at Fuddruckers. These, seriously, were the best sugar cookies I ever had.
Even after buying them and bringing them home they would stay soft and chewy.
After many attempts at making the cookies, I could definitely get the frosting right but I could never get the cookies to be soft and chewy. Until today that is. I probably won't frost these cookies because they are so good all by them selves. I didn't even have to go looking for them. I am signed up for Martha Stewart's Cookie of the Day newsletter, which up until this point had been a total dud. But Martha has totally redeemed herself.
Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart, Everyday Food
(I simplify just about every recipe)
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
•2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
•1 teaspoon baking powder
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•1/4 teaspoon baking soda
•8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
•1 1/2 cups sugar, plus more for sprinkling
•1 large egg
•1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
•1/4 cup sour cream
Cream butter and sugar with eletric beaters over stand mixer for several minutes or until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, and combine well. Then add sour cream and mix well. Add baking powder, soda, and slat and combine. Then add flour and mix well. I made these cookies large as the orginal recipe indicated but not as big as was suggested. Each cookie started out with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough. Cook for 10-12 minutes until the edges turn brown but the tops are barely brown. Enjoy!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Where does she get this stuff?
Once you become a parent, the most taboo of things become some of the easiest to talk about. Especially poop. Talking about poop is about as easy as talking about the weather. Those first months ofyour babies life, you gauge part of their health on their bowel movements. And since Avalon has always had issues in that department, we've been especially aware. So for all of you non parents who roll your eyes at those of us who talk about poop and the such, you'll "get it" when you have kids of your own someday.
However, Avalon has such a sense of humor when it comes to her bathroom activites. She also is especially proud of her bathroom achievements. That though is probably our fault. We've made such a big deal about her being able to go after we've had some set backs. For example right after she became potty trained, she suddenly got scared of going number 2 and decided for about 4 days to quit going. Instead, she would dance around avoiding it at all costs. We came very worried that doing that could become dangerous and finally bribed her and got her going, so to speak. Then a few weeks ago, she got the stomach flu and once again boycotted all toilet activities. Again, we bribed her with a trip to Build-a-Bear for some accessories to her bear. (Yes, we find bribing to be a very successful parenting technique). Even now, with her pediatricians instruction we give her Miralax to help things out.(God I crack myself up)
After having a rough time in the bathroom yesterday, I asked her today, "Everything okay today?" when I came to help her.
Not missing a beat she replied, "Yep it all came out smoothly." Seriously where does she get this stuff?
Then a few minutes later Jean, Avalon and I all were standing in Jean's kitchen and Avalon breaks out with, "Let's do the Conga line." First of all Jean and I don't dance let alone with each other but were more surprised that Avalon knew what a Conga line was. She then proceeded to do the conga. Where does she get this stuff?
Also among her funny things lately:
She asked me if I wanted chocolate milk or usually milk. "Usually milk" being white milk.
And when we got home tonight from Target, she smiled an said, "Home Sweet Home."
However, Avalon has such a sense of humor when it comes to her bathroom activites. She also is especially proud of her bathroom achievements. That though is probably our fault. We've made such a big deal about her being able to go after we've had some set backs. For example right after she became potty trained, she suddenly got scared of going number 2 and decided for about 4 days to quit going. Instead, she would dance around avoiding it at all costs. We came very worried that doing that could become dangerous and finally bribed her and got her going, so to speak. Then a few weeks ago, she got the stomach flu and once again boycotted all toilet activities. Again, we bribed her with a trip to Build-a-Bear for some accessories to her bear. (Yes, we find bribing to be a very successful parenting technique). Even now, with her pediatricians instruction we give her Miralax to help things out.(God I crack myself up)
After having a rough time in the bathroom yesterday, I asked her today, "Everything okay today?" when I came to help her.
Not missing a beat she replied, "Yep it all came out smoothly." Seriously where does she get this stuff?
Then a few minutes later Jean, Avalon and I all were standing in Jean's kitchen and Avalon breaks out with, "Let's do the Conga line." First of all Jean and I don't dance let alone with each other but were more surprised that Avalon knew what a Conga line was. She then proceeded to do the conga. Where does she get this stuff?
Also among her funny things lately:
She asked me if I wanted chocolate milk or usually milk. "Usually milk" being white milk.
And when we got home tonight from Target, she smiled an said, "Home Sweet Home."
Monday, January 3, 2011
Brown Soda Bread
Brown Soda Bread I don't make bread often for two main reasons. One, yeast is very tricky for me. If you're not careful and treat it right, you've got a brick of bread. Trust me, I've done it. Second, I love bread. Counterintuitive right. I love bread therefore I don't make it. Exactly, I LOVE BREAD. I could eat entire loaf of fresh baked bread right out of the oven for dinner. I don't eat a lot of white carbs in an attempt to be healthier and work toward my weight loss goals so I don't keep good bread around because it is one of the hardest things for me to resist. Yeah I like cookies and cakes but it really is easy for me to pass them over. Bread, not so much. Its just so good.
But I've had this recipe for a while. I tore it out of a Cooking Light magazine earlier this year. Cooking Light is the only place that I will make "lighter" recipes. They do lighten up their dishes but without losing the identity of what they are making.
And because Avalon and I were slow moving today and missed open swim, we stayed in and cookied a whole host of foods. Fortunately today there were no misses cooking wise and this was our biggest hit. The addition of steel cut oats gives each bite some serious texture. Despite the large amount of whole wheat flour, this loaf was light and fluffy. Not sure why the strange nob appeared on top but it was tasty all the same.
As soon as I start rustling around the kitchen to make something other than dinner, Avalon grabs one of her little chairs and comes running, "I wanna cook too!" So with the help of Cooking Light and my little sous chef, we made Brown Soda Bread.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
In a large bowl mix up dry ingredients:
2.5 cups whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup of AP Flour
1/2 cup steel cut oats
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
(1 tablespoon wheat germ, I didn't have any so I left it out)
Here is the dry ingredients
In a measuring cup, pour 2 cups of buttermilk. (Or if you're like me and never have buttermilk, make your own by putting a couple tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice in measuring cup and pour milk to the 2 cup line.) Let set 10 minutes or so and add an egg and beat slightly. Add to dry ingredients.
Have your sous chef, stir and stir and stir.
Really the recipe says to stir until combined but trying telling that to a three year old. And our loaf didn't come out worse for the wear.
Still in her jammies, helping Mommy make bread!
The bread ingredients all mixed together. Put in greased loaf pan and bake. I baked mine for about 40 minutes. The recipe said to bake it for closer than an hour. It's done when a toothpick somes out clean.
There is nothing better than fresh bread and real butter. We've been using Amish butter we got from a store called 2J's in Great Falls. And please, if you can eat butter, do. Margarine is about as gross as it gets. Ranks right up there with Miracle Whip and raw tomatoes.
Now I have to find someone else who likes it just as much as I do so I don't end up eating the entire loaf.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Inaugural Foodie Post
So you'd think with this being the first ever post about food that I would have some super fancy recipe that might look incredible but as the picture shows, it's not too fancy. And no, it isn't a sugar cube, but Coconut Gumdrops.
I've had this recipe sitting around and I had every intention of making it for Christmas time. But like everyone else, the time leading up to Christmas was crazy busy and while I probably baked more than the usual person I had to let a lot of it go until later or even till next Christmas. Nobody wants a candy cane dessert in the middle of February!
I read many magazines as my mother-in-law and I each subscribe to several and then trade. I truly enjoy each one of them for their specific reasons. There is one exception though. Better Homes and Gardens, is the most. boring. publication. EVER. But I am a sucker for recipes. So, even though I don't read the magazine I always flip to the end and see if there is anything worth making. And this is how these coconut gum drops came to be.
Other than being busy, this recipe also got pushed to the back burner(pun intended) because candy making freaks me out a bit. Using a candy thermometer to get something just the right temperature is just a little to exacting for my cooking methods.
But I was freaked out for no reason. This was the easiest candy recipe ever. Except that I ran out of corn syrup but my mother-in-law saved my bacon (god I crack myself up) and brought me some so I didn't have to bundle up the munchkin up and head to the store.
The recipe is as follows, simplified as the BHG version made the recipe seem more complex than it really was.
Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens
Line bread pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray
In a medium sized sauce pan combine
1 cup sugar
1 cup corn syrup
Heat over medium and stir for the first 3 mintes until sugar is dissolved making sure not to splash too much on the sides. Then put in your candy thermometer and allow to heat to 280 degrees or the soft crack stage
While that's heating, combine over medium heat
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 water
1 package of powdered fruit pectin like Sure Jell
1/2 baking soda
Heat until boiling. Remove from heat if sugar is not done. When sugar is ready bring coconut mixture back to a boil and stream in sugar mixture while stirring. After combined, stir over heat for 1 minute. Poor into lined bread pan
Let the mixture cool until solid. I let mine sit on the counter for about an hour and it was cooled and solidified. Then take the foil out of the pan and cut into squares.
Next you can do a couple of things. Just shake these in a bowl of sugar to give them that signature gumdrop look. Or you can
Put 1/2 cup of coconut in a food processor(toasted if you like) and pulse until uniformly small. Add 1/2 of sugar and mix. Then shake the cubes in the mixture. When you're finished they look like this.
These candies are quite tasty and actually have a bit of tang to them. That said, I think they could be more coconutty. However the recipe has an option to make grapefruit gumdrops where you replace the coconut milk and water with 3/4 cup pink grapefruit juice. And with that in mind, the possibilities are endless.
And if anyone wants some(along with some lemon truffles and chocolate chip cookie dough truffles) let me know.
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