Um, YUM! These were really, really rich, but SO good. I'm not sure if they are worth 3 points for the 2-3 bite brownie you get, but we will definitely make them again! And I did take a picture, but I haven't downloaded it yet. Sorry!
POINTS: 3
Servings: 16
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup apple butter
1/4 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup mini-marshmallows
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350*. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil, allowing the foil to extend over the rim of the pan by 2 inches. Spray with nonstick spray.
Whisk the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. whisk the sugar, apple butter, oil, eggs, and vanilla together in a medium bowl. Add the sugar mixture to the flour mixture; stir just until blended.
Scrape the batter into the baking pan and spread evnely. Sprinkle with the marshmallows, chocolate chips, and walnuts. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs clinging, 20-25 minutes. (I had problems with this part because the crumbs got lost in the melting chocolate chips. So, I just went by when the marshmallows were browned, but not burned. It worked.) Let cool completely in the pan on a rack. Lift from the pan using the foil as handles, cut into 16 squares.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Surf & Turf Pizza
Yet another successful recipe from the new cookbook! The only problem? It's TOO good! I had to put the last 2 portions in the fridge before finishing my portion so that I wouldn't go back for seconds!!!!
POINTS: 7
Serves: 4 (2 slices)
Ingredients
1 tube (13.8 ounces) refrigerated pizza dough
1 (6 1/2 ounces) can minced clams, drained
1 small zucchini, thinly sliced
1 ounce prosciutto, chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup torn basil
Directions
Preheat the oven to 475*.
Unroll the dough onto a pizza pan or a baking sheet, gently pulling on the dough to form a 12 inch circle. (I left it in a rectangle and it turned out fine.) Sprinkle the dough evenly with the clams, zucchini, and prosciutto. (I think next time I will put the zucchini on the bottom, but you can do it however!) Lightly spray the top of the pizza with olive oil cooking spray. (We were out of spray, so I just brushed a little olive oil on.) Sprinkle with the Parmesan and bake until crisp and browned, 10-12 minutes. Sprinkle with the basil and cut into 8 wedges. (I misread the recipe and cooked it with the basil. It turned out great!)
A few weeks ago, someone suggested I take pictures of the food. For the first time, I actually remembered to take a picture before I inhaled! So, here you are:
Next time I'll put the clams and prosciutto on top of the zucchini, but it really doesn't matter in the end. Yummy, yummy, yummy!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Wow!
Has it really been 2 weeks since I've done a real post... one other than recipes? Gosh, I go from one extreme to the other!
I guess things have just been really busy and - believe it or not - normal!
The school year has started and I have 14 students right now. They are very, VERY low academically, but decent behavior wise. I can still get 2 more kids, so I'm just waiting for that to happen.... They love Crush & Squirt and we've had several "Turtle Time"s since starting school.
Weigh In was good last week. I lost 1.6 lbs, so I 'm down to 182.4. This is the lowest that I have EVER weighed and I'm less than 2 lbs away from my ultimate goal of 182! I'm hoping I'll be there by the end of September!
I have 9 days before I see the ortho for my knee. I haven't worked out since the 5K - the pain has gotten worse. Walking hurts now, and dancing with my kids - which I do daily - irritates it. So, no working out. I'm still planning on doing Corporate Cup on 9/15 and Race for the Cure on 10/4. Just not sure how much pain I'll be in afterwards and whether or not I'll run the Race for the Cure.
David is back in school and doing well. We're both trying to adjust to the new school-year schedule and it SUCKS. But, at least we're able to spend Friday night's together and we usually go up to Too Far North, our favorite tasting room!
We start our Foster Care classes on Oct 6! We're praying that it all goes well and we will have kids in our home by the end of December.
So, that's about it... I just wanted to give a little update and say hi! I planned a few new recipes this week so look out for a couple more recipes soon!!
I guess things have just been really busy and - believe it or not - normal!
The school year has started and I have 14 students right now. They are very, VERY low academically, but decent behavior wise. I can still get 2 more kids, so I'm just waiting for that to happen.... They love Crush & Squirt and we've had several "Turtle Time"s since starting school.
Weigh In was good last week. I lost 1.6 lbs, so I 'm down to 182.4. This is the lowest that I have EVER weighed and I'm less than 2 lbs away from my ultimate goal of 182! I'm hoping I'll be there by the end of September!
I have 9 days before I see the ortho for my knee. I haven't worked out since the 5K - the pain has gotten worse. Walking hurts now, and dancing with my kids - which I do daily - irritates it. So, no working out. I'm still planning on doing Corporate Cup on 9/15 and Race for the Cure on 10/4. Just not sure how much pain I'll be in afterwards and whether or not I'll run the Race for the Cure.
David is back in school and doing well. We're both trying to adjust to the new school-year schedule and it SUCKS. But, at least we're able to spend Friday night's together and we usually go up to Too Far North, our favorite tasting room!
We start our Foster Care classes on Oct 6! We're praying that it all goes well and we will have kids in our home by the end of December.
So, that's about it... I just wanted to give a little update and say hi! I planned a few new recipes this week so look out for a couple more recipes soon!!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Frozen peanut butter and chocolate pie
Wow! That's all I have to say. Wow! This was dessert from my "Suzie Homemaker" night, also from the new cookbook. David actually asked if I had really made this -- he said "you're a good cook, but did you REALLY make this?" Yep! I did!!
POINTS: 3
Servings: 12 (small portion, but worth every ounce)
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups fat free milk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup + 1 TBSP reduced-fat creamy peanut butter
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup frozen thawed fat-free whipped topping
1 prepared reduced-fat graham-cracker crust
1 TBSP chopped dry roasted peanuts
1/2 ounce semisweet chocolate, coarsely grated
Directions
Combine the milk and sugar in a medium saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 2 minutes; remove from the heat. Whisk in the peanut butter and vanilla until smooth. Pour into a medium bowl and refrigerate until completely cooled, about 1 hour. (The milk never got really warm before the sugar dissolved so the PB had trouble melting and it didn't take long to "completely cool.")
Gently stir the whipped topping into the chilled milk mixture; spoon into the crust. Sprinkle with the peanuts and grated chocolate. Loosely cover the pie with wax paper, hen with heavy-duty foil. Freeze until completely frozen, at least 4 hours or up to 2 days.
Let the pie soften at room temperature 15 minutes before serving.
POINTS: 3
Servings: 12 (small portion, but worth every ounce)
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups fat free milk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup + 1 TBSP reduced-fat creamy peanut butter
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup frozen thawed fat-free whipped topping
1 prepared reduced-fat graham-cracker crust
1 TBSP chopped dry roasted peanuts
1/2 ounce semisweet chocolate, coarsely grated
Directions
Combine the milk and sugar in a medium saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 2 minutes; remove from the heat. Whisk in the peanut butter and vanilla until smooth. Pour into a medium bowl and refrigerate until completely cooled, about 1 hour. (The milk never got really warm before the sugar dissolved so the PB had trouble melting and it didn't take long to "completely cool.")
Gently stir the whipped topping into the chilled milk mixture; spoon into the crust. Sprinkle with the peanuts and grated chocolate. Loosely cover the pie with wax paper, hen with heavy-duty foil. Freeze until completely frozen, at least 4 hours or up to 2 days.
Let the pie soften at room temperature 15 minutes before serving.
Chili-spiced thick oven "fries"
Yep, another recipe from the new cookbook! We served these with the burgers and it was perfect!
POINTS: 2
Serves: 4 (6 fries per serving)
Ingredients
3 large (8 oz) russet potatoes, scrubbed
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450*. Spray a large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray.
Halve the potatoes and cut each piece lengthwise into quarters; place on the baking sheet. Drizzle with the oil (I used 1 tsp extra because it didn't look like enough, but probably would have been), and toss to coat. Rearrange the potatoes in a single layer and bake until the bottoms are deep golden and crisp, about 15 minutes. Turn the potatoes onto the opposite cut side and bake until crips, 10-15 minutes longer.
Meanwhile, combine the sugar, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. When the fries are done cooking, sprinkle the seasoning mixture over and toss to coat. (I didn't think that it would be enough seasoning, but it was. You could easily add more if you wanted more seasoning.)
POINTS: 2
Serves: 4 (6 fries per serving)
Ingredients
3 large (8 oz) russet potatoes, scrubbed
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450*. Spray a large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray.
Halve the potatoes and cut each piece lengthwise into quarters; place on the baking sheet. Drizzle with the oil (I used 1 tsp extra because it didn't look like enough, but probably would have been), and toss to coat. Rearrange the potatoes in a single layer and bake until the bottoms are deep golden and crisp, about 15 minutes. Turn the potatoes onto the opposite cut side and bake until crips, 10-15 minutes longer.
Meanwhile, combine the sugar, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. When the fries are done cooking, sprinkle the seasoning mixture over and toss to coat. (I didn't think that it would be enough seasoning, but it was. You could easily add more if you wanted more seasoning.)
Cheese-stuffed chicken burgers
Here's another recipe from the Classic Comfort's book. SO yummy!! Someone asked me to take pictures of my food. Sorry, I ate it too fast! Yes, there was 1 left (David had 2), but it didn't look as yummy in the ziploc baggie as it did on my plate with the muffin!
POINTS: 8
Servings: 4
Ingredients
3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar
1 TBSP Dijon mustard
1 lb ground chicken breast
1/3 cup plain dried bread crumbs
1/4 tsp salt
4 light multigrain English muffins, split and toasted
1/4 cup ketchup
4 lettuce leaves
4 tomato slices
12 bread and butter slices
Directions
Stir the cheese and mustard together in a small bowl. Stir the chicken, bread crumbs, and salt together in a medium bowl just until blended. Form into 4 balls. With your index finger, make a deep indentation in each ball. Fill each indentation with 3 TBSP of the cheese mixture (ends up being just under 3 TBSP for each burger). Fold the chicken mixture around the cheese to seal; shape each one into a 3 in diameter patty.
Spray a nonstick ridged grill pan with nonstick spray and set over medium heat. Place the burgers in the pan and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the side of each burger (without touching the cheese) registers 165*; about 6-7 minutes on each side.
Serve the burgers in the muffins topped with the ketchup, lettuce leaves, tomato slices, and pickles (we used cucumbers instead of pickles).
POINTS: 8
Servings: 4
Ingredients
3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar
1 TBSP Dijon mustard
1 lb ground chicken breast
1/3 cup plain dried bread crumbs
1/4 tsp salt
4 light multigrain English muffins, split and toasted
1/4 cup ketchup
4 lettuce leaves
4 tomato slices
12 bread and butter slices
Directions
Stir the cheese and mustard together in a small bowl. Stir the chicken, bread crumbs, and salt together in a medium bowl just until blended. Form into 4 balls. With your index finger, make a deep indentation in each ball. Fill each indentation with 3 TBSP of the cheese mixture (ends up being just under 3 TBSP for each burger). Fold the chicken mixture around the cheese to seal; shape each one into a 3 in diameter patty.
Spray a nonstick ridged grill pan with nonstick spray and set over medium heat. Place the burgers in the pan and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the side of each burger (without touching the cheese) registers 165*; about 6-7 minutes on each side.
Serve the burgers in the muffins topped with the ketchup, lettuce leaves, tomato slices, and pickles (we used cucumbers instead of pickles).
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Cheesy Chicken Carbonara with Fettuccine
Sounds unhealthy, doesn't it? Well, guess what! It's NOT!! I bought the new WW cookbook, Comfort Classics, last night and promised David a home cooked meal tonight. I plan on making LOTS of these recipes, so be prepared for some updates!
This recipe was super easy to make and really yummy! I paired it with homemade cheese bread (slice of 1 pt toast, 1/8th cup reduced fat cheese - 1 pt, and garlic salt) and some steamed veggies. Oh, and a glass of wine (duh!).....
Points: 7
Serves: 4
Ingredients
6 ounces fettuccine
3/4 cup fat-free milk
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
4 slices center-cut bacon, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup chopped cooked chicken breast (I cooked mine on George Foreman while the pasta water started boiling)
(we added 1 red pepper, chopped, and a few mushrooms, chopped)
Directions
Cook the pasta according to package directions, omitting the salt if desired. Drain and keep warm.
Meanwhile, whisk the milk, Parmesan, egg, salt, and pepper in a bowl until blended.
Cook the bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the bacon begins to brown, 3-4 minutes. Add the onion and garlic (and red pepper and mushrooms) and cook, stirring often, until the onion begins to brown, 2-3 minutes.
Add the chicken and cook until heated through, 1-2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the fettuccine and the milk mixture. Cook, tossing, until the sauce is thickened and creamy, 2-3 minutes.
This recipe was super easy to make and really yummy! I paired it with homemade cheese bread (slice of 1 pt toast, 1/8th cup reduced fat cheese - 1 pt, and garlic salt) and some steamed veggies. Oh, and a glass of wine (duh!).....
Points: 7
Serves: 4
Ingredients
6 ounces fettuccine
3/4 cup fat-free milk
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
4 slices center-cut bacon, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup chopped cooked chicken breast (I cooked mine on George Foreman while the pasta water started boiling)
(we added 1 red pepper, chopped, and a few mushrooms, chopped)
Directions
Cook the pasta according to package directions, omitting the salt if desired. Drain and keep warm.
Meanwhile, whisk the milk, Parmesan, egg, salt, and pepper in a bowl until blended.
Cook the bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the bacon begins to brown, 3-4 minutes. Add the onion and garlic (and red pepper and mushrooms) and cook, stirring often, until the onion begins to brown, 2-3 minutes.
Add the chicken and cook until heated through, 1-2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the fettuccine and the milk mixture. Cook, tossing, until the sauce is thickened and creamy, 2-3 minutes.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Race Results and Pictures!
As promised, more details from the race...
The day started out raining - CRAZY, pouring down rain. We were hoping and praying that it would stop raining, or at least stop pouring down rain. We sat in the car while we waited for the time to pass and hope the rain would stop!
Luckily, it DID stop! About 8:15 it started slowing down a little and by 8:25 it had completely stopped. They did the "normal" pre-race stuff - letting us know what the route was, etc... We made sure our numbers were pinned on and our timing chips were secured on our shoes.
And off we went!! David wanted me to walk the whole thing because my knee has been so bad. I started walking, but got really impatient after 5 minutes - I wanted, no... NEEDED... to run. So, I started running. I made the SMART choice to walk all inclines - up and down. And only ran 4-5 minutes at a time.
Final time?? 40:33! David completed in just over 42 minutes. My dad met us at the finish line and took pictures for us before we went to breakfast. We were wet from rain and sweat, but we felt great!
I did pay for that 40:33 with a fair amount of knee pain for the rest of the day. By the end of the day, it was survivable (or maybe that was the wine??), but David and my dad were really worried about me afterwards.
Thank you to all of you for your support while we've trained. David is doing so great running, and I am so proud of him. I'm waiting until my dr's appt on Sept 8 before I do anymore running. I'm hoping to walk and do some elliptical at the gym, but it all depends on what the knee can handle. I'm hoping -- praying -- that I can keep running after I see him. Keep your fingers crossed for me!!!
The day started out raining - CRAZY, pouring down rain. We were hoping and praying that it would stop raining, or at least stop pouring down rain. We sat in the car while we waited for the time to pass and hope the rain would stop!
Luckily, it DID stop! About 8:15 it started slowing down a little and by 8:25 it had completely stopped. They did the "normal" pre-race stuff - letting us know what the route was, etc... We made sure our numbers were pinned on and our timing chips were secured on our shoes.
And off we went!! David wanted me to walk the whole thing because my knee has been so bad. I started walking, but got really impatient after 5 minutes - I wanted, no... NEEDED... to run. So, I started running. I made the SMART choice to walk all inclines - up and down. And only ran 4-5 minutes at a time.
Final time?? 40:33! David completed in just over 42 minutes. My dad met us at the finish line and took pictures for us before we went to breakfast. We were wet from rain and sweat, but we felt great!
I did pay for that 40:33 with a fair amount of knee pain for the rest of the day. By the end of the day, it was survivable (or maybe that was the wine??), but David and my dad were really worried about me afterwards.
Thank you to all of you for your support while we've trained. David is doing so great running, and I am so proud of him. I'm waiting until my dr's appt on Sept 8 before I do anymore running. I'm hoping to walk and do some elliptical at the gym, but it all depends on what the knee can handle. I'm hoping -- praying -- that I can keep running after I see him. Keep your fingers crossed for me!!!
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Quick Race Report!
I promise to post pics tomorrow, but it's getting late and it's been a long weekend!
Even with my knee being sore, I completed the race. I wasn't going to run any of it (just walk), but got ants in my pants and began running. I ran maybe 15 minutes of it, which is not much for me. My knee did okay, but I was sore for several hours afterwards. I completed the race in 45 minutes. David completed in 48 minutes.
Then, we took Saturday afternoon and all day today to visit some wineries. We made it to 6 wineries and got some awesome wines.
Pictures and more details to come -- after I catch up on some sleep! Kids start back tomorrow, and I'm meeting with my families for the next 3 days. My students start on Thursday. I'm excited but exhausted!
Even with my knee being sore, I completed the race. I wasn't going to run any of it (just walk), but got ants in my pants and began running. I ran maybe 15 minutes of it, which is not much for me. My knee did okay, but I was sore for several hours afterwards. I completed the race in 45 minutes. David completed in 48 minutes.
Then, we took Saturday afternoon and all day today to visit some wineries. We made it to 6 wineries and got some awesome wines.
Pictures and more details to come -- after I catch up on some sleep! Kids start back tomorrow, and I'm meeting with my families for the next 3 days. My students start on Thursday. I'm excited but exhausted!
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Quick Update
Well, since David updated his blog, I should probably update mine for the week! I'm running short on time, so no fun formatting - sorry!
Weighin was last night - I was up 1 lb. But, you know what? It was only 1 lb! I'm at 184.8. I can handle that! I had a tough food week - I let myself slack off, and I'm not able to exercise as well because of my knee. So, this week, I'm back to paying attention to what I'm doing. I will track every day, I will pay attention to my daily, weekly, and activity points. I will lose weight this week!
I went to see a PA this week for my knee. She's an idiot. She did an xray and found a "benign" growth on my bone right above my patella. Her nurse said "if" I want to go to an Ortho, they'll write me a referral. Yes, I want to go. Oh, and I asked about exercise and running - "Well, Linda [PA] says you're fine to do it if it doesn't hurt." Okay, well, obviously it hurts - that's why I came to you in the first place! Idiots!!! My Ortho appointment is Sept 8th, and I've heard very good things about this doctor.
So, Saturday is our 5K. I'm still not sure what I'm going to do. I know I'm going to at least walk it - I'm hoping to run some of it. I may walk all of it but the last part - at least then I can be running across the finish line! We'll take before/after pictures at the race, and then we're going to breakfast with my dad!
I have my sleep study scheduled. They think I may have narcolepsy or some sort of para-insomnia. So, instead of just staying the night, I have to stay the day, too. They will give me 5 "opportunities" to nap throughout the day to see what my brain does. Lovely. That is Sept 15th/16th.
We went back to school this week! The kids start Monday, but we're doing meetings and getting our rooms ready. Today is a Curriculum Day (meeting with big-wig administrators) and then tonight is "Safe Walk to School" - basically a "meet the teacher" night. So, I have to dress up a little. I'll post a pic later but I feel great!
The turtles get to go to school tomorrow! They are starting to get used to each other. In fact, last night I caught them snuggling in their sleep. And, yes, they are both girls! It wasn't THAT kind of snuggle. I'm excited for the kids to see them!
Well, I think that's about it for my quickie update. I promised you recipes, but I haven't been cooking much. My energy level is still in the dumps and David hasn't been home much. Hopefully next week we'll get into the swing of us both being back at work/school and home together a few hours a night!
Weighin was last night - I was up 1 lb. But, you know what? It was only 1 lb! I'm at 184.8. I can handle that! I had a tough food week - I let myself slack off, and I'm not able to exercise as well because of my knee. So, this week, I'm back to paying attention to what I'm doing. I will track every day, I will pay attention to my daily, weekly, and activity points. I will lose weight this week!
I went to see a PA this week for my knee. She's an idiot. She did an xray and found a "benign" growth on my bone right above my patella. Her nurse said "if" I want to go to an Ortho, they'll write me a referral. Yes, I want to go. Oh, and I asked about exercise and running - "Well, Linda [PA] says you're fine to do it if it doesn't hurt." Okay, well, obviously it hurts - that's why I came to you in the first place! Idiots!!! My Ortho appointment is Sept 8th, and I've heard very good things about this doctor.
So, Saturday is our 5K. I'm still not sure what I'm going to do. I know I'm going to at least walk it - I'm hoping to run some of it. I may walk all of it but the last part - at least then I can be running across the finish line! We'll take before/after pictures at the race, and then we're going to breakfast with my dad!
I have my sleep study scheduled. They think I may have narcolepsy or some sort of para-insomnia. So, instead of just staying the night, I have to stay the day, too. They will give me 5 "opportunities" to nap throughout the day to see what my brain does. Lovely. That is Sept 15th/16th.
We went back to school this week! The kids start Monday, but we're doing meetings and getting our rooms ready. Today is a Curriculum Day (meeting with big-wig administrators) and then tonight is "Safe Walk to School" - basically a "meet the teacher" night. So, I have to dress up a little. I'll post a pic later but I feel great!
The turtles get to go to school tomorrow! They are starting to get used to each other. In fact, last night I caught them snuggling in their sleep. And, yes, they are both girls! It wasn't THAT kind of snuggle. I'm excited for the kids to see them!
Well, I think that's about it for my quickie update. I promised you recipes, but I haven't been cooking much. My energy level is still in the dumps and David hasn't been home much. Hopefully next week we'll get into the swing of us both being back at work/school and home together a few hours a night!
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Turtle Time
Well, we finally got our turtles! David and I decided last week we were going to get turtles for my classroom. The Humane Society had two on Friday, but they were gone by Tuesday when we had decided for sure to get them.
We had already gotten the tank, so we went over to Petco, where I knew they had turtles. The guy in the aquarium area said he had just gotten a call from the Turtle Rescue (Yes! There is such a thing!) and they had 2 red earred sliders. I gave him my number and he said he'd call me back!
He called me Friday afternoon as we were on our way up to the winery to help get ready for Saturday night. He said he'd hang on to the one turtle (the other one had found a home), and that it would be okay to get a second of the same kind to put in the tank (this is the kind they sell at the store) because they are similar in size and I wanted 2.
My mom helped us with the tank setup and David's mom decided she wanted to buy the turtles for me! The one from the rescue was free, so she bought the other one and a statue for their tank. My friend Joanna said I should name them Crush and Squirt (from Nemo). Okay, sounds good! It's been a definite community effort to get this tank set up!
And now, for pictures:
This is Crush, a 4-5 yr old female Red Earred Slider. The thing in the upper left hand corner is the bottom of one of their basking stations -- NOT a plastic penis or a UFO. (Both of these ideas were suggested, so I figured I'd just tell you now!)
This is Squirt, another 4-5 yr old female Red Earred Slider. She is a little more shy/laid back than Crush and also a little smaller.
I tried to get good pictures of their introduction, but the glare on the glass was really bad with my digital, and my phone doesn't take fast enough pics! They both tolerated me holding them and kept their heads out. They tucked their feet in, but didn't "hiss" at me or anything. I can't wait for the kids to meet them!!
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Another Check In!
I think I'm liking these weekly check ins.. I know with school getting ready to start, things are going to get CRAZY! So, if I tell myself I will at least post once a week, plus at least one recipe, I can commit to that!
Life
Nothing *too* exciting this week. I've been getting myself mentally ready to go back to work next week. I'm making myself wake up by 7:00, even if I don't have anything going on, and no naps! (This has been tough with my lack of energy, but I'm surviving.)
David and I decided to get my class turtles as pets. It will be a learning experience for all! My mom helped us with the setup, and now I'm waiting to hear from the Turtle Rescue people here in town - an employee at Petco said they have 2 red earred sliders that are between 5-10 yrs old (he wasn't sure)... So I'm just waiting to hear back. If they aren't available anymore, I'll just get 2 from Petco.
Yesterday, the memory card on my camera crapped out. I know there were pictures on there, but I *think* most of them are on a computer. But, I'm scared that not all of them were... We had pictures of Toby and Max when they were little on that camera! (99% sure those pics are on a computer!)
My sleep study consult is Friday. I've been keeping a sleep diary for the last 2 weeks. The last week or so, I've had a little more energy, but I've been really irritable - almost, like I'm still tired but my body is changing the way it's reacting to that... Hopefully we can get the sleep study scheduled quickly and figure out what in the world my problem is!
5K
The race is getting closer and closer! It's in a week and a half, and I feel like I'm not ready. I'm not running as much as I thought I would be by now... And my knee is starting to hurt! It's not swollen, so I've been taking Tylenol and icing it after runs. But, it still hurts and I'm not able to run more than 5-7 minutes at a time.
It worries me... Maybe the doctors in high school were right: I will never run. But, damn it, I CAN run! I'm doing it! I feel great when I'm doing it! Until last week, and now I struggle to get through pain free. UGH!
Weigh In
Tonight was another weigh in! I kept my points at 28 this week to lose what I gained last week... I lost 3.6 lbs this week! I was very, very excited! I used all of my weekly points and 3 of my 17 activity points, so I guess I'm doing it right. I'm going to stay at 28 for a few more weeks and try to get down to my personal goal: 180. I have 2.8 lbs to go!
David is at work, so he wasn't able to come. He'll probably weigh in Saturday morning. I know he's doing awesome!
Fruit and Vegetable Challenge
Yes, it's over. It ended this week with getting 5 servings in a day. Well, my green monsters are 3 - yes 3 - servings of f & g, 1 serving of milk, and if I use "real" peanut butter (vs. PB2), an oil!
When it first started, our leader said to bring in the paper, all filled out, and we'd be placed in a drawing. Only 4 of us brought the papers back and..... I won! I got a POINTS Calculator! We used to have the old one, and it disappeared one day - it's probably in David's car, or maybe it was in the Equinox when he had the accident... So, now I have one! Super excited!!
Life
Nothing *too* exciting this week. I've been getting myself mentally ready to go back to work next week. I'm making myself wake up by 7:00, even if I don't have anything going on, and no naps! (This has been tough with my lack of energy, but I'm surviving.)
David and I decided to get my class turtles as pets. It will be a learning experience for all! My mom helped us with the setup, and now I'm waiting to hear from the Turtle Rescue people here in town - an employee at Petco said they have 2 red earred sliders that are between 5-10 yrs old (he wasn't sure)... So I'm just waiting to hear back. If they aren't available anymore, I'll just get 2 from Petco.
Yesterday, the memory card on my camera crapped out. I know there were pictures on there, but I *think* most of them are on a computer. But, I'm scared that not all of them were... We had pictures of Toby and Max when they were little on that camera! (99% sure those pics are on a computer!)
My sleep study consult is Friday. I've been keeping a sleep diary for the last 2 weeks. The last week or so, I've had a little more energy, but I've been really irritable - almost, like I'm still tired but my body is changing the way it's reacting to that... Hopefully we can get the sleep study scheduled quickly and figure out what in the world my problem is!
5K
The race is getting closer and closer! It's in a week and a half, and I feel like I'm not ready. I'm not running as much as I thought I would be by now... And my knee is starting to hurt! It's not swollen, so I've been taking Tylenol and icing it after runs. But, it still hurts and I'm not able to run more than 5-7 minutes at a time.
It worries me... Maybe the doctors in high school were right: I will never run. But, damn it, I CAN run! I'm doing it! I feel great when I'm doing it! Until last week, and now I struggle to get through pain free. UGH!
Weigh In
Tonight was another weigh in! I kept my points at 28 this week to lose what I gained last week... I lost 3.6 lbs this week! I was very, very excited! I used all of my weekly points and 3 of my 17 activity points, so I guess I'm doing it right. I'm going to stay at 28 for a few more weeks and try to get down to my personal goal: 180. I have 2.8 lbs to go!
David is at work, so he wasn't able to come. He'll probably weigh in Saturday morning. I know he's doing awesome!
Fruit and Vegetable Challenge
Yes, it's over. It ended this week with getting 5 servings in a day. Well, my green monsters are 3 - yes 3 - servings of f & g, 1 serving of milk, and if I use "real" peanut butter (vs. PB2), an oil!
When it first started, our leader said to bring in the paper, all filled out, and we'd be placed in a drawing. Only 4 of us brought the papers back and..... I won! I got a POINTS Calculator! We used to have the old one, and it disappeared one day - it's probably in David's car, or maybe it was in the Equinox when he had the accident... So, now I have one! Super excited!!
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Crispy Crab Cakes
I know, I know... It's been a while since I gave you all a recipe... well, not THAT long, but longer than I'd like! David and I are working on deep cleaning our house, and David found a WW magazine from May/June 2008... He was avoiding cleaning and started looking through it.
I LOVE Crab Cakes. My sister and brother in law introduced me to their wonderful-ness when I nannied Chris's daughter several summers ago.... Now, granted, these crab cakes are not as awesome as the ones on the East or West Coast, but they are pretty damn good!
The funny thing....? We had crab cakes as an appetizer at a restaurant today. It was $12 for 2! Really? They were so small. Now, they were good, but SO not worth the money. These were comparible to the restaurant ones in taste, healthier, and bigger! And they were cheaper!
POINTS® Value: 4
Servings: 4
Ingredients
1/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise
1 egg white
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. Old Bay seasoning (I used Seasoning Salt because we didn't have Old Bay)
1 tsp Worchestershire sauce
3/4 lb. imitation crabmeat, chopped
1/2 lb. medium peeled and deveined shrimp, chopped (I used the canned tiny shrimp so I didn't have to chop them!)
3/4 cup fresh whole-wheat bread crumbs
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 (5-oz) bag mixed spring greens
4 lemon wedges
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350*
Combine the mayonnaise, egg white, mustard, seasoning, and Worcestershire sauce in a large bowl, beating with a whisk until blended. Add the crab meat and shrimp; mix well. Add the bread crumbs, stirring until blended. With lightly moistened hands, form the mixture into 8 (2 1/2 inch) patties
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the patties and cook until lightly browned, 3-4 minutes on each side. (We have an electric oven, and medium-high was too hot for mine. They got a little burned on the one side, but still edible!) Transfer to a baking sheet. Bake until cooked through, 8-10 minutes. (I think closer to 10 minutes - I only did 8 and they tasted a little too "crabby", which usually means they aren't completely done.) Arrange the cakes on the greens and serve at once with the lemon wedges.
I LOVE Crab Cakes. My sister and brother in law introduced me to their wonderful-ness when I nannied Chris's daughter several summers ago.... Now, granted, these crab cakes are not as awesome as the ones on the East or West Coast, but they are pretty damn good!
The funny thing....? We had crab cakes as an appetizer at a restaurant today. It was $12 for 2! Really? They were so small. Now, they were good, but SO not worth the money. These were comparible to the restaurant ones in taste, healthier, and bigger! And they were cheaper!
POINTS® Value: 4
Servings: 4
Ingredients
1/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise
1 egg white
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. Old Bay seasoning (I used Seasoning Salt because we didn't have Old Bay)
1 tsp Worchestershire sauce
3/4 lb. imitation crabmeat, chopped
1/2 lb. medium peeled and deveined shrimp, chopped (I used the canned tiny shrimp so I didn't have to chop them!)
3/4 cup fresh whole-wheat bread crumbs
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 (5-oz) bag mixed spring greens
4 lemon wedges
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350*
Combine the mayonnaise, egg white, mustard, seasoning, and Worcestershire sauce in a large bowl, beating with a whisk until blended. Add the crab meat and shrimp; mix well. Add the bread crumbs, stirring until blended. With lightly moistened hands, form the mixture into 8 (2 1/2 inch) patties
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the patties and cook until lightly browned, 3-4 minutes on each side. (We have an electric oven, and medium-high was too hot for mine. They got a little burned on the one side, but still edible!) Transfer to a baking sheet. Bake until cooked through, 8-10 minutes. (I think closer to 10 minutes - I only did 8 and they tasted a little too "crabby", which usually means they aren't completely done.) Arrange the cakes on the greens and serve at once with the lemon wedges.
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