Food!!!

Part of the turkey day spread...















A little more















HG's "I can't believe it's not sweet potato pie" for me it's a great alternative to candied yams...




















Glazed Carrots...I have to find the recipes for these.
















Brother in Law Brian and Hubs carving the 25 lb. bird...















Desserts aplenty...I made the two pies on the left Mother in Law did the apple pies on the right. The pumpkin one is a standard off the can recipe and the one behind it is Sugar Pie...
















Thank's be to GOD for crustless pumpkin pie :) My sanity in a pie plate!!!

















This is Sugar Pie, a very old PA Dutch recipe that my dad and grandpa have been hoping I could get "just right" like grandpa's mom. Dad hadn't had this pie in 40+ years and when he came across it at a tractor show food booth he asked the old lady for the recipe. I could tell both the gents were surprised and delighted and I GOT IT :)















My nephew's belly after ingesting so much darned good homemade food!!!















Turkey carcass after feast :) Still can't believe there were no leftovers!!!

Some of those that I love

My Grandpa!!! In his 80's and going strong :)




















Nephew Caleb and the Nidge...."Go Steelers" Gotta love the black and gold!!!





















Nephew Deven and the Nidge ready for some "boardin"

New Years Eve!!!

Goodbye 2008!!! Goodbye to working myself to death and not enjoying the fruits of my labor (literally when you take the nidge into account). Goodbye to the convenient grab and go eating...I WILL enjoy every aspect of my food, from the choosing, to the preparing, to the actual eating. I will enjoy it full circle and hopefully see that on the scales!!! Goodbye to old friends and welcome to new ones...not all old friends mind you...just the poisonous ones. Some old friends I'm rediscovering as well as family members. Goodbye to hating myself and those around me...

What I hope to say hello to? Many fun filled days with the nidge, walking, going to the park, riding his bike...Hello to rediscovering these old friendships, hello to possibly and new job that isn't so stressful, hello to my smaller clothers (finger, toes and eyes crossed here). Hello hopefully to a new DSLR camera. Hello to a project I'm working on for next Christmas, a collection of recipes from my mom, grandmom, all my family and extended family. Even if I don't make half of them I enjoy sharing them, enjoy reading them and enjoy collecting them.

I've made it fairly unscathed through the holidays...I think I gained at one point 5 lbs but I'm being careful, journaling and doing a little exercise including the stepper, weights, balance ball and a little yoga thrown in for fun. I fed the need to bake cookies "with my mom" (she passed in 1999) by making cookies for a dear friend of mine (we've known each other since 1975). One Sunday before Christmas I got out the ingredients, the tools, turned on PBS cooking shows, put the "guys" to bed for a nap...and had a quiet afternoon to myself to revel in the memories of cooking with my mom.

So I haven't been waiting for that "magic" day to start loosing weight again...Like I said I've been being careful and although it's not coming off as fast as before (I'm more sedentary now not working 10 hour days on my feet) it is slowly coming off. At the stroke of midnight though I will open my eyes afresh to everything the new year holds for me. Recommitment, reconsiliation, resolve and respect.

I'm thinking of making breadsticks tonight for the new year munchies. I found the recipe on Martha's website and if it turns out I'll share with you all (or you'uns as is the case in western PA). I'm going to attempt posting some photo's from the holidays if my camera and my 3 year old cooperate!

Just got the mail and speaking of Martha (Love her) I got my tote for subscribing to Food/MSL magazines. Gotta love it! Oh and before I go for now I wanted to share this site I found today while surfing...very cute for all those with children :) http://www.spatulatta.com/

See ya next year :)

Twas the week before Christmas

Something in my psyche refuses to believe it's 3 days till Christmas! I still have presents to buy, cookies to make and so many people to see...And I don't feel as if I can get into any of it. I'm not depressed...just kind of...chilled. This is the first Holiday season in 16 years where I'm not stressed to the max and I don't know what to do with myself!!! With this cold and snow and wind...I simply don't want to leave the house :)

Twas the week before Christmas
And all through the house
Not a mixer was stirring
Not even the house

Ok so I'm no Rudyard Kippling :)

I think I may attempt some cookies today for a friend and take some photo's of the kitchen to show ya'll my equipment!

God bless us all...everyone...

Simple comfort food

So Hubs was making "creamed beef on toast"...poop on the shingles is what I always called it...LOL...well having very few points left for the day that wasn't a possibility...so I made my own version....

Took a prepackaged peppered gravy mix and prepared it
Toasted 2 pieces of 35 calorie bread
Microwaved a veggie burger and then crumbled it up
Placed toast on plate, then crumbled veggie burger, then drizzled with gravy...

Had two helpings which I figured at around 5 to 6 points total...it was pretty darn yummy!!!

Two not so bad for you treats

Ok...so my friends all think I'm nuts but I'm so psyched that a domestic brewery is putting out a light beer for 64 calories and it's good!!! MGD 64 is actually pretty tasty and I can have 3 for 4 points!!! It's much cheaper than Beck's and I think it tastes a lot better...

Secoundly I've discovered clementines...ok where have these sweet, juicy, little gems been all of my life??? 35 calories...wowzer...and yummo!!!

Hoping to be able to con hub's into a half hour of tot sitting while I exercise this evening...wish me luck!!! It'll be me...britney, akon and Ashanti...

Confession time

Well I haven't been exercising as much as I want to...BUT

• I've been journaling my food everyday along with my weight...even the bad days!
• Been getting on the stepper and using my 12 lb. weights to firm up my squirrel arms about every other day
• Been feeling a bit better about myself and realizing a LOT of this is in my head...

Had a bout with the flu yesterday and went a whole day only eating 6 points...which I don't recommend to anyone! I'm still feeling like a freight train ran me over so I probably won't exercise today...Other than that just getting ready for Christmas and am thinking I may make a pumpkin/cake mix or diet soda/cake mix cake for Christmas day. It's an old tradition my in laws had to have a cake for "Jesus' birthday". We'll see! May just make them cupcakes.

Toodles!

Baby Steps

I got on the manual elliptical this morning...man did it kick my bum...It's on my sun porch and it's barely above freezing...so needless to say I was freezing!

Listened to...
Dangerous by Akon

Here I'm gonna put it in writing...
I'm going to attempt each day to at least do 1 song on the treadmill, baby steps, this week and next 1 song, two weeks following...2 songs...and then maybe I'll attempt the manual treadmill!

Light Oat Bread

Light Oat Bread

This is my go to recipe for breadmaker bread

1 1/4 c. water
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. rolled oats
1 1/2 tsp. yeast
2 T. unsweetened applesauce
3 c. bread flour (I've used unbleached all purpose too)
2 T. brown sugar

Add ingredients to bread machine. Make a well in the flour to add the yeast to. Set on Medium crust.

Lynn's Beans

This recipe is from a friend of mine. The pre boiling is to remove some of the "gas" creating substances ;)

Lynn's Beans

1 pkg great northern or pinto beans
2 Tbsp. baking soda
Enough water to cover
1 whole onion, chopped to your liking

Boil until softened (about 1/2 hour)
Drain and rinse

Water to cover
2 cans of broth (or 2 c. boiling water with 2 Tbsp. bouillon...I used Ham)
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 beef bouillon cube

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until thick.

I'm sure with some ketchup and brown sugar these could easily be made into baked beans.

Sorry no NI, though when I did figure it out (lost my calculations) I came up with 8 servings at 1 pt each.

Halushki

Halushki

1 head cabbage, chopped up (312 cal)
1/4 c. Promise fat free spread (20 cal)
8 oz. spelt noodles (600 cal)
2 oz. 96% fat free cooked ham (120 cal)

Cook down the cabbage a bit on medium heat with about 1/2 c. water. Boil noodles. When noodles are ready add to cabbage with butter and ham. Cover and let simmer for 1/2 hour until cabbage is cooked down.

This is my take on my mom's old recipe...Yummy!

I'm On A Roll...More Food Photo's

Before - Light Oat Bread





















After - Light Oat Bread...Looks Like A Mushroom...















Head Of Cabbage, getting ready to make Halushki


















Nidge enjoying his Halushki!

















Plated Halushki - Yummo

Food Photo's

Various Food Photo's - Recipes to follow












One, Two, Free Cookies


















All Bran Mini Muffins

















Lynn's Beans















My Version of Roni's Turk-a-roni

Updated Photo...

My 4 year old nephew took this photo about a week ago... LOL

Two Photo's

Here's two pic's from March, before I started the new job...before I gained those 30 haunting pounds...but I digress....

Love me...

I have got to do it
I need to do it
I will do it...

Love myself
From the outside - in
All my fears, frustrations and mistakes...

Until I do that,
I can't truly give my love to anyone else...
Not the way I could, not the way I should...

Changes

Well...I'm starting to make decisions for MY happiness, not worrying about everyone and everything else for once. I'm feeling better, got my son potty trained in 3 days and have been fairly OP for about 2 weeks now. I haven't been on the scale, but will soon, and also will post some new photo's...one taken by my 4 year old nephew! Oh and I almost forgot to mention, I've taken a leave from work, and some would say a leave of my senses... BUT I can have other careers, I only have one chance with my son!!! Money was nice, but the little rewards from the nidge are so much more rewarding!

New to this...

Just setting this up, I'm on vacation this past week so I have a little time while the toddler is napping...

I've been doing some deep soul searching trying to figure out why I've been packing on the pounds...well here's the list. I'm not laying blame, no one is putting a gun to my head but the thought process that gets me to there...we'll it's good to digest (no pun intended) by seeing the reasons that are floating through my head

• A finicky toddler who's momma hates to waste food
• A depressing situation with family
• Thoughts that I thought I had dealt with, a certain person bringing these demon's to their head again...
• A new, more stressful, more time consuming job where food is more plentiful
• Less time to be active and the desire to spend what little spare time I do have with said toddler...
• Fall and winter cold and my intolerance of being cold!
• Availability of bad foods due to above mentioned dick head!
• Pure laziness...one bite won't hurt
• Listening to news reports rather than my body...artificial sweeteners are bad for you...so rather than just doing what works for me I listened and started drinking things I shouldn't have. Hey, if they are bad for you...so what??? My 300+ lb. big behind wasn't good for my health either!!!

But I'm hopefully back on track. I've had to fairly OP days and was pleased that I didn't need the XXL sweater at Old Navy yesterday...and that the size 12's I bought fit and I don't have to go back into my teens ;). My life is getting back in order, the focus is returning and there's plenty to keep my busy, with fixing up the abode, holidays around the corner...and such...

So here's my stats

2003 - Started ww's (on my own with borrowed books) @ approximately 308 lbs.
2005 - Feb. Reached 220 lbs. and got preggo!
2005 - Oct. Had my sweet little angel and continued to loose, lowest weight up till 2008 165lbs.
2008 - Currently sitting at 195 :(