Jalapeno-Blue Cheese Burgers-Butter Bean Burgers & Spicy Sweet Potato Chips!!

Jalapeno-Blue Cheese Burgers:

“Blue cheese, jalapeno and Swiss cheese round out these huge grilled burgers. These delicious burgers will make you think twice about eating chicken!”

INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds ground beef
6 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
8 ounces crumbled blue cheese
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
4 slices Swiss cheese
4 hamburger buns, split

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat a grill for high heat.
In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, jalapeno peppers, blue cheese, onion powder, garlic powder, tamari and salt. Mix well using your hands. Pat lightly into 4 large fat patties.
Place patties on the grill, and cook for about 8 minutes per side, or until well done. Place a slice of cheese on top of each patty, and cover the grill until the cheese melts. Serve on buns with your favorite toppings.

Butter Bean Burgers:

“Butter beans mashed and combined with onion, jalapeno pepper, cracker crumbs, egg, and cheese, then shaped and fried into vegetarian burgers. You can substitute bell pepper for the jalapenos for a milder taste. This is served in place of meat for a main meal, or great as a sandwich with your favorite toppings.”

INGREDIENTS:
1 (15 ounce) can butter beans, drained
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeno pepper
6 saltine crackers, crushed
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS:
In a medium bowl, mash butter beans. Mix in onion, jalapeno pepper, crushed crackers, egg, cheese, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Divide into 4 equal parts, and shape into patties.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; use more or less oil to reach 1/4 inch in depth. Fry patties until golden, about 5 minutes on each side

Spicy Sweet Potato Chips:

"These sweet and spicy baked sweet potato fries go great with burgers. Use this as a substitute for French fries."

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Stir together olive oil, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Brush the sweet potato slices with the maple mixture and place onto the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes, then turn the potato slices over, brush with any remaining maple mixture, and continue baking until tender in the middle, and crispy on the edges, about 7 minutes more.

MY WEIGHT LOSS

In case you are interested!!!

Since January 4th, this year I have lost 73.4 pounds and still working at it...

"Nineteen Weeks Down That Road Again"-Hardtack & Johnnie Cake!!!

Getting to that point where I don't want to diet any more and it is getting harder for me...I always have trouble in the summer...Get busy outside and forget to eat lunch or it gets to late to prepare a proper supper...You must know what I am talking about...I did lose .5 pounds last week....Mowed the grass today, cleaned out the pond and got it set up and then planted flowers & tomatoes...I have 20 tomato plants in containers (Black Walnut tree kills them if I put them in the ground)They are all heirlooms and different varieties....Also have some grape & cherry tomatoes...It was so hot here today..Got up to the high 90's and my face and arms got sunburned a little....Will have to get the pond plants out of the basement and into the water tomorrow and then restock my fish....Always something going on....
This is my 2 year old great-granddaughter Evelyn at her birthday party Sunday

< and her 3 year old brother Ethan

HARDTACK & JOHNNIE CAKE!!!

"'Tis the song that is uttered in camp by night and day,
'Tis the wail that is mingled with each snore;
'Tis the sighing of the soul for spring chickens far away,
'Oh hard crackers, come again no more!'

'Tis the song of the soldier, weary, hungry and faint,
Hard crackers, hard crackers, come again no more;
Many days have I chewed you and uttered no complaint,
Hard crackers, hard crackers, come again no more!"

Hardtack was a biscuit made of flour with other simple ingredients, and issued to Union soldiers throughout the war. Hardtack crackers made up a large portion of a soldier's daily ration. It was square or sometimes rectangular in shape with small holes baked into it, similar to a large soda cracker. Large factories in the north baked hundreds of hardtack crackers every day, packed them in wooden crates and shipped them out by wagon or rail. If the hardtack was received soon after leaving the factory, they were quite tasty and satisfying. Usually, the hardtack did not get to the soldiers until months after it had been made. By that time, they were very hard, so hard that soldiers called them "tooth dullers" and "sheet iron crackers". Sometimes they were infested with small bugs the soldiers called weevils, so they referred to the hardtack as "worm castles" because of the many holes bored through the crackers by these pests. The wooden crates were stacked outside of tents and warehouses until it was time to issue them. Soldiers were usually allowed six to eight crackers for a three-day ration. There were a number of ways to eat them- plain or prepared with other ration items. Soldiers would crumble them into coffee or soften them in water and fry the hardtack with some bacon grease. One favorite soldier dish was salted pork fried with hardtack crumbled into the mixture. Soldiers called this "skillygallee", and it was a common and easily prepared meal.
Would you like to make some hardtack to display in your primitive home? It's very easy to make and here's the recipe…

HARDTACK:
2 cups of flour
1/2 to 3/4 cup water
1 tablespoon of Crisco or vegetable fat
6 pinches of salt
Mix the ingredients together into a stiff batter, knead several times, and spread the dough out flat to a thickness of 1/2 inch on a non-greased cookie sheet. Bake for one-half an hour at 400 degrees. Remove from oven, cut dough into 3-inch squares, and punch four rows of holes, four holes per row into the dough. Turn dough over, return to the oven and bake another one-half hour. Turn oven off and leave the door closed. Leave the hardtack in the oven until cool. Remove…It should be very hard and dry….If it isn’t then turn the oven on to 150% and leave the hardtack in till hard & dry…These look nice in old jars with a waxed calico covering tied with grungy butcher string…

JOHNNIE CAKE:

Does your taste lean more to the southern side? Then try a "Johnnie Cake” that the Confederate soldiers enjoyed with their meals. The recipe is also very simple:
two cups of cornmeal
2/3 cup of milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
Mix ingredients into a stiff batter and form eight biscuit-sized "dodgers". Bake on a lightly greased sheet at 250 degrees till brown and hard, and you have a real southern Johnnie Cake to display in your primitive home….You can spray the Hardtack & Johnnie Cakes with matte clear acrylic sealer if you are worried about bugs getting in them….
If you want to make the Johnnie cakes to eat, then you… Mix ingredients into a stiff batter and form eight biscuit-sized "dodgers". Bake on a lightly greased sheet at 350 degrees for twenty to twenty five minutes or until brown. Or spoon the batter into hot cooking oil in a frying pan over a low flame. Remove the corn dodgers and let cool on a paper towel, spread with a little butter or molasses, and you have a real southern treat!
My Mother use to make these and she called them “Kentucky Dodgers”….We loved them with pinto beans, butter beans & fried potatoes….No wonder I have a weight problem!!!

Here is a label for your old Jar!

I got this label from a blogger, but I don't remember who it was...It was in a widget box, so someone please let me know....It is A Primitive Journey that has this label plus some more for you to grab...Just click on the name to go there...Thanks Diane for letting me know!

Thirteen Weeks "Down That Road Again" and Some Yummy Recipes!!

Another week of traveling "Down That Road Again" and it was a bumpy one...always nice to have excuses for what you did or didn't do...Now I am not sure which I did or didn't do because I only lost 1/2 pound this week....Guess that is better than nothing or OH MY GOSH gaining...Just hate to have to re lose what I have already lost....Will work harder this week....The weather looks like it will warm up some and then maybe I can get out walking more consistently...We shall see..I have not had one bite of Easter candy, but I really craved some chocolate the other night..Good thing I won't drive after dark...

MINI-CINNI BUN RECIPE:

Ingredients:
3/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 to 1 cup water

Equipment:
Large Mixing Bowl
Hand held mixer
Measuring Cup
Cookie Sheet
Wooden Spoon

Making the Dough:
In your mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar until well combined. Add molasses
and mix in well. Alternately add approx. one cup of flour and 1/4 water until flour is all worked in. You may need to add a slightly more amount of flour or water. (I found I needed a bit more flour then required) Your dough's the right consistency when you can stick a finger in the dough and it does not stick to your finger! Shape your dough into a ball, place in a bowl and refrigerate for about 1/2 an hour. Your dough is now ready to begin creating!
To make a Cinni, pinch off a small bit of dough (about one inch) and roll into a ball. Either on a counter top or between your hands, roll into a thin (about a pencil size) snake then roll up into a cinnamon bun. Place on a cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes. When you remove from the oven, allow to sit on the pan for a few minutes then remove. You need to let these cool completely before you dip them into wax!
Now what I did was melt wax and add Cinnamon scented oil to the wax and a little sprinkle of real cinnamon. This gives out quite the smell all throughout the house...
You then dip the mini-cinni's into the wax and let them dry on wax paper. Of course it does not take the wax very long to dry. You now have your scented mini-cinni's. They make the perfect bowl fillers.From The Love Of Prims

Meatloaf, Lightened Up

I fondly remember my mother making meatloaf on winter nights when I was kid — so filling, warm and delicious. When I ran the numbers on a meatloaf recipe recently, I discovered it had almost 800 calories and 65 grams of fat per serving!
Here are some ways to lighten up this American favorite.
Main Ingredients
Traditionally meatloaf is made with ground beef. Fatty cuts such as chuck are popular because fat helps keep the meatloaf moist. There are better ways to do this without all that saturated fat. Switching from high-fat ground beef to a leaner version (90-95% lean) will shave off 220 calories and almost 30 grams of fat per serving! Meatloaf mix (a combo of beef, pork and veal) is also a lower-fat option, but won’t offer the same reduction in fat.
Contrary to what many beef lovers may say, ground turkey makes a fantastic meatloaf. Try making the switch — even the most loyal meatloaf fan won’t be disappointed. Choose lean ground turkey breast meat for the biggest reduction in calories and fat.
Keep your meatloaf moist and add flavor with fresh ingredients such as vegetables, garlic and herbs (steer clear of those meatloaf spice mixes that are often loaded with sodium). Breadcrumbs and egg will help prevent the meatloaf from falling apart. Some recipes call for rolled oats to prevent drying out (and a little extra fiber never hurts).
Chopped vegetables will further preserve moisture and add flavor, vitamins and iron. Choose flavorful veggies such as chopped spinach, eggplant or portobello mushrooms. Try using sauté onions with a splash of balsamic vinegar. Once they cool, add them to a turkey meatloaf mixture for a sweet burst of flavor...
Toppings
High-calorie toppings such as bacon or canned cream of mushroom soup add tons of fat and sodium; globs of sugary, salty ketchup is also popular. Try a few strips of turkey bacon or canned tomato sauce mixed with a small amount of ketchup and balsamic vinegar or Worcestershire sauce.
Servings & Sides
Keep servings reasonable — a pound of meat will serve four people. Make a large turkey meatloaf and have leftovers in sandwiches or wraps. Try making individual loaves and serve with some healthy and satisfying sides such as steamed or roasted vegetables and a baked sweet potato or lightened-up Parmesan mashed potatoes.(Recipe below)
And while meatloaf may be a mom classic, I read that chef’s all over the country are putting meatloaf back on their menus because it’s comforting and affordable

PARMESAN MASHED POTATOES:
WW Points 2...1/2 Cup Serving

Ingredients
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes (about 5 cups), diced unpeeled
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/2 cup skim milk
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan
Salt

Directions
Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
While potatoes are cooking place buttermilk and milk into a small saucepan and cook over a very low heat until just warm. Be careful not to boil or milk will curdle.
Drain the potatoes, add the warmed milk and mash together to desired consistency. Stir in cheese and salt.

Twelve Miles Down That Road Again! & Roasted Beef Brisket!!!

Another week gone by in my long journey "Down That Road Again"....I lost 2 pounds last week and of course I am pleased with that lost...My old Butter Crock is filling up with money and at the end of the road I will have a nice little stash to get something I really want...I hope all my friends that are struggling to lose weight are doing well in their weight loss journey!...

ROASTED BEEF BRISKET:

Serves 8.....WW Points 5
Toss some potatoes in the oven with the meat to round out your meal.
Ingredients
1 large onion(s), sliced
2 medium garlic clove(s), minced
1 pound(s) baby carrots
5 oz mushroom(s), sliced (about 2 to 2 1/2 cups)
2 1/2 pound(s) raw lean beef brisket, trimmed, use brisket from the flat half
28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
1 tsp paprika
3/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp sugar
Instructions;
Preheat oven to 325ºF.
Spread onion slices and garlic on bottom of a nonstick roasting pan; top with carrots and mushrooms. Arrange beef over vegetables.
In a mixing bowl, combine tomatoes, paprika, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, lemon juice and sugar; stir to dissolve sugar.
Pour tomato mixture over brisket and vegetables; tightly cover with a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Roast for 2 hours and then remove from oven; uncover, stir and use pan juices to baste meat. Return brisket to oven and roast for about 1 hour more, uncovered, basting every 15 minutes.
Remove pan from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before slicing into 1/4-inch thick pieces. Serve meat and vegetables with sauce spooned over top. Yields about 3 ounces of beef plus 3/4 cup of vegetables and sauce per serving.
Notes
For added color and flavor, substitute a cup of frozen green bell pepper strips for half of the mushrooms.

SPINACH-PARMESAN DIP:

Serves 8....WW Points 0
You have to love a zero POINTS value dip that not only livens up crudite but also doubles as a fabulous finishing sauce for grilled chicken or pasta.
Ingredients
1/2 pound(s) spinach, cooked and drained
1 cup(s) tomato(es), chopped
1 cup(s) basil, fresh
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
5 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender; process to desired consistency. Yields about 3 tablespoons per serving.
Notes:
I recommend a high quality cheese such as Parmigiano-Reggiano for the best flavor.

Eleven Miles Down That Road Again! And Elephant Jokes!!!

Well gals "I am a day late and a dollar short" as my mother use to say...I was just so busy yesterday preparing for my baby's 43rd birthday, that the day simply got away from me....When I woke up this morning I remembered that I hadn't posted yesterday and such an important day too.
I did get up early and jump on the scales, well lets just say I waddle down stairs and stepped on them...Well much to my surprise I had lost 1.5 pounds....Now I was surprised because I had supper one night last week at a wonderful Mexican place and there is no such thing as light/diet food there and then on Saturday I took two of my son's out for lunch....We ate at Applebees and I had their WW fish, so that wasn't so bad....Haven't been drinking my water as I should but will try harder this week....
Taking my baby and her husband out for supper tonight and will try to be good...

This is my baby Cearle and her husband Greg...as you can see it was taken last summer...

Here Are A Few Elephant Jokes:

Why were the elephants thrown out of the swimming pool?
They couldn't keep their trunks up.

Why did the elephants leave the circus?
They were tired of working for peanuts.

Why do elephants have trunks?
Because they don't have glove compartments.

How can you tell if an elephant has been sleeping in your bed?
The bed smells of peanuts and the sheets are wrinkled.

Did you hear about the elephant with diarrhea?
It's all over town.

How do you make a dead elephant float?
Well, you take 10 dead elephants, 10 tonnes of chocolate ice-cream, 5 tonnes of bananas,.....

Q: Why don't elephants like penguins?
A: They can't get the wrapper off.(Too whom it may concern: Penguins are a brand of cookies).

Q: How do you know if there is an elephant under your bed?
A: Your nose is touching the ceiling.


Q: How does an elephant get down from a tree?
A: It doesn't, You get down from a duck.

Q: Why are elephants wrinkled?
A: Have you ever tried to iron one?

Q: Why are elephants large, grey and wrinkled?
A: Because if they were small, white and smooth they'd be aspirins.

Q: How can you tell if an elephant been in the refrigerator?
A: By the footprints in the butter.

Q: How do you make an elephant stew?
A: Keep him waiting a couple of hours.

Q: What should you give a seasick elephant?
A: A lot of room...

Your children will have a lot of fun with these...

Ten Miles Down That Road Again! & The "Middle Wife!!"

I lost 5 pounds this week and reached my first goal....Gave myself a GOLD STAR in my journal...Have been faithfully tracking all I eat and haven't been eating any potatoes, bread, corn or peas & have been drinking plenty of water...I eat lots of good green & yellow vegetables...They fill you up and stay with you...Got up at 5am to take my son to the VA hospital for his colonoscopy!!!..My how they have changed since I had mine...Now they sedate them and he had to have a driver to take him home...I don't like driving in Minneapolis, so I was thrilled that he could drive after all....We stopped at a Goodwill store in Apple Valley and they had a lot of items, but I thought they were a little high on some of them...so passed them up....Wednesday is senior discount day, so will be going there on Wednesdays from now on....Will try and get some pictures of what I bought and post them by Thursday....The gal that was doing our weight posting isn't going to do it any more, so I decided to send the picture of my weight to my son Pat every week...He is also going down "That Road Again", so will be the perfect person to see me weigh every week....No cheating then on my part....I got into some pants that I haven't been able to in over a year and needless to say I was thrilled....My saying for the day is:

"Feed The Soul Not The Taste Buds"

The "Middle Wife"

You gotta love kids!
The 'Middle Wife' by an Anonymous 2nd grade teacher

I've been teaching now for about fifteen years. I have two kids myself,
but the best birth story I know is the one I saw in my own second grade
classroom a few years back.

When I was a kid, I loved show-and-tell. So I always have a few sessions
with my students. It helps them get over shyness and usually,
show-and-tell is pretty tame. Kids bring in pet turtles, model
airplanes, pictures of fish they catch, stuff like that. And I never,
ever place any boundaries or limitations on them. If they want to lug it
in to school and talk about it, they're welcome.

Well, one day this little girl, Erica, a very bright, very outgoing kid,
takes her turn and waddles up to the front of the class with a pillow
stuffed under her sweater.

She holds up a snapshot of an infant. 'This is Luke, my baby brother,
and I'm going to tell you about his birthday.'

'First, Mom and Dad made him as a symbol of their love, and then Dad put
a seed in my Mom's stomach, and Luke grew in there. He ate for nine
months through an umbrella cord.'

She's standing there with her hands on the pillow, and I'm trying not to
laugh and wishing I had my camcorder with me. The kids are watching her
in amazement.

'Then, about two Saturdays ago, my Mom starts saying and going, 'Oh, Oh,
Oh, Oh!' Erica puts a hand behind her back and groans. 'She walked
around the house for, like an hour, 'Oh, oh, oh!' (Now this kid is doing
a hysterical duck walk and groaning.)


'My Dad called the middle wife. She delivers babies, but she doesn't
have a sign on the car like the Domino's man. They got my Mom to lie
down in bed like this.' (Then Erica lies down with her back against the wall.)

'And then, pop! My Mom had this bag of water she kept in there in case
he got thirsty, and it just blew up and spilled all over the bed, like
psshhheew!' (This kid has her legs spread with her little hands miming
water20flowing away. It was too much!)

'Then the middle wife starts saying 'push, push,' and 'breathe, breathe.
They started counting, but never even got past ten. Then, all of a
sudden, out comes my brother. He was covered in yucky stuff that they
all said it was from Mom's play-center, (placenta) so there must be a
lot of toys inside there. When he got out, the middle wife spanked him
for crawling up in there.'


Then Erica stood up, took a big theatrical bow and returned to her seat.
I'm sure I applauded the loudest... Ever since then, when it's
show-and-tell day, I bring my camcorder, just in case another 'Middle
Wife' comes along.

Now you have two choices...laugh and close this page or pass this along
to someone else to spread the laughs.. I know what I did!!!

Live every day as if it is your LAST chance to make someone happy

One Thing May Change Us, But We Start & End With Family!

"If I had my children to raise all over again. I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.
I'd finger-paint more, and point the finger less.
I would do less correcting and more connecting.
I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.
I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.
I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.
I'd do more hugging and less tugging."
Diane Loomans

"Where there is great love, there are always miracles!"
Willa Cather

"Children require guidence and sympathy far more than instruction."
Annie Sullivan

"Love your children with all your hearts, love them enough to discipline them before it is too late...praise them for omportanat things, even if you have to stretch them a bit. Praise them a lot. They live on it like bread and butter and they need it more..."
Lavina Fugal

"Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do...but how much we put in that action."
Mother Teresa

"Life affords no greater responsibility, no greater privilege, than the raising of the next generation."
C Everett Koop

"Children are likely to live up to what you believe of them"
Lady Bird Johnson

"And one of the things we need to do as parents is to let our children handle their failures-be there to support them, but let them handle the disappointing moments. Because that's how they build the ability to go out on their own and face obstacles."
Gray Whitestone

SIX HEALTHY FOOD SWITCHES FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SUCCESS!

Making a few small changes to your eating habits can add up to big weight-loss results. Discover the top six here.

There's no better time to embark on a weight-loss plan than the beginning of the warm weather season. But making good food substitutions rather than going to extremes will ensure your weight-loss results last beyond the first two weeks. So forget rigid, elimination diets; here are six ways to lose weight without feeling deprived.

Poultry and Meat:
Trim off fat before cooking.
If you plan to marinate the meat, use lean strips of pork or beef.
When making casseroles,cook them the day before, so as it cools you can skim any fat off the top before reheating.
Always roast chicken on a rack in a roasting tin, so the saturated fat drains off.
Milk:
Drinking whole milk cappuccinos and lattes will use your daily POINTS® Allowance up quickly. Use fat-free or low-fat milk instead, and look for flavored coffees or sugar-free syrups to improve that cup of java.
Make smoothies by blending fat-free milk with low-fat or fat-free yogurt, a banana, frozen strawberries and honey to taste.
Use low-fat milk when making mashed potatoes.
Rice pudding is just as nice made with low-fat milk. Add flavor with cinnamon, and sprinkle the top with nutmeg.
Bread:
Instead of serving bread with soup, add a tablespoon of bulgar wheat or a 1/2 cup of brown rice to your homemade recipe.
As a change-up from bread sandwiches, generously fill whole-wheat tortilla wraps with chunks of fresh-cooked chicken, coriander, lettuce and red pepper, adding a teaspoon of low-fat mayonnaise.
Potatoes:
Switch to sweet potatoes or yams. Cut up the sweet potatoes and roast in a hot oven for 30 minutes, sprinkled with sea salt and a little olive oil, or lightly boil and mash with a small amount of butter.
Boil some couscous to fluff up and serve with grilled fish or meat.
Filling Fruits:
Dried fruits come into their own in the winter months and make excellent after-dinner desserts. Put dried apricots, prunes and pineapple chunks in a pan and cover with a little orange juice. Bring to a boil, then let stand for 20 minutes so the fruit can absorb the juices. Sprinkle with a little cinnamon and serve with spoonful of low-fat yogurt.
Poach peeled pears in a low-calorie fruity cordial with one cinnamon stick until tender. Serve with low-fat or fat-free yogurt.
Cheese:
Get into the habit of buying low-fat varieties. Keep a tub of low-fat or fat-free cottage cheese on hand to mix in with fresh fruit or sprinkle with Splenda and cinnamon for a sweet treat.
Sprinkle a teaspoon or two of freshly grated Parmesan over your pasta, a little of its big-hitting flavor goes a long way

Nine Miles Down That Road Again & How To Cook A Husband!!

Nine weeks since I started my trip down that long Road Again of losing weight....Lost three more pounds this week and I am super dooper happy about that...Just about to reach my first goal!!!...Maybe next week I will do it....

Think about the extra weight we carry, where we carry it, how it makes us feel, and what we do to hide it.
We all have our least favorite areas; areas we go through great lengths to attempt to hide or minimize. Areas we don’t want anyone to see, and possibly don’t even want to see ourselves...The time we've put into worrying about our problem, and the things we are willing to do to cover the problem might be more work than taking care of the problem. And if we're doing so much work to get around this problem, why not just address the problem head on...What is your least favorite area?
"Change will only occur when the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of the change itself."

Well I just got an email telling me I had won one of the PFATT giveaways...This Seashore Needle Punch Memory Box made by Rose of "Rosebabies". Isn't it awesome and I am so lucky!!

How to Cook A Husband Recipe

From a cookbook from the 1800's

A good many husbands are utterly spoiled by mismanagement in cooking and are so not tender and good. Some women keep them constantly in hot water; others let them freeze by their carelessness and indifference. Some keep them in a stew with irritating ways and words. Some wives keep them pickled, while others waste them shamefully. It cannot be supposed that any husband will be tender and good when so managed, but they are really delicious when prepared properly.
In selecting a husband, you should be guided by the silvery appearance as in buying a mackerel; not by the golden tint as if you wanted salmon. Do not go to the market for him as the best ones are always brought to the door. Be sure to select him yourself as tastes differ. It is far better to have none unless you will patiently learn how to cook him.
Of course, as preserving kettle of the finest porcelain is best, but if you have nothing better than an earthenware pippin, it will do---with care. Like crabs and lobsters, husbands are cooked alive. They sometimes fly out of the kettle and do so become burned and crusty on the edges, so it is wise to secure him in the kettle with a strong silken cord called Comfort, as the once called Duty is apt to be weak. Make a clear, steady flame of love, warmth and cheerfulness. Set him as near this as seems to agree with him.
If he sputters, do not be anxious, for some husbands do this until they are quite done. Add a little sugar in the form of what confectioners call kisses, but use no pepper or vinegar on any account. Season to taste with spices, good humor and gaiety preferred, but seasoning must always with great discretion and caution. Avoid sharpness in testing him for tenderness. Stir him gently, lest he lie to flat and close to the kettle and so become useless. You cannot fail to know when he is done. If so treated, you will find him very digestible, agreeing with you perfectly; and he will keep as long as you choose, unless you become careless and slow the home fires to grow cold. Thus prepared, he will serve a lifetime of happiness!

Author and Date unknown, but from the early 1800's

"Happiness is hard to give away....it keeps coming back to the giver."

TWO MILES DOWN THAT ROAD AGAIN!

Well I have re traveled two miles down the olde weight loss road...I had a very hard week, but stuck it out and lost 3.9 pounds....If I added up all the weight I have lost just in the past 10 years, I could make another person...I have been writing down everything that goes in my mouth and I also jot ideas that helped me or hurt me in a journal...I plan my meals a week ahead but don't always stick to it and have found out if I don't it is much harder to get through the evenings....that is my worst time...must not go anywhere near the kitchen...There are some blogs that the girls are dealing with their weight and one of the girls is very brave...She shows a picture of her scales when she is weighing....Good for her.....Her blog is So Tired Of Weighting.....another one is
Primitive Lifestyle and then there is my Weight is over...Just click on their name to go there.....Good blogs to read if you are traveling down that road again....Tip----When you feel like you need a snack grab some sugar free gum and chew on that...It helps and chewing gum also burns calories...

My Monday recipe is for all you people that love Chinese food...

CHICKEN SMOTHERED IN PEANUT SAUCE
Serves 4 5 WW Points I gave this 4****
1 onion chopped
4-(4 ounce) boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup tomato juice
3 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
2 garlic cloves (pealed)
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Coat a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray and warm over medium high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring for 5 minutes. Season the chicken with 1/4 tsp of the salt, the paprika and black pepper. add the chicken to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or till browned. In a food processor combine the remaining ingredients and the remaining salt. Blend till smooth. Pour over the chicken. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 25 minutes or till juices run clear.
Good served over steamed rice but need to add on the points for the rice....

ASIAN SUPER SLAW
Serves 8 2 WW Points I gave this 4****
5 cups shredded green cabbage
2 cups shredded red cabbage
2 medium carrots shredded
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup chopped fresh chives
In a large bowl combine above ingredients.Whisk the dressing (recipe below) and add to salad. Toss to coat. Place in Fridge for a couple hours before serving.
ASIAN DRESSING
1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
3 Tbsp lite soy sauce
3 Tbsp brown sugar twin
2 Tbsp pineapple juice
1 Tbsp dark sesame oil
1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
In a large glass measuring cup whisk together the above ingredients...