The Manslater

Too Funny!

NEW LDS Food Storage Center Prices

Cannery Price List

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Once Upon A Time Poster

Here is a little project I'm working on for my Boo.  It's for her room and comes from a wonderful talk by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf called Your Happily Ever After.  I'm working on a couple different versions of this.  One for little girls and one for older girls.

I'm In Love

It's pathetic how little I've written lately.  So, what do I decide to write about?  My Blackberry.  I'm in love.  It's my favorite cell phone so far.  I have owned two different Droids, and even with all their bells and whistles I prefer the simplicity of the Blackberry.  Of course it's still a smartphone and does all kinds of cool things like surf the web and interact with Facebook.  But, it seems I was meant for a Blackberry all along.  I prefer my cell phone to actually be a cell phone and not a little computer with a phone in it.  The Blackberry does it all for me.  It's my little organizer (aka .... my brain), my social network liaison, my source of entertainment, and place to show my "style" (I have found super cute accessories for it).  Jeff is already saying I fall into the "Crackberry" category (addicted like Crack to our Blackberries).  To that I say, "Whatever!"  LOL  Oh, gotta go... my phone is ringing.

Fave site www.crackberry.com

How to Cook Dried Beans in a Crockpot Slow Cooker

How to Cook Dried Beans in a Crockpot Slow Cooker

Use a slow cooker that's at least 3 1/2 quart size to cook 2 cups of dried beans.  You can increase the amount of beans for a larger size cooker.

Presoaked Beans:

Pick over the dry beans and discard any broken or shriveled looking ones.  Put 2 cups dried beans into the slow cooker crock and soak overnight in cold water, enough to cover by several inches.  The next day, drain the beans and discard the cooking water.  Put soaked beans back into the slow cooker and add enough water to cover beans by 2 inches.  Turn cooker to HIGH and cook beans until they're tender and cooked through, about 3-4 hours for soaked beans.  (You can also cook the soaked beans on low, which would take about twice as long.)  Drain beans.  (You can save the cooking water if desired, but I usually don't because this liquid will have the undigestible carbs that make beans cause gas.)   Whether pre-soaked or unsoaked, 2 cups of dried beans will make about 6 cups of cooked beans.  Beans can be frozen in a plastic container with a tight-fitting lid for several months until you're ready to use them.

Unsoaked Beans:

Pick over the dry beans and discard any broken or shriveled looking ones.  Put beans  into the slow cooker and add enough water to cover beans by 2 inches.  Turn cooker to HIGH and cook beans until they're tender and cooked through, about 5-6 hours for unsoaked beans.  (You can also cook the unsoaked beans on low, which would take about twice as long.)  Drain beans.  (You can save the cooking water if desired, but I usually don't because this liquid will have the undigestible carbs that make beans cause gas.)  Whether pre-soaked or unsoaked, 2 cups of dried beans will make about 6 cups of cooked beans.  Beans can be frozen in a plastic container with a tight-fitting lid for several months until you're ready to use them.

From http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com/2010/12/how-to-cook-dried-beans-in-crockpot.html

Ham & Creamy Penne

Ham & Creamy Penne
from Jenn's Kitchen by Jenni

What you will need:

17 oz. of pasta (I used penne, and I think the original called for linguine--but use what you like. . .or have on hand)

1 pkg (16 oz) frozen broccoli florets

2 cups of cubed ham

1/3 cup of mayo

1/3 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup of milk

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. dried basil leaves

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

Easy Peasy Directions:

Cook the pasta as directed--adding in the broccoli for the last four or five minutes.  Drain. Return to pan. Add remaining ingredients--toss. . .eat. . .ENJOY!

We love this recipe and have made it many times.

Pumpkin Muffcakes

Pumpkin Muffcakes

This is what I call them, but I'm sure they have another official name.  They seem like a cross between muffins and cupcakes, hence the Muffcakes.  My friend Shandy gave me this recipe. She got it through Weight Watchers.  So, if you are trying to lose weight and want a healthier alternative to real cupcakes - try these.  Shandy said these are only 1 Weight Watcher point per muffcake.

Pumpkin Muffcakes

Take 1 box of cake mix (any flavor, but we like Lemon the best.  Spice Cake is also good.)

1 16oz can pumpkin (not pie, just plain pumpkin)

1/2 cup water

Mix well, and put in muffin tins.  Bake about 15-20 minutes.  They are very moist, and almost chewy on the outsides.  It makes 1 dozen, but you could make smaller ones and stretch them farther.

Candied Yams

CANDIED YAMS (Sweet Potatoes)

6-8 medium-sized sweet potatoes
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 to 3 tsp. ground cinnamon, or to taste
1 cup melted butter, plus 2 tbsp. melted butter
1-1/2 cups mini marshmallows
1/2 cup pecan chips

Slice sweet potatoes into 1/4 inch round slices. Arrange potatoes in a lightly greased baking dish (approx. 13”x9”x2”).

Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans in a bowl. Sprinkle each layer of potatoes with the mixture. Pour 3/4 cup melted butter over potatoes evenly. Cover and back at 375°F for 30 minutes.

Remove, and baste with remaining 1/4 cup butter. Cover and continue baking for 30 minutes. (If transporting dish, stop here and continue last step at remote location – warm 5-10 minutes in oven before adding marshmallows).

Remove, sprinkle marshmallows evenly on top and continue baking without cover for 5 minutes.

From Cooks.com

The Big Wheel Truck Stop

I got this in an email from a friend.  What a neat story.  I cried!  

In September 1960, I woke up one morning with six hungry babies and just 75 cents in my pocket.
Their father was gone..

The boys ranged from three months to seven years; their sister was two.  Their Dad had never been much more than a presence they feared.  Whenever they heard his tires crunch on the gravel driveway they would scramble to hide under their beds.  He did manage to leave $15 a week to buy groceries.

Now that he had decided to leave, there would be no more beatings, but no food either.  If there was a welfare system in effect in southern Indiana at that time, I certainly knew nothing about it.  I scrubbed the kids until they looked brand new and then put on my best homemade dress, loaded them into the rusty old 51 Chevy and drove off to find a job..

The seven of us went to every factory, store and restaurant in our small town.
No luck.  The kids stayed crammed into the car and tried to be quiet while I tried to convince who ever would listen that I was willing to learn or do anything. I had to have a job.

Still no luck. The last place we went to, just a few miles out of town, was an old Root Beer Barrel drive-in that had been converted to a truck stop.   It was called the Big Wheel...  An old lady named Granny owned the place and she peeked out of the window from time to time at all those kids.   She needed someone on the graveyard shift, 11 at night until seven in the morning.  She paid 65 cents an hour, and I could start that night.

I raced home and called the teenager down the street that baby-sat for people.  I bargained with her to come and sleep on my sofa for a dollar a night.  She could arrive with her pajamas on and the kids would already be asleep.  This seemed like a good arrangement to her, so we made a deal.

That night when the little ones and I knelt to say our prayers, we all thanked God for finding Mommy a job.. And so I started at the Big Wheel.  When I got home in the mornings I woke the baby-sitter up and sent her home with one dollar of my tip money-- fully half of what I averaged every night.

As the weeks went by, heating bills added a strain to my meager wage.  The tires on the old Chevy had the consistency of penny balloons and began to leak. I had to fill them with air on the way to work and again every morning before I could go home.  One bleak fall morning, I dragged myself to the car to go home and found four tires in the back seat. New tires!  There was no note, no nothing, just those beautiful brand new tires.  Had angels taken up residence in Indiana ? I wondered.

I made a deal with the local service station.  In exchange for his mounting the new tires, I would clean up his office.  I remember it took me a lot longer to scrub his floor than it did for him to do the tires.  

I was now working six nights instead of five and it still wasn't enough. Christmas was coming and I knew there would be no money for toys for the kids.  I found a can of red paint and started repairing and painting some old toys. Then I hid them in the basement so there would be something for Santa to deliver on Christmas morning. 

Clothes were a worry too. I was sewing patches on top of patches on the boys pants and soon they would be too far gone to repair.

On Christmas Eve the usual customers were drinking coffee in the Big Wheel. There were the truckers, Les, Frank, and Jim, and a state trooper named Joe.  A few musicians were hanging around after a gig at the Legion and were dropping nickels in the pinball machine.  The regulars all just sat around and talked through the wee hours of the morning and then left to get home before the sun came up..

When it was time for me to go home at seven o'clock on Christmas morning, to my amazement, my old battered Chevy was filled full to the top with boxes of all shapes and sizes.  I quickly opened the driver's side door, crawled inside and kneeled in the front facing the back seat...  Reaching back, I pulled off the lid of the top box.  Inside was whole case of little blue jeans, sizes 2-10!  I looked inside another box: It was full of shirts to go with the jeans.  Then I peeked inside some of the other boxes. There was candy and nuts and bananas and bags of groceries. There was an enormous ham for baking, and canned vegetables and potatoes.  There was pudding and Jell-O and cookies, pie filling and flour. There was whole bag of laundry supplies and cleaning items.  And, there were five toy trucks and one beautiful little doll.

As I drove back through empty streets as the sun slowly rose on the most amazing Christmas Day of my life, I was sobbing with gratitude.  And I will never forget the joy on the faces of my little ones that precious morning.

Yes, there were angels in Indiana that long-ago December. And they all hung out at the Big Wheel truck stop.

Author Unknown

Phase 3 Update

The first few days of Phase 3 were heaven.  I was so sick of eating Phase 2 foods the last few days of it, I almost vomited with the thought or smell of some of the foods (cooked cabbage, vinegar, cucumbers, steak).  Eating a salad the first day was so heavenly (with real dressing) I almost died.  I can tell I need another phase or two, but am glad I have time to prep for it.  Eating food with flavor was so wonderful!

I started off Phase 3 doing great.  The first few days my weight stayed exactly as I ended in Phase 2.  Then, I started to fluctuate.  I've gone up and down, done one steak day, and plan to do an apple day if the weight goes up.  Basically, I have noticed my appetite isn't nearly as big.  Pizza, fried foods, etc., are things I can't and don't want to eat much since they make me feel instantly greasy.  It comes right out my skin!  Yuck.  I can feel myself bloat when I eat certain foods and need to keep better track of what does that.  I'm pretty happy eating no/low carb.  I have cheated a little but I just keep going and don't stress too much about it.

I think I will do 30 day phases instead of 40 or 20.  A month seems like a good amount of time to go without getting totally sick of the food.  I will bust my butt though, during those times (no goof ups) to make sure I maximize that time.

God & Country

 

I am thankful for so many aspects of the founding of this country, but especially grateful for the people who used prayer, and included God in everything they did to guide their efforts.  This is truly “The Promised Land”, and thankful for all those faithful individuals who made it possible.

Family Scripture Study

This quote really hit home today.

"Certainly there are times when getting the family together to read the scriptures does not stack up as a spiritual experience worthy of a journal entry. But we must not be deterred. There are special times when the spirit of a son or daughter is just right and the power of these great scriptures goes down into their heart like fire. As we honor our Heavenly Father in our homes, He will honor our efforts."
Neil L. Andersen, "Prophets and Spiritual Mole Crickets," Ensign, Nov. 1999, 17

Apple Strudel Muffins (using food storage)

Apple Strudel Muffins
1 c. wheat flour
1 c. all purpose flour (or all wheat flour)
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. applesauce (or 1/2 c. butter total)
1 c. sugar
2 eggs (or dry 2 T. egg powder + 4 T. water)
2 T. dry powdered milk (added more for nutritional value--you can leave it out if you need to)
1 1/4 t. vanilla
1 1/2 c. apples, shredded or chopped (reconstitute dry apples if no fresh)
Cinnamon Topping:
1/3 c. brown sugar
1 T. flour
1/4 t. cinnamon
1 T. butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan. In a large bowl beat together butter, sugar and eggs until smooth. Mix in vanilla extract. Stir in apples and then gradually blend in the flour mixture. Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin pan.To make cinnamon topping- in a small bowl mix brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Cut in butter until the mixture is like coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over the tops of the batter in the muffin pan.Place into the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.


by Shandra (Deals to Meals)

God's Food

I've seen this passed around the internet before, and recently in another blog post, and thought I would include it here, too.




"A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye... And YES, science now shows carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes."

"A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart has four chambers and is red. All of the research shows tomatoes are loaded with lycopine and are indeed pure heart and blood food
Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food."

"A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds on the nut are just like the neo-cortex. We now know walnuts help develop more than three (3) dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function."

"Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys."

"Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and many more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet, the body pulls it from the bones, thus making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body."

"Avocados, Eggplant and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats one avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight, and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? It takes exactly nine (9) months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them)."

"Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the mobility of male sperm and increase the numbers of Sperm as well to overcome male sterility."

"Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics."

"Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries."

"Oranges, Grapefruits, and other Citrus fruits look just like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts."

"Onions look like the body's cells. Today's research shows onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells. They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes. A working companion, Garlic,also helps eliminate waste materials and dangerous free radicals from the body."

Pumpkin Bread (adapted for food storage)

Recipe from http://dealstomeals.blogspot.com


Pumpkin Bread

3 T. dry powdered eggs
1 c. + 2 T. water
1 lb. canned pumpkin (1/2 of a large can)
3/4 c. vegetable oil (I have tried substituting part of the oil with 1/4 c. applesauce and it works perfectly)
3 T. dry powdered milk
2 c. wheat flour
1 c. white flour
2 c. sugar (this bread is pretty sweet, I am sure you could cut this back a little)
1 1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1 1/4 t. salt
1 t. nutmeg
1 t. cinnamon
1-2 c. mini chocolate chips

Beat the pumpkin, egg powder, milk powder, sugar and water together until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients together and then pour into heavily greased and floured bread loaf pans (makes 2-3 loaves depending on the size of pan you use). Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

by Shandra

VLCD 41 (Day 43) - 30 pounds!

I hit my goal for this round!!!!!!!!!!  I so badly wanted to lose at least 30 pounds before I ended.  I did it!  I am thinking I will probably lose a bit more as well (most people do).

Our plan says 43 days so we are officially done with Phase 2, but we are slowly working into Phase 3.  We are carefully watching everything we eat, continuing with small portions and getting the exercise going.

It's a lofty goal but I'm hoping I can lose 10 more pounds in the next 6 weeks upon going into Round 2.  Even if I maintain I'm still on track, so I won't be disappointed.

I actually got to move the scale down a notch.  That felt great!

VLCD 40 (Day 42)

I've steadily lost the past couple days.  I now have one pound to go to hit 30 pounds lost!  I'm hoping that hits tomorrow because I'm on my last few drops of hCG!  If not, I'm sure I can lose a pound or two in Phase 3.  My clothes are fitting better.  I'm back wearing clothes I wore a year ago.  It's sad I've gained that much over the past year.  Oh well, it's coming off!

My hubby has lost over 50 pounds!  He looks very different.  I don't look very different at all, but know I will when I start my next round.

We plan to start our next round either in January (on the first) or before Christmas.  Haven't quite decided yet.  We also plan to kick exercise back into gear and get that habit going so we can continue to walk daily during our next round.

I'm struggling with deciding to do a 23 day cycle or 43 day cycle for my next round.  I've gotten very sick of eating the same foods.  Although we have changed things up and varied our meals, and used a great cookbook, I still just miss a good salad (with everything on it).  I like a lot of variety in my diet, so eating the same things over and over has been difficult.

Experiencing this over the past 5 weeks has really made me realize how important it is to have variety in food storage.  There were times when I would rather starve then eat the same food again.  It's true how this can happen.  It's so important to have lots of different foods in our food storage, especially dishes our families enjoy.

Homemade Dulce de Leche

Homemade Dulce de Leche

1 can sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Pour sweetened condensed milk into a shallow baking dish. Cover tightly with foil. Place in a larger pan, such as a roasting pan. Fill larger pan with hot water until water level reaches about half way up the baking dish. Cook for about 60 minutes and then check. Continue cooking if necessary. When a medium caramel color is reached, remove from oven and let cool. Whisk until smooth, store in fridge.

Crock Pot Instructions: Place 1-3 sealed cans of sweetened condensed milk in slow cooker. Place enough water in slow cooker to completely cover cans by 1 inch. Cook on low for about 8 hours. Let cans cool completely before opening.


This recipe is from one of my new favorite blogs http://www.ourbestbites.com/

VLCD 34 (Day 36)

Well, after my 2 pound loss a few days ago, it was more stalling and no loss.  So, yesterday I did an apple day and woke up today losing 4 pounds!  I've lost a total of 24 pounds and only 6 pounds away until my goal for this round.  We planned to go 43 days, so it's finally looking attainable!  I also feel different, finally.  My clothes are getting too big, and my face looks thinner.  I feel smaller around the middle, too.

We are starting to plan for Phase 3, and thinking ahead for long term change.  We know our life has to be different from now on to fall into the trap of yo-yo dieting.  What I've really liked about this protocol is how it reshapes your body and lifestyle.  I feel far more in control and aware of how and what I eat.  I feel like if we don't go back to our bad habits this can easily be permanent.  The nice thing is, it teaches you how to transition, and what to do when you gain any weight.  I feel more prepared, and don't feel like I've been dieting.  I feel like I'm making a major life change.

Pumpkin Roasting & More

Now that I have pumpkins to roast, I found these great instructions from From Hillbilly Housewife .  I plan to freeze my pumpkin puree for pumpkin bread, pumpkin "muff-cakes", and more!  (Recipes for these coming soon.)

How To Roast A Pumpkin

You can only do this with a freshly carved pumpkin! Do not use on a pumpkin that has been carved and sitting out for several days.

To bake a fresh 6 to 7 pound pumpkin, halve the pumpkin crosswise and scoop out the seeds and strings. Place halves, hollow side down, in a large baking pan covered with aluminum foil and add a little water. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until fork-tender. Remove. When cool, scrape pulp from shells and puree, a little at time, in food processor or blender. Mix with a little salt.

To freeze pumpkin puree. Put 1-2 cups in freezer bags along with spices and use in pies.

To use pumpkin puree for recipes: Line a strainer with a double layer of cheesecloth or a flour sack dish towel and let the pumpkin sit to drain out the extra moisture BEFORE cooking with it. Pumpkin is very moist, so in order for your recipe to come out correctly, you MUST strain it.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Boil seeds in water for 5 minutes. Drain well. Sprinkle with salt or seasoned salt. Place a thin layer on a cookie sheet. Bake at 250°. Stir after 30 minutes. Bake 1/2-1 hour more or until crunchy.
*Squash seeds may also be used.

Pumpkin Smoothies

• 1/2 cup pumpkin
• 3/4 cup milk or vanilla yogurt
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
• 2 tsp. brown sugar
• 4 ice cubes
• whipped cream (optional)
• sprinkles (optional)

Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into 2-3 glasses. Serve with a small amount of whipped cream on top. You may also add orange sprinkles if you like. Serves 2-3.

VLCD 31 (Day 33)

Yesterday I lost a pound, and today I lost a pound.  I'm back to 20 lbs lost.  If I can keep this momentum, I will hit my 30 lb goal for this first round.  It seems the chicken and fish with lettuce or celery work the best for us.  We both lose well after eating these combos.  Tomatoes, ground beef, and cottage cheese seem to cause small stalls.  It's frustrating that it limits what we can eat, but we will keep plugging along.  A pound a day is great for me, and I don't want that to end!

Jeff has lost over 50 pounds.  He's looking very different.  I don't look different (at least I don't think I do), but I know I will soon!

Bountiful Baskets

This was our first experience with Bountiful Baskets Co-op.  We did the "traditional basket" and I added on two pumpkins.  I wasn't sure what was included in the traditional basket so I didn't add on anything besides the two pumpkins.  I should have added the Mexican combo (a bunch of great veggies for making salsa) and the 30 lbs. of green beans to can.  I thought I might get that stuff already, and didn't realize they were add-ons.  I thought one pumpkin was included in the basket so I only ordered 2 more.  Since we didn't have time to carve pumpkins it turned out ok, and I'll bake these pumpkins for puree.  All this in the photo was fresh and local where possible.  They even have organic weeks where everything is organic.  The cost - $15 for a traditional basket, $3 extra per pumpkin. Not bad I think, and we sure have enjoyed the fresh produce.  http://www.bountifulbaskets.org/

Stuffed Baked "Potatoes"

JUST LIKE STUFFED BAKED POTATOES 
16 ounce package frozen cauliflower (I prefer fresh - steamed)
8 ounce cream cheese, softened 
8 ounce cheddar cheese, shredded 
4 green onions, chopped 
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste 
1/4 teaspoon pepper 
3 pieces bacon, chopped and fried until crisp 
Paprika, optional 


Cook the cauliflower until soft, about 8-10 minutes; drain very well and break up the florets a bit with a spoon. It's also very good if you leave the cauliflower a little chunky. Put in a greased 8 x 8" baking pan or a 2-quart casserole. Mix in the cream cheese, cheddar, green onion, salt, pepper and bacon. Dust the top with paprika, if desired. Bake at 350º for 20-40 minutes, until browned and bubbly. Or, microwave, loosely covered, for about 40 minutes on 50% power, turning the dish after 20 minutes. Makes 6 servings 
Can be frozen 

Spicy Lime Coleslaw

Spicy Lime Coleslaw

(Makes about 4 servings, recipe can easily be doubled. Adapted from Spicy Mexican Slaw with Lime and Cilantro that was originally found in Fine Cooking Annual 2008.)

1/2 head green cabbage, thinly sliced then coarsely chopped
1/2 head red cabbage, thinly sliced then coarsely chopped
1 cup grated or shredded carrots, lightly chopped (I like matchstick carrots in a bag, which are a bit thicker than grated carrots)
1/2 cup sliced green onion (about 4 green onions sliced)
4 T mayo (I used 2 T full-fat mayo and 2 T light mayo)
3 T fresh squeezed lime juice (I used my frozen fresh lime juice)
1 tsp green Tabasco sauce (or use other hot sauce of your choice)
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Thinly slice and then chop the 1/2 head of green cabbage and the 1/2 head of red cabbage and place in bowl. Grate and chop the carrots (or use matchstick carrots like I did and coarsely chop them.) Slice green onions and put carrots and green onions in the bowl with cabbage.

Whisk together the mayo, light mayo, lime juice, and green Tabasco sauce. (Taste the dressing to see if you want it a bit more sour or spicy.)

Salad can be prepared to this point and kept in the fridge until you're ready to serve it (even for a few days if it's in a sealed container or bag with the dressing in a separate container.)

Just before serving, mix desired amount of dressing into the cabbage mixture, season to taste with salt and fresh-ground black pepper, and serve.


This printable recipe from KalynsKitchen.com.

Super Cute Digital Art - Ellie Lash

If you are a digital scrapper like me (although I haven't done anything in awhile), take a look at the CUTEST digital art around!  I just love this gal's stuff.  Although it's a bit "young" for a lot of my layouts since my kids are older, I still love to see what she has.  You can buy it here.   http://ellielash.com  All this art can be purchased and uploaded to Heritage Makers as a "photo" and used in your layouts.  Although, you will not be able to upload this art into the Template Gallery since it is copyrighted.

VLCD 29 (Day 31)

I gained 2 pounds.  My cheat day did show up two days later obviously.  I also think any eating at night causes problems.  Jeff made strawberry "smoothies" (more like puree) last night.  It's an approved recipe but not good at night.  We both seem to do bad when eating at night.  We also have had "chili" (a ground beef and tomato approved dish) quite often.  Tomatoes can sometimes cause a stall, and I think we've had that a few too many times.  Still, I feel better overall that I'm pretty much staying within what I should and I'm not looking back, just moving forward.  So, I'm back to 18 pounds lost.  My goal is to at least hit 25 before then end!  If all I can do is 25 each round that will still make a difference.

VLCD 28 (Day 30)

As it turns out, my stressing wasn't necessary.  I went ahead and "took a day off" and ate dinner with everyone else.  I didn't have seconds.  I didn't over do it.  I even ate 3 cinnamon bears afterward while prepping for Boo's party.  Jeff reminded me what I did was not "bad".  It was a choice.  He is sick of feeling bad about food and realizes it's just a choice you make.  We are just now very aware of the consequences.  He wants to enjoy his food but also take responsibility for it.  It was a great reminder.  So... I enjoyed my dinner and knew I may have to work extra hard because of it.

Well, I lost a pound!  I'm back to a total of 20 lbs lost.  I exercised for 40 minutes just to help the calorie burning a for today and I'm back on track.  Eating what I did didn't seem to shake things up too bad.  Jeff said too, that lots of diets have cheat days built right in and that maybe my body needed a little shake up.  He is looking forward to doing that in the future.

Although sometimes weight can come 2 days later, I am prepared for that, but in the end I'm glad I went ahead and ate what I wanted.  It helped me relax and mentally take on the next two weeks.

Crockpot Pumpkin Chili

Another great recipe from http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com/  This can easily be adapted to food storage items by using freeze dried ground beef, peppers, onions, garlic, spices, sour cream, and cheese.  This is also a great recipe for dieters (South Beach, Phase 3 of hCG, etc).

Crockpot Pumpkin Chili with Ground Beef, Black Beans, and Kidney Beans
by Kalyn Denny
(Makes 6-8 servings, recipe adapted from Pumpkin Chili at Eclectic Recipes.)

I used a 3 1/2 quart slow cooker and it was quite full so any 4 - 5 quart size would also work.

2-3 tsp. olive oil (depending on your pan)
1 lb. ground beef (use ground beef with 10% fat or less for South Beach Diet)
salt and fresh ground black pepper, to season meat
1 medium onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 T minced garlic
1 T ground cumin
1 T chili powder (I used mild chili powder from The Spice House, note this is a blend of spices and not ground chile pepper.)
2 tsp. ground Ancho chile pepper (or use a little more chili powder if you don't have this)
2 tsp. dried cilantro or 2-3 T chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. Spike Seasoning
2-4 oz. diced green Anaheim chile peppers (I only used 2 oz, but if you like it spicy use the whole 4 oz. can)
3 cups homemade beef stock (or use 2 cans beef broth)
1 can (15 oz. can) red kidney beans, rinsed with cold water
2 cans (15 oz. cans) black beans, rinsed with cold water
1 can pumpkin puree (15 oz. can, not pumpkin pie filling!)
2 cans petite diced tomatoes with juice (14.5 oz. cans)
grated cheese for serving if desired (I used Mexican 4 cheese blend, a mixture of low-fat cheeses)
sour cream for serving if desired (I used light sour cream)

Heat a small amount of oil in a large heavy frying pan, add ground beef, season with salt and fresh ground black pepper, and cook until the beef is well browned. Add browned meat to the crockpot.

Add a little more oil to the frying pan, add diced onion and green bell pepper and cook 2-3 minutes, until the onion and pepper is just starting to soften. Add minced garlic, ground cumin, chili powder, ground Ancho chili pepper, dried cilantro, dried oregano, Spike Seasoning and diced green chiles and saute a couple minutes more. (Sauteeing the spices and chiles helps release the flavor, so don't skip this step.) Put the onion mixture into the crockpot, then deglaze the pan with the beef stock and add that to crockpot.

While onions and peppers are cooking, drain the beans into a colander placed in the sink and rinse with cold water until no more foam appears. (This removes excess starchiness and makes the beans easier to digest.) Add beans to the crockpot. Add canned pumpkin and diced tomatoes with juice.

Stir the mixture to combine ingredients, then cook on high for 4-6 hours, (or 8-10 hours on low) stirring a few times if you're home. (I cooked my chili about 4 1/2 hours on high and it was perfect, but crockpots can vary greatly as to how hot they get, so adjust the cooking time depending on your own slow cooker.)

Serve hot, topped with grated cheese and sour cream if desired. This chili will be even better after it's been in the fridge overnight, and also freezes well.

Amber's Cheesy Potatoes & Ham

8 to 10 potatoes, skinned and sliced about 1/4 in thick (less potatoes if they are large)
1 lb of ham sliced thin or small cubes
1 cup of sour cream
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
3 cups of sliced cheddar cheese (or how much you like)
1 Tb of garlic powder

Layer ham and potatoes in a large crock pot.  Mix cheese, sour cream, soup, and garlic in a large bowl, then spread evenly over potatoes and ham.  Stir ingredients every so often while cooking.  Cook on low 8-10 hours.
This can be cooked for 1 hour in an oven at 400 degrees, just reduce amounts above to fit in a 9x13 pan.
Feeds 8-10

VLCD 27 (Day 29)

I weighed myself today and found I gained a pound!  Even after an apple day this week - NO LOSS, and a pound GAINED!  Now I'm back to only losing 19 pounds.  It is sooooooooooo frustrating.  I had such a positive attitude thinking my apple day would do the trick, especially since I lost 4 pounds after the first time.  It seems my body stalls (BIG TIME) every 10 pounds.  This just means it will take twice as long to lose.  Ugh!  I was doing okay today thinking I'll just do another apple day and this will do the trick.  I was perfectly fine, totally okay with just apples (again).  That's when I smelled the dinner Brenna chose for her birthday.  It's one of my favorites (I'll post it).  Now, after this horrible week, a little "cheating" doesn't seem so bad.  If I have to fight off the weight, why not fight off the yummy dinner I made while I'm at it?  Right?  Sigh.

I don't know what to do.  Maybe I'll weigh myself, say a prayer, and then decide.  I was able to pass on a great luncheon (during my apple day no less).  I sacrificed, looking at all that great food thinking I would be skinnier the next morning and it would all be worth it.  No such luck.

Anyway, today is a very tough day and I don't know what to do.

Fabulous Brussels Sprouts

This is a great blog with tons of great recipes. Jeff loves Brussels Sprouts so here is another good one
from

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2010/10/very-best-brussels-sprouts-ever-slow.html

THE BEST BRUSSELS SPROUTS RECIPE IN THE WORLD!!

by Stephanie ODea

LOL. sorry. I must have been channeling my inner infomercial guy.

but they really are super tasty...

The Ingredients.

serves 6

1 pound brussels sprouts

3 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (ooh la la, fancy)

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup water

The Directions.

Use a 2-quart slow cooker. Wash and trim the ends off of each Brussels sprout, and cut in half. Toss into the cooker. Add butter, mustard, salt, pepper, and water. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, or on high for 2 to 3. Stir well to distribute the sauce before serving. The sprouts on the edge get brown and bit crispy on the outer edge. This is a good, and not something to worry about!

The Verdict.

My newly-turned-nine-year-old's favorite food is brussels sprouts. And artichokes. She has learned (sadly, through peer pressure) to no longer give this as an answer when asked what her favorite food is because many, many people dislike these little guys.

If you're on the fence about brussels sprouts, I urge you to try them prepared like this. The Dijon gives a fantastic savory taste and is really quite wonderful.

and hey. At least they aren't beets... 

bwahahahahahaaaaa!!!

Stephanie O'Dea is the NYT best-selling author of Make it Fast, Cook it Slow: The Big Book of Everyday Slow Cooking and More Make it Fast, Cook it Slow: 200 Brand New Recipes for Slow Cooking on a Budget.

VLCD 25 (Day 27) - 20 Pounds Lost!

I am not sure where I got off on my counting but technically I HAVE lost 20 pounds so far!  How did I not see that?  Anyway, so today is a day for rejoicing regardless of anything else!

No weight loss on the scale this morning, so today is an apple day for me.  I'm thinking this stall (1/2 pound yesterday, nothing today) is due to constipation and water retention again.  We've been super good, no dairy, avoiding mint, very few tomatoes, and everything on the up and up.  So, I'm doing an apple day to kick start things again.

I'm not losing hope and know all this is normal.  I still am doing great, all things considered.  Hooray for hitting my first milestone!

Apple Cake

A recipe snatched from my friend LeAnna

Apple Cake

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour OR 1 cup whole wheat flour & 2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tbs spoon ground cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
3/4 cup canola oil OR applesauce
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs, beaten
4 cups chopped, peeled apples
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Glaze:
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1/8 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Preheat ovent to 350 degrees F. Grease & flour 9X13 baking pan.

2. In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon & nutmeg. Make a well in the center & add oil, eggs & vanilla. Mix well (bater will be very thick). Fold in chopped apples and nuts. Spread into 9X13 pan.

3. Bake @ 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean. Glaze while still hot.

4. To make glaze: In a saucepan, combine brown sugar, milk & butter. Bring to a boil & continue cooking for 2 1/2 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour over cake while still hot.

*It's pretty rich with the glaze so if you want to cut back on the sugar/sweetness, it's great without!

Low Sugar Whole Wheat Pumpkin Muffins (and more)

This is a great blog with lots of low sugar recipes.  Here's a good one for the season!  Lots of other recipes at the bottom of the post.

from http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com

Recipe for Low-Sugar and Whole Wheat Pumpkin Muffins with Pecans

This week I got an e-mail from a reader named Sommer asking if I had a South Beach Diet Friendly recipe for pumpkin bread or pumpkin muffins. I can't always take recipe requests but Sommer's timing was great, because I'd recently written about Pumpkin Recipes for Cupcakes, Cookies, Cakes, Bread, and Muffins at BlogHer.com, and I'd been thinking about making pumpkin muffins or bread ever since. The muffins I came up with were adapted from a recipe in The Splenda World of Sweetness, a cookbook my blogging friend Amy Sherman sent me years ago, and happily they were a success from the first batch (which is pretty rare for me when it comes to baking!

I used all white whole wheat flour and Splenda with just a touch of brown sugar, and the pumpkin puree in the muffins would be considered a "good carb" but I'd still say these muffins are something where you'd need to use portion control if you're trying to lose weight. The most South Beach Diet friendly version would be the ones made with all Splenda, but even with the small amount of brown sugar I used they're lower in sugar and more healthful than most pumpkin muffin recipes you'll find. If you need something a bit less sweet to feed the little goblins on Halloween morning, this might be just the thing. (Of course you can also make the muffins with a combination of sugar and brown sugar if you don't care about making them lower in sugar.))

I used pecans, but I think walnuts or almonds would also be good in these muffins. Coarsely chop 2/3 cup nuts to go in the muffins and finely chop 3 T nuts for the topping.

Mix the finely chopped nuts with 2 T Splenda and 1 T brown sugar to make the topping.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix together white whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt.

In another bowl whisk together the pumpkin puree, Splenda, brown sugar, oil, buttermilk, egg, egg white, and vanilla.

Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. As you can see from this spoon standing up, the batter will be stiff! Then fold in the coarsely chopped nuts.

Spray muffin tips or silicone muffin cups with nonstick spray, then fill cups with batter and top each with a heaping teaspoon of the topping mixture.

The cookbook said 15 minutes baking time, which must have been a typo because I baked my muffins at 350F/175C and it took 27 minutes until the toothpick came out clean.

Low-Sugar and Whole Wheat Pumpkin Muffins with Pecans
(Makes 12 muffins, recipe adapted from pumpkin muffins in The Splenda World of Sweetness.)

2/3 cup + 3 T pecans (or use any nuts of your choice)
2 C white whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (see note below for substitute for this)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon (I use Saigon Cassia Cinnamon from The Spice House)
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup pumpkin puree (I used canned, but you can make your own pumpkin puree)
10 T + 2 T Splenda (or use regular white sugar if you don't care about making the muffins low-sugar)
2 T + 1 T brown sugar (or replace all the brown sugar with Splenda if you want to reduce the sugar even more)
1/4 cup grapeseed oil (or canola oil)
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 egg + 1 egg white
3/4 tsp. vanilla

NOTE: If you don't have pumpkin pie spice you can use 1 tsp. ground ginger, 1/2 tsp. ground Allspice, 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp. ground cloves to equal 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice.)

Preheat oven to 350F/175C and spray muffin tins or silicone muffin cups with nonstick spray. Coarsely chop the 2/3 cup of pecans and set aside. Finely chop the 3 T pecans, combine with the 2 T Splenda and 1 T brown sugar, and set topping mixture aside.

In a medium-sized bowl combine the white whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice (or combined spices as described above), cinnamon, and salt.

In another bowl whisk together the pumpkin puree, 10 T Splenda, 2 T brown sugar, oil, buttermilk, egg, egg white, and vanilla. (The mixture will be stiff.) Fold in the 2/3 cup chopped nuts.

Fill muffin cups with batter mixture, sprinkling a heaping teaspoon of the topping mixture over each muffin. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean. (I baked my muffins exactly 27 minutes.)

These muffins were light and just slightly sweet, with a good flavor that reminded me of pumpkin pie. I put half my muffins in the freezer (to help with portion control) and I'll reheat them for about a minute in the microwave when I want to eat one later.

Printer Friendly Recipe
South Beach Suggestions:

Using white whole wheat flour, grapeseed oil, and mostly Splenda makes these muffins a better choice for the South Beach Diet than most pumpkin muffin recipes, but definitely a version made with all Splenda would be best for the diet if you're actively trying to lose weight. Made with all Splenda these muffins could be an occasional treat for phase 2 of the diet, and if you used partly brown sugar like I did, they're probably best saved for phase 3.

More Low-Sugar Muffins You Might Like:
(Recipes from other blogs may not always be South Beach Diet friendly; check ingredients.)
Low-Sugar Whole Wheat and Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins with Lemonfrom Kalyn's Kitchen
Low-Sugar and Whole What Mango Walnut Muffins from Kalyn's Kitchen
Low-Sugar and Flourless Zucchini Muffins with Pecans (Gluten Free)from Kalyn's Kitchen
Low-Sugar and Whole Wheat Peach Pecan Muffins from Kalyn's Kitchen
Low-Sugar and Whole What Zucchini Muffins with Pecans from Kalyn's Kitchen
Low-Fat Sugar Free Sesame Banana Muffins (Gluten Free) from Gluten Free Bay
Sugar-Free Colombian Cocoa Muffins from The Perfect Pantry
Sugar-Free (or not) Peach and Vanilla Muffins from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen
Banana Spice Muffins (Gluten Free) from Ginger Lemon Girl
Banana Walnut Muffins from A Dash of Sass
(Want even more recipes? I find these recipes from other blogs usingFood Blog Search.)