Food Blog Inspirations

There are some amazing food bloggers out there. I'm more of a "recipe-finder" type blogger, I don't take tantalizing food porn pictures of our dinner - but I do hope that some of you are finding inspiration from my blog, or at the very least some of the blogs I'm sending you too! LOL

This week two of my recipes are from HoneyB's wonderful blog. She is a pretty inspired baker (something I'm so not) but also has a lot of wonderful main dishes. She is just as nice as peach pie, too! (Even if she does sometimes kick my behind at Scrabble on Facebook!)

I also have been using Organizing Junkie's Menu Planner with Grocery List. It's a simple idea - but it keeps my plan and grocery list together. She is so smart!

Let's get on with my insane week, shall we:

Monday - sigh........ Weight Watchers. Gads. Bummer. It's been two weeks since last week was Memorial Day. Let's just say I'm not feelin' the skinny love. I think maybe we'll go have us some sushi and jump on to the counting bandwagon on Tuesday.

Tuesday - I have an admission. I STILL have not made HoneyB's Longevity Noodles. But you know what that little scamp did this past week??? She went and posted ANOTHER shrimp and pasta recipe that seriously sounds good. The new one is winning right now! :) We have baseball pictures and baseball, but should be home by 6:30 and this sounds quick and easy-peasy. (Not to mention so, oh, very good!)

Wednesday - So, since we have been on Weight Watchers I've been trying to broaden our non-meat options. Last week on my shopping expedition I bought a package of extra firm tofu. I had absolutely no idea what I was going to do with it - I figured I pick Carrie's brain over at Vegan Deliciousness and see what she had to say. Then wouldn't ya know it - HoneyB posted this: General Tso's Tofu! I adore General Tso's chicken and have even made un-fried Weight Watchers version before. I can't wait to try this!

Thursday - Baseball night again along with piano lessons just to keep it interesting. We have a small window between getting home from piano and having to leave for baseball (like 20 minutes). Come on - say it all together now: CROCKPOT NIGHT! LOL I'm going to adapt this Beef Tips recipe from Allrecipes. A little Garofalo penne (from my winnings) and we'll be on the way to baseball!

Friday - I found a package of pork chops roaming (with the whole chickens) in the freezer. Usually pork chops don't hang out too long because they are so loved around here - but these ones needs to get going! So, either regular shake n' bake or I might make my own if I'm feeling especially inspired. We haven't had couscous in awhile. I think we need to be eatin' more couscous!

Saturday - Well, I have to run off and try to get the AC in the Quest fixed again. (I tried last Saturday but they had to order parts.) Last week I ate at P.F. Chang's. I was chickie-less and sat in the bar, had some awesome Moo Goo Gai Pan. I opened my fortune and it said "You are going to get a pleasant surprise this weekend" and said to the bartender/manager "I hope this true because I could use some good news" and then told her about my car woes. It was about 100 degrees outside at the time and I told her I was about to drive home 70 miles without AC. She felt so badly - she bought my lunch! Wasn't that the sweetest thing ever? I'm going to have to remember to pay that forward very soon! At any rate, right next to the P.F. Chang's was a Famous Dave's BBQ. We all know I'm obsessed with the knock-off Country Roast Chicken! I almost ate there last week, but decided against - well now since I have to go back, you can guarantee I'm gonna have to see how well the real deal stands up against the delicious knock-off!

Also, when we get home from our car adventures we will run off to Mrs. S's "baby's" graduation party! Mrs. S throws a mean party and I can't wait to celebrate such a milestone event!

Sunday - Because I'm sure I will have over-eaten on Saturday via my Famous Dave's adventure as well as the party, we are gonna have grilled chicken on Sunday. Light and healthy people, light and healthy!

More Garofalo Pasta (and spices too!)

Erin over at $5Dinners.com is givin' away more of the Garofalo pasta and some spice from DiPalo Selects. Go check it out and enter to win!

These food bloggers are the coolest peeps ever!

Little League is Here!

The chickies have been practicing softball for the past two weeks, but this is the first week of real games. We are lucky enough to be a part of the "DAC Dragons" franchise - coached by the two D's: Mr. Craver and Big D (aka as Mrs. S's hubby). They are both awesome coaches!

Monday - Some of my menu is a repeat from last week, as we didn't stick to our plan very well last week. Not sure what was up with that! LOL I am still lovin' Famous Dave's Country Roast Chicken. If you haven't made it yet, please do it!

Tuesday - The mini-chickies really loved the Oven-Fried Catfish that I've done a couple of times. I found some Garlic Oven Fries at the Purple Foodie that I think will be awesome with the fish. KK LOVES garlic and I'm sure she will be diggin' these. We have the "early" game and will be home by 6:30 - plenty of time to get this made! I will have everything ready to go.

Wednesday - I made the lentil filling from these tacos awhile back for a different recipe, but I think this week we'll go straight out tacos with them.

Thursday - CRAZY DAY of the week. We have the "late" game - but before that we have piano lessons. We will have about 20-30 minutes between piano and having to leave for the game.Do I have to tell ya what that means?!!?!? Yes, the crockpot! LOL I haven't used my cool shaped pasta from Garafolo, but I was thinking a nice baked ziti-type thing would be good. I'm just sorta gonna wing the recipe, marinara from the freezer, random cheese from the fridge, maybe some veggies - I think it will be a hit!

Friday - I was up late on Sunday night, watching TV when I should have been sleeping. I was getting tired, but then Throwdown with Bobby Flay came on. I know some people aren't huge Bobby Flay fans, but I think he is pretty entertaining and I like Throwdown because HE LOSES and he usually does it gracefully. So, I stayed up because it was an episode I'd never seen: Meatloaf! The competitors looked fantastic! I think I was actually sucked in by the scrumptious looking mushroom gravy - sadly the recipe for that is not with the meatloaf - but I'm gonna give it a try, with a few tweaks. I think I will use 1/2 ground turkey and 1/2 ground beef. I will probably just make my favorite red wine/mushroom gravy - but I tell ya, that stuff in the photo looks good enough to drink!

Saturday - It seems to kinda a be an "oven-fried" kinda week. I Think I'll make up a big batch of skinless oven-fried chicken legs. They are SS's favorite - she never even notices the skin is missing!

Sunday - I still haven't made Shelby's Longevity Noodles. :( They need to be made! I want them soooooooooo bad!

Feeling the Skinny Love

If you read this little blog at all, then you know KK & I have been going to Weight Watchers since January. I'm happy to report that I finally reached my 10% loss goal! It is amazing how much that little key chain means to me!

Spring? Could it Really BE?

The weather is suppose to be nice this week (with the exception of Tuesday, when the wind is suppose to blow up to 47 mph! YUCK!)

I really don't have lots of extra-curricular activities other than the norm: little league practice and piano lessons. I know, it is hard to believe - but I don't feel like a chicken with my head cut-off!

Monday - To town for our Weight Watchers meeting. I don't know if I'm gonna make it to that 10% this week either! I'm sooooooo close, but with everything going on last week - it just makes it harder to stay OP (on-program). Nonetheless, we gotta have a little something special, right? KK LOVES beef stroganoff and this recipe, although simple is her favorite. I'll make it Sunday for us to just reheat when we get home on Monday night.

Tuesday - I'm feeling the need for a little spice - I think chicken enchiladas are the answer. I usually don't go to all the trouble of making individual enchiladas, but go for more of a casserole with a bottom layer of tortillas, my filling, another layers of tortillas and top it all of with cheese. I will use Ten Minute Enchilada Sauce from AR.

Wednesday - I think the weather is suppose to get back to nice after the predicated wind storm on Tuesday, it makes me think grilling needs to be the call of the day. I love the rub mix from this recipe. I made a wet marinade a couple of weeks ago that I didn't like near as much. I've never grilled it - we'll see how it works out. I will make some baked potatoes in the crockpot again, I tried it a few weeks ago - and although thoroughly cooked, bordering on overcooked, I'm gonna try it again and double wrap them in foil and cut my cooking time from 7 hours to 5 (my crockpot switches to warm).

Thursday - Mrs. S. is probably going to be busy, she is a co-coach of a little league team, but maybe I'll get brave and go for a walk during SS's piano lesson all by myself!??!? At any rate, because it is piano day - it's the crockpot to the rescue! I'm trying out a new recipe I found from the Weight Watchers recipe review board:

Crock pot Pork Chops and Potatoes in Mustard Sauce

1 ½ lbs bone in pork sirloin chops, frozen
1 lb potatoes -- thinly sliced
1 10 3/4-ounce can Campbell's 98% Fat Free Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 dash garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 TB onion - sliced

In 3 quart slow cooker, place pork chops. Top with potatoes. Mix soup, chicken broth, mustard, thyme, garlic, pepper and onion. Pour over potatoes. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 9 hours or on HIGH 4 to 5 hours.

Yield: 4 servings.
Per serving: 308 Calories; 8g Fat (25.0% calories from fat); 27g Protein; 30g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 3mg Cholesterol; 573mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 3 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

Sounds pretty good, huh? As I've said before, my mini-chicks can get kinda testy when I do anything besides Shake 'N Bake pork chops - but I'm gonna give it a try anyway!

Friday - I really liked the Kona Chicken I made awhile back also found the WW board. Although this recipe calls for the crockpot, I think using boneless skinless breasts like I want to do, doesn't work out as well for the long cooking times I need, unless it something that the chicken chicken can shred well into (like Lazy Chicken or Zesty Chicken BBQ). It only takes 40-50 minutes in the oven, so it is definitely doable!

Saturday - I have great aspirations of getting my Wal-mart redneck pool up this weekend. It is suppose to get 86 degrees and with the 3-day weekend, it seems like the perfect time. I want to use the grill again, but this time I was thinking of finding some good portabella's and making "burgers". I'm not sure how SS will feel out this (she is not a mushroom fan in general) but I'm thinking I might be able to fake her out! LOL I need to find a low-fat potato salad recipe that I love. The last time I used the one I loved, it didn't turn out very good and I've fall out of love. If anybody has one - let me know!!!

Sunday - I've been wanting to make Shelby's (aka Grumpy's Honeybunch) Longevity Noodles for awhile now. They were on my meal plan a few weeks ago when I was so sick and didn't get anything made. I believe there are still shrimp in my freezer just for this purpose!

Can May almost really be gone already???? Man.

Short Busy Week

I am still here!

Last week I was at a 3-day conference for WASBO (Washington Association of School Business Officials). It was an awesome jam-packed with information 3 days. It was well organized and they were feeding us every time we turned around, which although makes for an enjoyable conference - I'm not sure how it is going to translate to weigh-in!

As usual of late, this week is full of too many activities too!

Monday - We are off to our meeting and weigh-in. I'm not expecting great things - KK keeps saying "Dad is a diet saboteur" and I heard something about chicken alfredo while I was gone. We will eat in town (bad, bad, bad). :)

Tuesday - Little League practice starts - they practice every night for the next two weeks and then have games Tuesday and Thursday nights for the entire month of June. I actually really love Little League, you are ready for it to be over at the end of the month - but I was very sad last year when they tried shortening the season. I love watching how much my chickies have improved over the years. At any rate, we will be having catfish fillets (just lemon pepper seasoned). I wonder if they are going to be extra hungry or full from the snacks?? hmmmmmm....

Wednesday - THIS IS SS'S 10TH BIRTHDAY!!! My baby is gonna be 10?!!?!? Sniff..sniff.. How in the world did that happen, do you think? She asked for her favorite thing in the whole world. Spaghetti and meatballs, she loves her some spaghetti and meatballs! I also I'm making some sorta cookies for her class on Tuesday - I haven't decided which yet.

Thursday - I have another meeting out of town on Thursday. I'm a hopin' that since I won't be home until around 6:00 that their dad will bring them home fed. If not, well we'll just have to wing it.

Friday - YEA! We are home Friday night. I'm going to make Pork 'N BBQ beans in the crockpot. After my crockpot extravaganza week before last, I'm convinced that crockpot liners are worth the money! No scrubbing - just pull out the liner and put your next dinner in!

Saturday - For a little birthday party event for SS, we are taking a couple of her friends and going to spend the night in a hotel for a little swimming and delivery pizza action (something we don't get often living in the boonies like we do).

Sunday - I saw a bunch of whole chickens roaming around in my freezer. (BWAHHAAHHA) I'm still not tired of Famous Dave's Roasted Chicken, so I might even do two for leftovers for the week ahead.

You can't even imagine how much better I feel with a plan of action!

It Seems Odd Now.....

.... that I'm not making a meal plan this week! I am going to be out of town for a few days this week, plus we are changing our weigh-in nights from Tuesday to Monday, so that leaves only next weekend to plan for and I don't want to go grocery shopping BEFORE I go out of town.

It just leaves me feeling a bit disorientated. LOL I do like plan. :)